Trump blasts 76ers star LeBron James as ‘disgrace’ for not standing still during national anthem

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday accused LeBron James of disrespecting the United States after the NBA star appeared to continue his warmups while the national anthem was performed before Philadelphia’s season opener on Tuesday.

“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!”

James appeared to practice a golf swing and jump shot as “The Star-Spangled Banner” was performed Tuesday at New York’s Madison Square Garden. James, starting his first season with Philadelphia, was lined up alongside teammates who mostly stood still during the anthem.

Trump and James have been critical of each other for years, occasionally trading public swipes.

James had not made a public comment or a social media post as of Thursday afternoon about Trump’s gripe.

The 41-year-old James, in his record 24th NBA season, was set to make his home debut for the Sixers Thursday night against Cleveland.

Coach Nick Nurse had talked at length since training camp opened about the Sixers’ need to tune out outside distractions. Hours before their home opener, the Sixers had to deal with one from the president.

“I think that goes right in with other outside noise we’ve already had,” Nurse said before the game. “I keep saying the same thing. All I really care about is getting to the practice floor, getting them in the film room, getting them to the game floor. The focus that they’ve had and the intent and all the stuff like that has been outstanding.”

Among some of the more notable times James became entangled with the president or politics:

LeBron wears 1 black shoe, 1 white shoe

James was with Cleveland in 2017 when he made a statement 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.”

Shut up and dribble

James showed determination to speak out on social issues and the nation’s political climate after Fox News host Laura Ingraham criticized the four-time NBA champion for his 2018 comments about social issues.

“We will definitely not shut up and dribble,” James 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.

Get people to the polls

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 helping to persuade many — at the peak of the Black Lives Matter movement — 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.”

James rejects Ibrahimovic’s criticism of activist athletes

AC Milan striker and former LA Galaxy star Zlatan Ibrahimovic blasted socially conscious athletes in a 2021 interview. Ibrahimovic called it “a mistake” for James and other athletes to get involved in political causes, saying they should “just do what you do best, because it doesn’t look good.”

James, naturally, rejected the criticism.

“I would never shut up about things that are wrong,” James said.

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Associated Press writer Collin Binkley in Washington contributed to this report.

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Dan Gelston, The Associated Press