LeBron James’ Philadelphia 76ers debut drew criticism from Donald Trump, but not for his performance on the court.
The NBA star appeared to mimic shooting motions and swing his arms during the national anthem before tip-off, prompting a sharp response from the president.
“While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, sharing video of James during Avery Wilson’s performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
“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!” Trump added.
James and the 76ers have not publicly responded to Trump’s criticism.
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Trump has repeatedly condemned athletes’ conduct during the anthem. He has been especially vocal about Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel and canceled the Eagles’ 2018 Super Bowl visit to the White House after a dispute over whether players should stand for the song.
The controversy marks the latest revival of debates over athletes’ conduct during the national anthem.
WNBA teams the Valkyries and Dream have faced scrutiny after jogging off the court before the anthem during the first three games of the league’s Finals.
Both teams said leaving the court was part of their routine throughout the season, and possibly even before then.
“We’ve been doing that,” Valkyries guard Veronica Burton told reporters ahead of Game 2. “That’s just our pregame routine. We’ve been doing that since last year.”
The WNBA is among several leagues that do not require players to stand for the anthem. The NBA and NFL do, although the NFL allows players and personnel to remain in the locker room rather than stand on the sideline.