Even in the 2024 Olympic Games, LeBron James does not shy away from an opportunity to support his fellow black athletes. In the case of James and Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, the Lakers star couldn’t help but stand up in her defense after she seemingly mocked Donald Trump on X.
Biles just made history as the oldest all-around gymnast champion since 1952. She reminded everyone of her status as the GOAT by hitting an extremely complex vault named the Yurchenko double pike on Thursday. Not long after her stunning performance, Biles took to X where she made sure to mention how much she loved her “black job.”
While she didn’t name Trump by name, there is no question that she’s alluding to him with her tweet in a rather negative light. Trump, the 45th President of the United States, was a highly controversial figure in office and he remains a polarizing force across America.
Recently, as part of his re-election campaign, he spoke in an interview with the National Association of Black Journalists. There, among other notable statements, he made a point about illegal aliens coming to steal “black jobs.”
Black 🐐🖤 https://t.co/OquZoZMTSl
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 2, 2024
The comment did not sit well with the African American community and many across the country (including Simone Biles) have decided to draw attention to it as the Olympics carries on. She will be voting blue this November and she wants everyone to know it.
As for LeBron, a 4x NBA champion, we already know where he stands. Love him or hate him, James is always going to do what he thinks is best for the people, and as one of the most accomplished and most popular athletes on the planet, he has a lot of influence when it comes to matters of public opinion.
The 39-year-old star usually sticks to basketball but he is invested in a number of projects outside the game including in the world of business, entertainment, and culture. While he has yet to show any interest in a political career, it hasn’t stopped him from speaking his mind on various political topics.
Since the 2016 election, James has been firmly anti-Trump. Besides endorsing Democratic candidates and more liberal policies, he’s spoken publicly against the former President multiple times before.
In 2020, he said Trump was halting progress in the nation and that the NBA was better off without his support. In return, Trump has spewed some harsh rhetoric against LeBron and even called him the sport’s biggest b**ch.
Clearly, LeBron is no friend to Donald Trump and it seems he shares that in common with much of the NBA community right now. From James to Stephen Curry to Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich, countless basketball legends have condemned the former President and all those who have allied with him.
For now, LeBron’s only goal is to help the USA win the gold medal this summer, and he’s on his way to accomplishing it after a perfect start to the tournament. But when election season arrives in full swing this fall, expect James to be more active in his involvement with the election.
At the very least, James will likely be more vocal with his support for the black community and today he gave us a hint of it by praising Biles for her hit post.
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