Former President Donald Trump criticized NBA superstar LeBron James on Thursday for what he deemed disrespectful actions during the national anthem. Trump posted a video showing James making warm-up movements alongside his Philadelphia 76ers teammates ahead of their season opener against the New York Knicks on Tuesday.

In his post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country! I said right from the beginning that he’s no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE.” He further demanded that James apologize to “all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our Country stands for!”

The video featured a caption suggesting, “LeBron working on his golf swing pregame,” showcasing his lateral swinging motions and basketball shooting gestures. At a campaign rally in Iowa, Trump reiterated his criticism, labeling James's actions as “a big scandal kind of a story.”

James, who is entering his record-extending 24th NBA season, brushed off the comments, saying, “It must be a slow news day at the office,” shortly after the Sixers managed to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106.

Sixers coach Nick Nurse addressed the media, stating that such distractions are part of the outside noise his team needs to ignore. He emphasized, “All I really care about is getting to the practice floor, getting them in the film room, getting them to the game floor.”

Philadelphia's remarkable comeback not only marked the largest in the play-by-play era since 1996-97 but also represented the biggest comeback win of James’s career. In the game, James recorded 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and three steals, while Tyrese Maxey led the charge with 32 points. Jaylen Brown, making his home debut, contributed significantly with 21 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter.