LeBron James: NBA 'could care less' if Trump stops watching

LeBron James #23 and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers in a Black Lives Matter Shirt kneel with their teammates during the national anthem prior to the game against the LA Clippers a
(Image credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

The NBA won't shed any tears over the loss of President Trump as a viewer, according to LeBron James.

The Los Angeles Lakers star was asked this week about the president saying in a recent interview that it's "disgraceful" for NBA players to kneel during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice and claiming he tunes out of games when he sees them do so.

"I really don't think the basketball community are sad about losing his viewership," James said.

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James went on to laugh as he added that the "game will go on without his eyes on it" and that speaking for everyone who loves basketball, "we could care less."

Trump has regularly criticized players who kneel during the national anthem, calling this a "sign of great disrespect for our country and our flag." James recently said that going back to when Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem in the NFL to protest racial injustice, this "had absolutely nothing to do with the flag," but "people refused to listen to what he was saying."

James, who helped form a new voting rights group this year following the police killing of George Floyd, also said on Wednesday that he hopes that "everyone, no matter the race, no matter the color, no matter the size, will see what leadership that we have at the top in our country, and understand that November is right around the corner."

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.