United States President, Donald Trump, has suggested that NBA superstar LeBron James may be “a racist” while explaining why he considers Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player of all time.
Trump made the comment during a White House news conference on Friday after James announced that he would continue his NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The President was asked to choose between James and Jordan in the long-running debate over the greatest player in NBA history.
Trump said he preferred Jordan, 63, whom he described as a friend and golfing partner.
“Michael Jordan is a guy that’s a friend of mine. I play golf with him. He’s a really good guy.
“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.”
The remarks come against the backdrop of a long-running political disagreement between the NBA star and Trump. James has publicly criticised Trump and endorsed Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the three presidential elections in which they faced him. James also called Trump “a bum” in 2017 after Trump withdrew an invitation for the NBA champion Golden State Warriors to visit the White House.
Jordan vs James
Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player five times.
James has won four NBA championships, with two coming during his time with the Miami Heat and one each with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers.
He has also won four regular-season MVP awards and four Finals MVP awards.
James is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and has also set the league record for games played.
The comparison between the two players has remained one of the most enduring debates in basketball, with Jordan’s six championships and five MVP awards often cited alongside James’ longevity, four championships and record scoring total.
James joins Philadelphia 76ers
Trump’s comments came on the same day James announced his decision to join Philadelphia after eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
James said the move would be the final contract of his NBA career and that he believed he could help the 76ers compete for a championship.
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“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team,” James said.
According to ESPN, James is set to sign a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option for the second season. The move represents a significant reduction from the salary he earned with the Lakers, with James making clear that his motivation was not financial.
“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.”
The move takes James back to the Eastern Conference and gives Philadelphia a veteran star alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown. The 76ers’ current roster lists all three players, with Brown having joined the team from Boston earlier this month.
James will enter his 24th NBA season with the 76ers as he continues his pursuit of a fifth championship.
At 41, he remains one of the league’s most decorated players, with four championships, four regular-season MVP awards, four Finals MVP awards and 22 All-Star selections.
