James was seen moving his arms in a golf swing and a jump-shot motion during the anthem before the 76ers’ win over the Knicks.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that LeBron James disrespected the United States during the national anthem and called on the NBA star to apologize. In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote that James “disrespects our Country,” according to USA TODAY.
In video of the anthem, James is seen moving his arms in the form of a golf swing and then imitating a basketball shot, while his Philadelphia 76ers teammates stand still with their heads down or looking at the singer. Trump called James a disgrace and said he should apologize to those who died for the American flag.
The 76ers beat the New York Knicks 106-100, with James scoring 14 points and adding nine rebounds and seven assists. James is in his 24th NBA season and his first with Philadelphia after eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Trump has criticized James repeatedly over the years. In July, he suggested in the Oval Office that James might be racist as he said Michael Jordan was the better player. In 2018, James criticized Trump in a CNN interview for using sports to divide the country, and Trump responded on social media. James has campaigned for Trump’s Democratic opponents. I did not find a response from James or the 76ers in the reports reviewed.