Updated

Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 24

Trump Calls LeBron James 'Maybe a Racist' as He Backs Michael Jordan in 76ers Move

Updated

Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 24

Trump Calls LeBron James 'Maybe a Racist' as He Backs Michael Jordan in 76ers Move

Q: Did Trump’s Jordan-over-LeBron pick reveal more about basketball greatness or personal loyalty as James begins a new chapter with the 76ers?

Trump’s answer revealed more about personal loyalty than a fresh evaluation of basketball greatness. The key evidence is in his own explanation. In the Oval Office, Trump did not make a statistical or era-based case for Michael Jordan over LeBron James. He said Jordan is “a really good guy,” called him a friend, and added that he likes people who like him, while suggesting James may not. That frames the choice less as a basketball argument and more as a relationship-driven judgment. The basketball case for Jordan is still strong on its own. Jordan’s six championships, five MVPs and record 30.1 points per game make him a legitimate pick in any GOAT debate. But James’ résumé is equally historic: all-time leader in points and games played, four championships, four MVPs, and unmatched longevity entering a 24th season. Because both players have credible claims, the deciding factor in Trump’s answer appears to have been personal affinity, not a neutral weighing of records. That matters in the context of James’ move to Philadelphia. His reported two-year, $8 million deal has shifted attention back to his legacy and final championship pursuit. Trump’s remarks tapped into that moment, but they did not add much new to the basketball debate itself. So the episode says less about settling Jordan versus LeBron and more about how public figures often answer sports questions through personal relationships as much as performance.

3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 24

Trump said in the Oval Office that LeBron James is “maybe a racist” and declared Michael Jordan the NBA’s “best ever,” adding, “I only like people that like me.”
Fox News reporter Peter Doocy had asked whether James was the greatest player of all time, prompting Trump to tie his answer to James’s apparent dislike of him rather than on-court performance.
LeBron James had announced earlier Friday that he will join the Philadelphia 76ers next season, the 24th year of his record-setting NBA career.
Trump has long feuded with James, who backed Hillary Clinton in 2016 and has supported Barack Obama; the president has also previously mocked him and made repeated jokes about him becoming a transgender athlete.