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By Gabe Whisnant
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President Donald Trump and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro offered sharply contrasting responses to the news that NBA legend LeBron James is headed to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Trump, when asked Friday in the Oval Office to weigh in on the James vs. Michael Jordan "best player ever" debate, said, "Michael Jordan's a guy that's a friend of mine ... and I think LeBron is—maybe he's a racist, but maybe he doesn't like Trump, I don't know—but I only like people that like me, so I would say Michael Jordan all the way."
Newsweek has reached out to the White House, along with representatives for James and Jordan via email Friday afternoon for comment.
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James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, announced the move in a social media post Friday, calling it his "last decision" and revealing that he had seriously considered retirement before opting to continue his career.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time,” the four-time title winner said.
Shapiro, meanwhile, proclaimed Friday as "LeBron James Day" in the state. The Democratic governor posted on X, LEBRON IS COMING TO PHILLY. By the power vested in me as the Governor of the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a die-hard Sixers fan... I hereby proclaim today to be LEBRON JAMES DAY. Welcome to the City of Brotherly Love, @KingJames."
What LeBron James Has Said About Donald Trump
James first emerged as a prominent critic of Trump during the 2017 dispute over NFL anthem protests, which grew out of former quarterback Colin Kaepernick's campaign against police brutality and racial injustice. After Trump criticized players who knelt during the national anthem, James, then a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, accused the president of using sports to divide Americans and said he would not let "one individual" use sports as a platform for division.
In response to the spat, Jordan told The Charlotte Observer in 2017 that athletes taking a knee during the national anthem should not be "demonized or ostracized."
"One of the fundamental rights this country is founded on was freedom of speech, and we have a long tradition of nonviolent, peaceful protest. Those who exercise the right to peacefully express themselves should not be demonized or ostracized," Jordan said.
"At a time of increasing divisiveness and hate in this country, we should be looking for ways to work together and support each other and not create more division. I support Commissioner Adam Silver, the NBA, its players and all those who wish to exercise their right to free speech."
The feud deepened during Trump's first term as James began the next chapter of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers. In a 2018 CNN interview, James said Trump "doesn't give a f*** about the American people," adding that the president's comments were both "laughable" and "scary." He also argued that Trump's rhetoric had emboldened racism by giving some people confidence to express racist views openly.
After Trump criticized James following the CNN interview and declared, "I like Mike," Jordan responded through a spokesperson: "I support LeBron James. He's doing an amazing job for his community."
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In 2020, after Trump criticized NBA players for kneeling during the national anthem amid the George Floyd protests, James responded that the basketball community was not concerned about losing the president's viewership, saying, "The game will go on without his eyes on it."
Ahead of the 2020 election, James made his disdain for Trump abundantly clear.
"Please vote!" the four-time NBA champion wrote in an Instagram story he shared as Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden faced off in a public forum for the final time.
The story included a split screen picture of the two candidates, with a clown face superimposed on Trump's head.
One year later, Trump slammed James for remarks on a police shooting, and Trump took a swipe at the NBA in general.
"LeBron James should focus on basketball rather than presiding over the destruction of the NBA, which has just recorded the lowest television RATINGS, by far, in the long and distinguished history of the League. His RACIST rants are divisive, nasty, insulting, and demeaning. He may be a great basketball player, but he is doing nothing to bring our Country together."
Trump was referring to a Tweet that James made after it was announced that Ma'Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old Black girl, was shot and killed by a white police officer in Columbus, Ohio.
James tweeted a photo of officer Nicholas Reardon, saying ""YOU'RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY", along with an hourglass emoji.
Bryant's death happened Tuesday afternoon, about the same time a jury in Minneapolis, Minnesota, rendered three guilty verdicts for former police officer Derek Chauvin in the 2020 death of Floyd.
The next day, James deleted his tweet, later saying it would only "create more hate" and "more racism."
The exchanges underscored a yearslong feud that has centered on race, politics and athlete activism.
Trump's remarks also come despite previous efforts by Jordan's representatives to distance the basketball legend from partisan political endorsements. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Jordan's camp publicly rejected a viral fake social media post that falsely claimed he had endorsed Trump, reiterating that the NBA Hall of Famer had not endorsed a candidate in the race. The episode highlighted Jordan's longstanding preference to avoid aligning himself publicly with political campaigns.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Edward T. Cummins.
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