NBA Players Were Furious With Donald Trump’s Attack On LeBron’s Intelligence


Getty Image

Friday nights in August are usually the peak of the mid-summer doldrums around the NBA universe. With the draft, free agency, and Summer League all firmly in our rear-view, there aren’t too many newsworthy items coming down the pike. Needless to say, most of us are sitting around twiddling our thumbs and casually enjoying Drew League highlights.

That’s all fine and good. Unless, for instance, you’re the President of the United States, then you should probably have more pressing matters to worry about than, say, whatever (valid and incisive) criticism LeBron James levied at you during a random CNN appearance.

Not this president, because no slight is ever too small to merit a petulant reaction from Donald Trump. So when LeBron (accurately) pointed out how Trump manages to infect even the realm of pro sports with his divisiveness, Trump did what he always does and became a self-fulfilling prophesy by firing back at LeBron and impotently attempting to insult his intelligence.

The irony, as usual, was totally lost on him. And one of the definitions of irony is an action that has the opposite effect of what was intended, which is exactly what happened when his comments only served to unite the NBA even further in their mutual disgust. Here is just a small sample of what players around the league had to say when they took to Twitter Friday night and Saturday morning in LeBron’s defense.

More of these will certainly roll in over the coming hours/days, because to the surprise of no one, the basketball world is firmly in the corner of LeBron James.