Trump Escalates Feud With NBA Superstar

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Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith is criticizing President Trump after the president suggested NBA star LeBron James could be a “racist,” calling the remark “disgusting” and accusing Trump of using divisive rhetoric.

During a conversation with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump was asked whether he considered Michael Jordan or LeBron James the better basketball player. Trump praised Jordan, describing him as a friend and someone he has played golf with, before taking a swipe at James.

“I think LeBron is — maybe he’s a racist, but maybe he doesn’t like Trump. I don’t know,” the president said, adding that he preferred Jordan.

Smith responded during his YouTube program, saying Trump’s comments crossed the line and reflected an ongoing pattern of inflammatory political rhetoric.

“Our president is trifling,” Smith said. “When you’re calling LeBron James a racist, it’s getting ridiculous. The divisiveness, the way this man acts, the things that he says, it’s really, really disgusting.”

Smith’s defense of James is notable because the two have had a long-running public feud. The ESPN personality has frequently criticized James and has also questioned the development of James’s son, Bronny James, who now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Their relationship became even more strained after LeBron confronted Smith courtside during a Lakers game in 2025 over comments Smith had made about Bronny.

Despite those disagreements, Smith said personal differences did not prevent him from defending James against what he viewed as an unfair attack from the president.

“We’ve got to call stuff out,” Smith said. “We’ve got to call it out for what we see. We’ve got to call it out for what it is.”

Smith also argued that Trump’s latest remarks appeared designed to shift attention away from other issues facing his administration.

James and Trump have publicly clashed for years. The four-time NBA champion has repeatedly criticized the president, endorsed Democratic presidential candidates in multiple elections and previously accused Trump of failing to represent the interests of all Americans.

Trump has frequently responded with criticism of James, and during his first term declined to invite him to the White House following the Lakers’ NBA championship, breaking with the traditional championship celebration held for many professional sports teams.