Portland Trail Blazers guard Gary Trent Jr. shared a message about black parents’ fears for their children’s safety in response to the George Floyd incident
On Wednesday, Portland Trail Blazers guard Gary Trent Jr. retweeted a message in response to the George Floyd incident on Monday. Some of Trent Jr.’s teammates also shared their anguish on social media.
My parents texted me in fear this morning, continuously reminding me of their love for me. It’s heartbreaking that all black parents are worried if their child will return home everytime their child leaves the house... Stay safe out here kings. #JusticeforGeorge 💔🙏🏾
— McKinley Wright IV (@kin_wright25) May 27, 2020
Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black male, died in Minneapolis after Officer Derek Chauvin handcuffed him and held him to the ground by placing his knee on Floyd’s neck. In a video recorded by a bystander, Floyd repeatedly told Chauvin he could not breathe and that his body was hurting. Chauvin and three other officers were responding to a forgery charge against Floyd at restaurant Cup Foods as reported by CBS Minnesota.
Trent Jr., a former Minnesota high school basketball star, grew up in Apple Valley, a community 20 miles outside of Minneapolis. In an interview with Blazer’s Edge podcast on May 17, Trent Jr. discussed his time in Minnesota.
“Growing up in Minnesota, it was great,” Trent Jr. said. “I met my best friend there and friends that I still talk to forever.”
Trent Jr. said his family still lives in Minnesota. His father, Gary Trent Sr. played in the NBA from 1995-2004. His first team, like Trent Jr., was the Portland Trail Blazers where he played for three seasons. Trent Sr. also played for the Minnesota Timberwolves for three seasons, ending his NBA career with the team.
Trent Sr. was a four-year varsity athlete at Apple Valley High School (Minn.), led his team to a 4A Minnesota state title as a sophomore in the 2014-2015 season and was the 2016 Gatorade Minnesota Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
The Blazers shooting guard said he has three younger brothers that are growing up in Minnesota. Trent Jr.’s retweet in response to Floyd’s death mentioned the importance of young black males and children staying safe.
Blazers players CJ McCollum and Nassir Little also responded to Floyd’s death on Twitter. McCollum retweeted Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell who wrote the incident was “sickening”. Little retweeted a video of a police officer discussing how the incident could have been better handled.
Since Floyd’s death, there have been riots, looting in Minneapolis and protests in Memphis and Los Angeles. The four officers involved in the incident have been fired from the Minneapolis Police Department as reported by CBS Minnesota. In a press conference, on Tuesday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for criminal charges to be brought against Chauvin and said the incident was “wrong on every level”.
“Being black in America should not be a death sentence,” Frey said. “What we saw is horrible, completely and utterly messed up.”