United States President Donald Trump has described LeBron James as “maybe he’s a racist” after being asked whether the NBA icon or Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time.
The remark came during a White House news conference on Friday, July 24, hours after LeBron James announced he would continue his illustrious career with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Asked to choose between Jordan and James, Trump backed his long-time friend without hesitation.
“Michael Jordan is a guy that’s a friend of mine. I play golf with him. He’s a really good guy,” Trump said.
“I think LeBron is, maybe he’s a racist, but maybe he doesn’t like Trump. I don’t know. I only like people that like me, so I would say Michael Jordan all the way.”
At the time of writing, James has not publicly responded to Trump’s comments.
The four-time NBA champion has frequently clashed with Trump over politics. He openly backed Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris during their campaigns against Trump.
Their public feud dates back to 2017 when James called Trump “a bum” after a dispute over White House invitations for NBA championship-winning teams.
On the court, James remains one of the most decorated players in basketball history. The 41-year-old has won four NBA titles with the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers. He is also a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, and the league’s all-time leader in points scored and games played.
Naija News reports that LeBron James confirmed on Friday that he will continue his career with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he joins an impressive roster featuring Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown as the franchise targets an NBA title.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team,” James said in a lengthy post on social media.
