rutlandherald
President Donald Trump took aim at LeBron James on Thursday, labeling the NBA superstar a 'disgrace' for allegedly showing disrespect during the national anthem before the Philadelphia 76ers' season opener on Tuesday. Trump accused James of not standing still while 'The Star-Spangled Banner' played, sharing a video of the incident on social media.
In his post, Trump repeated his longstanding criticism of James, stating, 'I said right from the beginning that he's no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE.' He also demanded that James apologize to 'all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our Country stands for!' The video showed James appearing to practice a golf swing and a jump shot as the anthem was performed in New York.
James, who is in his first season with Philadelphia, was lined up with teammates who mostly stood still during the anthem. The 41-year-old is playing his record 24th NBA season and was set to make his home debut for the Sixers on Thursday night against Cleveland.
Trump and James have a history of public feuds. In 2017, while with Cleveland, James wore one black shoe and one white shoe with the word 'equality' in gold letters on the back during a game. Afterward, he said, 'This is a beautiful country and we're never going to let one person dictate how beautiful and how powerful we are.' He also once called Trump 'a bum' on Twitter and criticized him for not understanding the influence of the presidency on children.
James has consistently used his platform to address social issues. After Fox News host Laura Ingraham told him to 'shut up and dribble' in 2018, James responded, 'We will definitely not shut up and dribble. I will definitely not do that. I mean too much to society. I mean too much to the youth.' He cited Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Bill Russell, and Jackie Robinson as athletes who spoke out for equality.
In 2020, James was named The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a championship and for encouraging people to vote. He has also rejected criticism from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who in 2021 said athletes should stay out of politics. James replied, 'I would never shut up about things that are wrong.'
As of Thursday afternoon, James had not publicly commented on Trump's latest remarks.
Key Analysis
This latest exchange highlights the ongoing tension between Trump and James, two figures who have clashed repeatedly over social and political issues. James's actions during the anthem have reignited debates about athletes using their platforms for activism, a topic that has followed him throughout his career. With James now in Philadelphia, the spotlight on his every move—both on and off the court—shows no signs of dimming.
Originally reported by rutlandherald.