Donald Trump called LeBron James a “TOTAL DISGRACE” after the NBA star appeared to continue warming up during the US national anthem at Madison Square Garden. The Philadelphia 76ers forward was seen practising a golf swing and taking a jump shot while “The Star-Spangled Banner” played before the season opener against the New York Knicks. His teammates mostly stood still during the anthem.
Trump posted a video of the moment on social media, adding that James should apologise to “all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our Country stands for!” The US president’s criticism came just hours before James made his home debut with the 76ers against the Cleveland Cavaliers. James has not publicly responded to Trump’s comments.
Philadelphia head coach Nick Nurse addressed the situation ahead of the game, saying the team’s focus remained on basketball despite the outside noise. “I think that goes right in with other outside noise we’ve already had,” Nurse said. “All I really care about is getting to the practice floor, getting them in the film room, getting them to the game floor.” He described the team’s focus and intent as outstanding, signalling they were not distracted by the controversy.
This incident adds another chapter to the long-running public disagreement between James and Trump, which has included exchanges on political and social issues. In 2018, James responded to Fox News host Laura Ingraham, who told him to “shut up and dribble” after he spoke out on social matters. James rejected that idea, saying, “We will definitely not shut up and dribble,” and emphasised his desire to use his platform to support young people.
James has spoken before about his ambition to make an impact off the court, hoping to inspire and empower beyond his basketball achievements. For now, the 76ers will look to keep the focus on their NBA season after a start marked by attention on their star player’s actions during the anthem.
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According to Yahoo Sports.
