LeBron James said Tuesday that regardless of whether the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Golden State Warriors win the NBA championship, neither team will want to go to the White House.
“I know no matter who wins this series, no one wants an invite anyway, so it won’t be Golden State or Cleveland going,” James, who plays for the Cavaliers, told reporters during a media availability.
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LeBron James shares his thoughts on the Philadelphia Eagles being uninvited to the White House.#NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/yeQOwXeMbG
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The Warriors, who lost their invite to a White House victory celebration last year after Trump took aim at Warriors guard Stephen Curry, will compete against the Cavaliers in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night.
James was asked to respond to the news that President Trump canceled the Philadelphia Eagles’ visit to the White House on Tuesday to celebrate their Super Bowl win.
The NBA star called the president’s actions “typical,” and said he was “not surprised.”
“I think as long as he’s in office, the communication and things like that is going to continue to happen,” James said of Trump. “It’s a lot of things that we believe in as Americans that we don’t feel that he’s for. It’s a lot of people that believe that he’s not for the people or doing things that’s right by the people, so that’s not surprising hearing the news today with the Eagles.”
Trump said in a statement late Monday the Eagles were no longer invited to visit the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots after several Eagles players opted not to attend due to Trump’s stance on the national anthem protests.
In a follow-up statement Tuesday, the White House defended its decision to cancel the Eagles’ visit and accused the team of deciding to “abandon their fans.”
Remarking on the decision by some Eagles players not to visit the White House, James said the team members have the right not to go.
“We have a lot of freedom in our country and guys, men or female, have the right to do what they want to do in a very respectful manner,” he said. “I think if they decided they don’t want to go, then they have the right.”
[Also read: Philly mayor dubs Trump a ‘fragile egomaniac’ after Eagles get disinvited from White House celebration]
