President Donald Trump on Thursday accused LeBron James of disrespecting the United States after the 76ers star appeared to continue his warmups while the national anthem was performed before Philadelphia’s season opener Tuesday against the Knicks in New York.
James appeared to practice a golf swing and jump shot during “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Madison Square Garden. James, in his debut for the 76ers, was lined up alongside teammates who mostly stood still during the anthem.
“I said right from the beginning that he’s no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE,” Trump said of James in a social media post sharing the video. “LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our Country stands for!”
Representatives for James did not respond to requests for comment from ESPN. James, 41, in his record-24th NBA season, was set to make his home debut for the Sixers on Thursday night against Cleveland.
Trump himself also has been criticized for his actions during the national anthem. In 2020, the Miami Herald posted a video of Trump waving his hands as if to conduct an orchestra while the national anthem was played at a Super Bowl watch party. In the brief video clip, Trump also appeared to gesture at others as those around him stood with hand over heart while the anthem was played.
Trump and James have been critical of each other for years, occasionally trading public swipes. Among some of the more notable times James became entangled with the president or politics:
• James was with the Cavaliers in 2017 when he made a statement during an NBA game with his shoes — one black, one white, with the word “equality” in capital gold letters on the back of each. Then, after the game, James made a statement about Trump, saying: “This is a beautiful country and we’re never going to let one person dictate how beautiful and how powerful we are.”
James had called Trump “a bum” on Twitter and also said earlier that season of the president: “He doesn’t understand how many kids, no matter the race, look up to the president of the United States for guidance, for leadership, for words of encouragement. He doesn’t understand that, and that’s what makes me more sick than anything.”
• James spoke out on social issues and the nation’s political climate after Fox News host Laura Ingraham criticized the then-three-time NBA champion for his 2018 comments about social issues.
“We will definitely not shut up and dribble,” he said. “I will definitely not do that. I mean too much to society. I mean too much to the youth. I mean too much to so many kids that feel like they don’t have a way out and they need someone to help lead them out of the situation they’re in.”
James referenced Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Bill Russell and Jackie Robinson as athletes who previously spoke up for equality and change with no concerns about the consequences or any rewards.
“We know it’s bigger than us,” James said.
James was named The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year in 2020 in large part for leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a championship and helped convince many people — at the peak of Black Lives Matter — who had never voted to finally head to the polls.
“I still know what I do on the floor and obviously, I give everything to the game,” James said. “But I can make a greater impact off the floor right now, more than I can on the floor. And I want to continue to inspire people with the way I play the game of basketball. But there’s so many more things that I can do off the floor to help cultivate people, inspire people, bring people together, empower them.”
Information from ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and The Associated Press was used in this report.
