"Obviously as a society we have to do better, we have to have empathy better for one another no matter what race you are, but it’s more a shout-out to the family more than anything,” James said, as quoted by the Guardian.
The Washington Post called James’ gesture "a big deal", pointing out that he is one of the most famous athletes in the world. He is also "the corporate face of a few brands, and he is at the height of his career. And, oh yeah, Prince William and his wife, Kate, were at the game," the newspaper pointed out.
The New York grand jury decision follows another similar case in Ferguson, Missouri, where black teenager Michael Brown was killed by a white police officer in August. The killing and a similar verdict by a grand jury not to indict officer Darren Wilson set off nationwide protests and renewed debates over police brutality and unfair sentencing.
