Sports Illustrated revealed the powerful cover of its Oct. 2 issue on Tuesday, a direct response to President Trump's ongoing condemnation of NFL players kneeling in protest during the national anthem. "A nation divided, sports united," the cover reads, with images of the Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James, Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Warriors' head coach Steve Kerr, and Oakland A's catcher Bruce Maxwell, among many others, linking arms:
"The thing that kind of frustrated me and pissed me off a little bit is that [Trump] used the sports platform to try to divide us," James said in an impassioned speech Monday. "It is so amazing what sports can do for everyone, no matter what shape or size or race or ethnicity or religion or whatever … It just brings people together like none other." Read Sports Illustrated's cover story here.