Trump calls LeBron James a 'TOTAL DISGRACE' over warmups during the national anthem at the Sixers' opener

President Donald Trump on Thursday accused LeBron James of disrespecting the country over what the Philadelphia 76ers star did during the national anthem before Tuesday's season opener in New York.

Video from Madison Square Garden appeared to show James practicing a golf swing and a jump shot while "The Star-Spangled Banner" was performed. It was James' first game with the Sixers. Most of his teammates lined up beside him stood still.

Trump shared the video on social media. "I said right from the beginning that he's no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE," he wrote. "LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag." He added that James owed that apology for "all that our Country stands for!"

No response yet

Representatives for James did not immediately respond to requests for comment. James, 41, is in a record 24th NBA season and was set to make his home debut for Philadelphia on Thursday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Trump has faced his own criticism over the anthem. In 2020 a video showed him waving his hands as if conducting an orchestra while the anthem played at a Super Bowl watch party as people around him stood with their hands over their hearts.

Years of back and forth

The two have traded public shots for years. In 2017, while with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James wore shoes with the word "equality" on the back during a game and later said, "This is a beautiful country and we're never going to let one person dictate how beautiful and how powerful we are." That season he also called Trump "a bum" on social media.

In 2018, after a television host told him to "shut up and dribble," James answered, "We will definitely not shut up and dribble. I mean too much to society. I mean too much to the youth."

James was named The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year in 2020 after leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a championship and pushing people to register and vote.