Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart used his media session Tuesday to call for justice for Breonna Taylor.
Smart repeated the phrase, “Justice for Breonna Taylor,” seven times during an 81-second media session from the Orlando bubble. Taylor, a Louisville EMT, was shot dead after police raided her home with a no-knock warrant in March.
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Here’s the full transcript of Smart’s session:
Smart: Before we start, guys, my answer is going to be justice for Breonna Taylor. That’s going to be my answer for everything. So just letting you guys know that now. Justice for Breonna Taylor.
Q: Hey Marcus. So if I ask you about team defense that’s going to be your answer?
Smart: I’m going to ask for justice for Breonna Taylor.
Boston Celtics
Q: Marcus, CJ McCollum said some players were on a call with Breonna’s mother a few days ago, were you on that call?
Smart: I was. And I’d just like to say justice for Breonna Taylor.
Q: Anything specific that you guys were ...
Smart: Justice for Breonna Taylor. That’s my answer for everything … My answer is going to be justice for Breonna Taylor. That’s my answer for every question. You guys can keep asking but that’s what you guys are going to get today.
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On Sunday, Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown closed out his media session by also speaking on Taylor’s death.
"Before I go, actually, I wanted to speak on Breonna Taylor. I know it’s a hot topic in conversation, I know a lot of people have chimed in and have their thoughts about it. I guess where the line is drawn, or where the outrage kinda comes from is just, you look at the case, you look at since things have been settled down, Louisville has abolished the no-knock warrant, where now you have to knock if you have a warrant, instead of just breaking into somebody’s home. And it happened to be the wrong home with Breonna Taylor.
"I understand that the protocol and the officers that they have to follow but I think a lot of people’s problem is not just with the officers, it’s with the establishment, or the higher-up, or I can’t think of the word right now. But the problem is not just with the officers, it’s with what they’ve been told to do, etcetera. So, obviously, everybody has chimed in on feeling with what they have to say. For somebody to have their home broken into, and not necessarily be the right necessary home, we understand what the protocol is, but I feel like the protocol needs to change, needs to improve. We see the improvements being made but also like continuing to have people speak on these things, continuing to have them talk about them is important. For us, equality is demanded, and Blacks Lives Matter. And Breonna Taylor is an example of a black life who was taken because of how the system has been laid out. And we’re going to continue to protest and continue to feel some type of way about it. It’s unfortunate, but I think these conversations need to continue to be had, for sure."