The situation with Adam Jones and the racism he faced at Fenway Park sparked other athletes’ experiences in Boston, and LeBron James chimed in.
Adam Jones and the Baltimore Orioles have had a rough week at Fenway Park, but it all reached a boiling point when Jones was called a derogatory term by a fan at the stadium during a recent Red Sox-Orioles game.
Several athletes have given their opinions on their times playing in Boston after the incident occurred, and many gave the thought that “You have to expect that when you go to Boston.”
LeBron James, despite being off of social media as his Cleveland Cavaliers make their way through the NBA postseason, was asked about the situation in his postgame presser after Game 2 with the Toronto Raptors. James said, while he didn’t know all of the details, that the reputation that people expect racism in Boston didn’t match up with his experiences.
Cavaliers' LeBron James on Adam Jones, racism and his own experiences playing in Boston pic.twitter.com/QMdSZgR0s4
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) May 4, 2017
“For me, I’ve been to Boston, I’ve played in Boston a lot,” James said. “I just try to have tunnel vision when I play, but I can’t recall ever hearing something that was racist towards me.”
James focused on the positives of the situation, as he brought up the Red Sox fans in attendance Tuesday night giving Jones a standing ovation as he stepped to the plate for the first time.
“I think it was great that the other guys spoke up for him, not even his own team,” James said. “The Red Sox players spoke out and said “Hey fans, we need you guys to have a standing ovation. Please stand for that.”
James reiterated that the situation wasn’t a good look in general, not just in sports, and brought up Martin Luther King’s stance of everyone being equal, regardless of color, race, shape, etc.
“It’s not great for sports, not great for society,” James said of the racism.