Posting to social media on Thursday, Donald Trump described footage of LeBron James appearing to practise a golf swing and a jump shot during the national anthem at the NBA season opener in New York the prior Tuesday — a game involving Philadelphia — and stated in that post that James owed an apology to military veterans and those killed in service, characterising the conduct as unbecoming of respect for the country.
James was positioned beside teammates who largely held their places without movement during the anthem, and was taking part in his opening season as a Philadelphia player.
Over the years, both Trump and James have directed public commentary at one another, with periodic exchanges playing out in the open. By Thursday afternoon, James had put out neither a statement nor anything on social media in response to Trump's remarks.
Heading into his 24th NBA campaign at age 41, James was scheduled to take the court for Philadelphia for the first time at home on Thursday, with Cleveland providing the opposition.
During a 2017 Cleveland game, James wore two mismatched shoes — one black, one white — each bearing the word "EQUALITY" in gold lettering across the heel. Following the game, James addressed the media, expressing that the country holds great strength and that no single individual should be seen as the measure of that strength or its people's worth.
Those remarks followed an earlier social media post in which James had referred to Trump as "a bum," and a prior comment that season in which he noted that children of every background look to whoever holds the presidency for direction, guidance, and words that lift them up.
In 2018, a television news host took issue with remarks James had made on the nation's political climate and broader social concerns, and James responded by stating that he had no intention of staying silent and sticking to basketball. James also noted that athletes such as Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Bill Russell, and Jackie Robinson had previously used their platforms to push for equality and change, and he expressed a sense of responsibility toward young people who feel trapped in their circumstances and look to figures like him for guidance, adding that those carrying on that tradition understand the work extends beyond personal ambition.
In 2020, the Associated Press bestowed its Male Athlete of the Year honour on LeBron James, crediting both his role in steering the Los Angeles Lakers to a title and his work mobilising first-time voters to take part in elections. James told reporters that while his on-court abilities remain intact, he believes his influence away from the game carries greater reach at that point in his career, and that serving as an ongoing source of motivation through the manner in which basketball is approached remains a stated goal.
In a 2021 interview, AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who previously played for LA Galaxy, said athletes such as James should stay out of social causes and focus on their sport. James, for his part, stated that he had no intention of staying silent on matters he viewed as unjust, and separately noted that his ability to contribute extended well beyond his on-court performance into areas such as mentoring, uniting, and empowering people.
