Miami Heat players support Trayvon Martin’s family with ‘hoodie’ photo

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The star player of one of the most popular basketball teams in the nation published a photo Friday showing he and teammates wearing “hoodies,” apparently to support the family of Trayvon Martin, a Florida youth murdered last month by a neighborhood watchman, who remains a free man despite the unprovoked killing.

In an update published to Twitter Friday afternoon, the Heat’s all-star, LeBron James, sent out the photo (above) with the text: “#WeAreTrayvonMartin #Hoodies #Stereotyped #WeWantJustice.”

Since the killing became national news earlier this week, thousands have joined protests wearing hoodies and calling for authorities to arrest Trayvon’s killer, who cited the boy’s hooded attire shortly before gunning him down. Martin’s mother has gone on to allege that his killer opened fire due to the color of her son’s skin.

That article of clothing, and its apparent use as justification for the murder, was even picked up by Fox News reporter Geraldo Rivera, who claimed Friday that wearing a hoodie was just as much a reason for Martin’s death as the shooter’s willingness to pull the trigger.

The Miami Heat, aside from being one of the teams closest to the tragedy, also earn the distinction of being the first set of professional athletes to join the protests. LeBron had, previously, published a photo of himself wearing a hoodie, leading Florida sports reporter Ethan Skolnick to speculate that the team photo was also LeBron’s doing.

“[The image] will have far more power than anything James could have done on his own,” he wrote.

President Barack Obama said on Friday that if he had a son, “he’d look like Trayvon,” adding that officials at the federal, state and local level are striving to determine the facts of the case and ensure justice is served.