Trump Accuses LeBron James of Racism in Escalating Public Attack

Donald Trump has taken a remarkable swipe at NBA icon LeBron James, only hours after the 41-year-old confirmed he would be signing with the Philadelphia 76ers.

James, in an extended statement released Friday, said he had seriously weighed retirement but ultimately felt he still had “more to give,” announcing the next chapter of his career following his departure from Los Angeles.

According to ESPN, the four-time NBA champion is expected to join Philadelphia on a two-year deal worth $8 million — a sharp drop from the nearly $53 million he earned last season.

Not long after LeBron’s 24th NBA season was effectively set in motion, Trump was asked for his view on the long-running debate over basketball’s greatest player of all time.

‘Michael Jordan’s a guy that’s a friend of mine, I’ve played golf with him,’ Trump said.

‘He’s a really good guy and I think LeBron is – maybe he’s a racist, but maybe he doesn’t like Trump, I don’t know – but I only like people that like me, so I would say Michael Jordan all the way.’

The comments mark the latest chapter in a long-standing feud between the four-time NBA champion and Trump, which dates back to James labeling him a ‘bum’ in 2017.

James, 41, has frequently used his platform to criticize Trump, previously endorsing Democratic candidates and launching voting-rights initiatives across the country.

Their bad blood spilled into the public eye during Trump’s first presidency after he withdrew a White House invitation extended to Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry over his hesitation to visit.

Outraged by the gesture, James immediately jumped to his rival’s defense, tweeting at Trump: ‘U bum, Steph Curry already said he ain’t going! So, therefore ain’t no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!’

The public spat escalated in 2018 when Trump announced he was pre-emptively banning both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors from visiting the nation’s capital following that year’s NBA Finals.

Refusing to be fazed, James swiftly shut down the snub, declaring at the time: ‘Winning a championship is way bigger than getting invited to the White House, especially with him in it.’

Later that year, James voiced his frustration with the President’s leadership during an interview with ESPN, admitting it made him ‘sick’ to see how Trump handled the moral authority of the Oval Office.

‘He doesn’t understand the power that he has for being the leader of this beautiful country,’ James said at the time. ‘He doesn’t understand how many kids, no matter the race, look up to the President of the United States for guidance, for leadership, for words of encouragement. He doesn’t understand that, and that’s what makes me more sick than anything.’

James’ political opposition to Trump stretches back to 2016, when he penned an emotional op-ed for his local newspaper, the Akron Beacon Journal, endorsing Hillary Clinton for president.

Reflecting on his childhood in a single-parent home, James argued that Clinton was the only candidate who truly understood the plight of underprivileged youth, praising her as a champion for children alongside his ‘good friend’ Barack Obama.

Turning the attention back to basketball, James joins a menacing 76ers roster that includes the likes of Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey as he pursues an elusive fifth NBA title. 

In a lengthy statement on X, the 41-year-old admitted he strongly considered retiring but believes he still has ‘more to give’ and can turn his new team into a contender.

He wrote: ‘I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn’t ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game.

‘I still truly love this game, and I have more to give. The last few weeks have really been special. I’ve never been able to have no clue what to do and take real time to just think. I’ve had an incredible few months with all the people I love trying to figure it all out. 

‘This is my last decision. I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship. 

‘I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time. Thank you LA. Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always home!’ 

James told the Lakers earlier this summer that he would not be returning to Los Angeles next season. 

Reports claimed that James’ former teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat, were leading the charge to sign him. He was also heavily linked to the Golden State Warriors.

But James joins a 76ers team that has not won an NBA championship since 1983 and has not advanced out of the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs since 2001.

Philadelphia fans will be hoping he can wipe out that streak just as he did in Cleveland, who had not won a title for 52 years before he led them to success in 2016.

The Athletic reports that Maxey and other key figures with Philadelphia have been relentlessly pursuing James in recent weeks. Their blockbuster trade for Brown with the Celtics also tipped the balance in their favor. 

James, who will turn 42 in December, is about to enter his 24th season in the NBA, which is a league record. He is the all-time leading scorer in NBA history and has won four championships, two with the Heat and once each with the Cavaliers and Lakers.