US President Donald Trump criticised National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar LeBron James on Thursday for what he called disrespectful behaviour during the singing of the US national anthem at a recent NBA game. A representative for the 76ers did not immediately respond to a request from Al Jazeera for comment. Trump has repeatedly criticised athletes for their behaviour during pre-game renditions of the US national anthem, notably beginning with NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling protest in support of racial justice.
Trump cancelled the planned White House visit of the Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles in 2018 after the team disagreed with his call for players to stand during the anthem. James became a leading voice in the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 and has frequently supported progressive issues as he ascended to the top of the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
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