Retired Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade offered a one-word endorsement of the criticism directed at the not guilty verdict in the controversial trial of Kyle Rittenhouse.
Rittenhouse was acquitted of first-degree intentional homicide as well as four additional felony charges stemming from protests over police brutality that took place in Kenosha, Wis. in August 2020.
Those protests were in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake a few days earlier in Kenosha. Rittenhouse, who resides in Illinois, traveled to Wisconsin in an apparent effort to quell the chaos.
Rittenhouse claimed self-defense in the killings of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and the wounding of Gaige Grosskreutz. Had Rittenhouse been found guilty of the intentional homicide charge, he could have conceivably received a life sentence.
The case has sparked attention around the country, with Wade’s frustration with the verdict clearly evident. Back in January, Wade had similar feelings when no police were charged in the shooting of Blake.
The shooting of Blake came during the NBA’s resumption of play within the Orlando bubble and caused enough anger among players, especially members of the Milwaukee Bucks, that games were postponed.
Wade has long been focused on issues off of the basketball court and has been able to follow this particular case with more scrutiny now that he’s retired.
Given the volatile nature of the case, a wealth of current NBA players will be offering their own comments about the Rittenhouse verdict. In all likelihood, those remarks will largely mirror Wade’s sentiments.