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


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.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
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."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
Trump seeks to cut drug prices via executive order
speed read The president's order tells pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug prices, but it will likely be thrown out by the courts
-
'Haiti's crisis is a complex problem that defies solution'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Hamas frees US hostage in deal sidelining Israel
speed read Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old soldier, was the final living US citizen held by the militant group
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia