Newly minted Philadelphia 76ers star LeBron James receives Donald Trump's red flag in debate over Michael Jordan: “Maybe he's a racist”
The Times Of India | July 25, 2026 11:39 AM CST
President Donald Trump called LeBron James "maybe a racist" on Friday after a reporter asked him to settle the debate between James and Michael Jordan for the title of greatest basketball player ever. Trump made the remark in the Oval Office just hours after James announced he's signing with the Philadelphia 76ers .
The comment came with no basketball reasoning attached. Trump said he picked Jordan because the two are friends who play golf together, then suggested his rocky history with James shaped his answer instead of anything that happened on the court.
Donald Trump calls LeBron James "maybe a racist"
The timing wasn't random. James had confirmed hours earlier that he's signing a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, a move that will push his career into a record 24th season. On social media, James wrote that he believes he can help build the Sixers into a championship team and called it one last shot to energize a new fan base.
LeBron James's move to the 76ers reignites the GOAT debate
The James-Jordan argument has simmered in NBA circles for years precisely because the two never shared a court. Jordan played 15 seasons, winning six titles, all with the Chicago Bulls, and averaged 30.1 points per game, the most in NBA history. James enters his 24th season as the league's all-time leading scorer with four championships across three franchises, and a move to Philadelphia gives him a chance to add a ring with a fourth team.
*there are several other statistical parameters in the debate.
The Sixers haven't reached the NBA Finals since 2001 and haven't won a title since 1983, which is part of why James's arrival carries weight beyond one more stat line.
Donald Trump's remark on LeBron James sparks intense reactions
Reaction to Trump's comment spread quickly across social media. A sample of how fans responded:
@just1cye: "White man calling a black man racist 😆"
@TheGradauteofUH: "Trump calling someone else a racist is peak irony lol"
@UTDcondara: "The GOAT debate lasted decades. Trump somehow turned it into a campaign rally in one sentence. Meanwhile, Jordan and LeBron are probably wondering how they got dragged into this again."
@PoliteJami15638: "Most racist man calls LeBron racist ngl this deadass a stain on Jordan legacy"
@RxodriSZN: "Trump somehow turned the GOAT debate into a postgame press conference nobody asked for. At this rate, even the basketball is requesting to remain neutral."
The friction between the two isn't new. James called Trump a "bum" in 2017 after the White House withdrew its invitation to the champion Golden State Warriors, and their back-and-forth continued into 2018 after James told CNN's Don Lemon that Trump uses sports to divide the country. Jordan, notably, defended James at the time, praising his work in his community, a detail that complicates the very rivalry Trump just leaned on.
The comment came with no basketball reasoning attached. Trump said he picked Jordan because the two are friends who play golf together, then suggested his rocky history with James shaped his answer instead of anything that happened on the court.
Donald Trump calls LeBron James "maybe a racist"
The timing wasn't random. James had confirmed hours earlier that he's signing a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, a move that will push his career into a record 24th season. On social media, James wrote that he believes he can help build the Sixers into a championship team and called it one last shot to energize a new fan base.
LeBron James's move to the 76ers reignites the GOAT debate
The James-Jordan argument has simmered in NBA circles for years precisely because the two never shared a court. Jordan played 15 seasons, winning six titles, all with the Chicago Bulls, and averaged 30.1 points per game, the most in NBA history. James enters his 24th season as the league's all-time leading scorer with four championships across three franchises, and a move to Philadelphia gives him a chance to add a ring with a fourth team.
*there are several other statistical parameters in the debate.
The Sixers haven't reached the NBA Finals since 2001 and haven't won a title since 1983, which is part of why James's arrival carries weight beyond one more stat line.
Donald Trump's remark on LeBron James sparks intense reactions
Reaction to Trump's comment spread quickly across social media. A sample of how fans responded:
@just1cye: "White man calling a black man racist 😆"
@TheGradauteofUH: "Trump calling someone else a racist is peak irony lol"
@UTDcondara: "The GOAT debate lasted decades. Trump somehow turned it into a campaign rally in one sentence. Meanwhile, Jordan and LeBron are probably wondering how they got dragged into this again."
@PoliteJami15638: "Most racist man calls LeBron racist ngl this deadass a stain on Jordan legacy"
@RxodriSZN: "Trump somehow turned the GOAT debate into a postgame press conference nobody asked for. At this rate, even the basketball is requesting to remain neutral."
The friction between the two isn't new. James called Trump a "bum" in 2017 after the White House withdrew its invitation to the champion Golden State Warriors, and their back-and-forth continued into 2018 after James told CNN's Don Lemon that Trump uses sports to divide the country. Jordan, notably, defended James at the time, praising his work in his community, a detail that complicates the very rivalry Trump just leaned on.
READ NEXT
-
Delhi orders 8 PM closure for liquor shops amid NEET protest
-
Karnataka: Two held in Chikkamagaluru with fake Rs 200 notes
-
West Indies Star Rejects Selection, Refuses To Play Against Pakistan
-
Will Pradhan Resign Today? CJP-Centre Talks Enter Crucial 3rd Round Amid NEET Protest Deadlock
-
Tragic Fire Claims Lives of Eight in Michigan Home
