PETA has sent letters to LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets—two of the most popular and successful NBA rookies of all time and leading contenders to win the “Got Milk?” Rookie of the Year Award—urging them to refuse to play ball by declining the “honor” and not allowing themselves to be used as de facto pushers for the dairy industry. Click here and here to read the letters.

PETA points out in the letters that in addition to the intense suffering of mother cows and their calves at the hands of the dairy and veal industries, as many as 75 percent of James’ and Anthony’s fellow African-Americans are lactose-intolerant, meaning that drinking milk can translate into excruciating cramps and other painful side effects.

Click here for more information on lactose intolerance, and click here to learn more about the cruelty to animals inherent in the dairy industry, including its direct link to the veal industry.