'Breonna Taylor's Killers Are Still Free, I Want To Keep Focus On That': Nuggets' Jerami Grant Explains Cause Important To Him

(CBS4)- Denver Nuggets forward Jerami Grant wants to make sure that people don't forget there are bigger things going on in the world outside of basketball. Though Grant is happy to be in Orlando getting ready to play in the NBA restart, he took time during his media availability on Wednesday to focus on one topic: the death of Breonna Taylor.

According to ESPN, Grant took five questions from reporters. And in each of his answers, he made a quick statement about his teammates before coming back to Taylor.

"It's great to be here with my teammates, great to be back playing basketball, but for me personally, and I think a lot of players, it's imperative that we focus on what is really important in the world," Grant said. "One thing for me is Breonna Taylor's killers are still roaming around free, so I want to focus on that with these interviews and things like that. I want to keep the focus there."

The 26-year-old Taylor, a Black emergency medical technician, was shot eight times by police in Louisville, Kentucky during a March 13 incident in which plainclothes officers executed a search warrant without knocking at Taylor's apartment. Her death and the fact that the officers involved have not be arrested or charged, has sparked outrage across the country with protesters calling for arrests. The investigation is still ongoing.

Nuggets coach Mike Malone told reporters that he applauds Grant for taking time during his interview sessions to address a cause he believes in.

"I respect Jerami doing that," Malone said. "It's a big point of emphasis from the league, from the coaches, the NBPA, coming down here. Making sure that we continue the conversation and keeping the spotlight where it needs to be. For Jerami to dedicate his press conference to the memory of the life of Breonna Taylor is outstanding, so I applaud him for that."

Grant has said that he won't be putting any of the messages for social justice that the NBA has approved on his jersey. Instead, he will be using the time during his media availability to speak about the issues.