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NBA star LeBron James has delivered a brutally dismissive burn to Donald Trump.
The president accused the Philadelphia 76ers forward of disrespecting the U.S. after he appeared to practice his basketball shots and golf swing as the national anthem played at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
“While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country!” Trump fumed on Truth Social. “I said right from the beginning that he’s no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE. LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag.”
FOUL ON THE PLAY
“Yeah, yeah,” LeBron said when reporters finally caught up with him to ask how he felt about Trump taking shots at him. “Slow news day at the office, you know? Slow news day in the office.”
LeBron was making his 76ers debut on the opening night of the new NBA season, as they clashed with the newly crowned champions, the New York Knicks. Philadelphia won out 106-100.
“And what about LeBron James? Did you see that deal?” Trump said, following up on his original Truth Social comments at a rally in Iowa on Thursday to boos from the crowd, according to NBC10.
“He’s doing the national anthem—he’s practicing his golf swing. He’s practicing—‘I said, what the hell is that?’ No. It’s a big scandal kind of a story. What’s that all about? I don’t understand it.”
The feud between Trump, 80, and James, 41, started in 2017.
During Trump’s first term, Golden State Warriors’ legendary point guard Steph Curry was asked whether he would go to the White House after his team’s championship victory. It was a period of near-total duopoly, when Curry’s Warriors and James’s Cleveland Cavaliers occupied nine of the 10 possible Championship final spots across five seasons.
“U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain’t going!” LeBron said following Curry’s hesitation in 2017. “So therefore ain’t no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!”
The following year James also said he would “never sit across” from Trump and accused him of giving racists “an opportunity to be out and outspoken without fear,” the BBC reports.
Trump clearly didn’t take it well, and since then has rarely missed an opportunity to take shots at the former L.A. Lakers man.
“Michael Jordan is a guy that’s a friend of mine,” Trump said in response to a question from the press asking him to pick between James and fellow NBA legend Michael Jordan.
“I play golf with him. He’s a really good guy… I think LeBron is, maybe he’s a racist, but maybe he doesn’t like Trump… I only like people who like me, so I would say Michael Jordan all the way.”
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
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