President Trump on LeBron James: ‘Maybe he’s a racist’
President Donald Trump wondered if newly minted Philadelphia 76ers star LeBron James might be a “racist” on Friday when asked to pick who he believes to be the greatest basketball player of all time.
Trump said he thinks that Michael Jordan is the best player ever. His reasoning was personal.
“He’s a really good guy,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “I think LeBron is — maybe he’s a racist. But maybe he doesn’t like Trump. I don’t know. I only like people that like me. So I would say Michael Jordan all the way.”
Trump said that he has played golf with Jordan and considers the Chicago Bulls legend a friend. And while Jordan has won six NBA titles, six NBA Finals MVP awards and five regular-season MVPs and is widely considered to be one of the two best players of all time, Trump alluded to his personal history with James as contributing to his answer.
A representative for James declined to comment Friday evening. The Athletic has reached out to Jordan’s representatives for comment and will update this story if they respond.
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James has been a critic of Trump over the last decade and campaigned against him during each of the past three presidential elections. James endorsed and campaigned for Hillary Clinton in 2016 during Trump’s first presidential campaign and endorsed Joe Biden for president in 2020. James endorsed Kamala Harris late in the 2024 presidential race.
James called Trump a “bum” in 2017 after the Golden State Warriors declined to visit the White House after winning an NBA championship earlier that year. The 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers visited the White House after their championship, but that visit came while President Barack Obama was still in office. The 2020 Lakers did not visit the White House after their title because of COVID-19-related precautions, but that visit likely would have occurred after Biden was inaugurated.
Trump was asked to weigh in after a reporter brought up James’ big announcement on Friday morning that he will join the 76ers for his record 24th NBA season as he tries to add to his extensive resume.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team, and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time,” James said in a post on X.
James is already the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, and he has won four NBA titles, four MVP awards and championships with three different franchises. If he can win a ring with the Sixers, who have not made the NBA Finals since 2001 and haven’t won a title since 1983, it may help his case in the GOAT debate.
But perhaps not with Trump.