“Total disgrace”? LeBron James counters the Trump scolding with one sentence

NBA superstar LeBron James responded casually to criticism from US President Donald Trump. Before the NBA game of his Philadelphia 76ers against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the 41-year-old said, referring to Trump's work day: "There's not much going on in the office today." In essence, James meant that Trump apparently had nothing better to do than criticize him.

The US President sharply criticized James for his behavior at the NBA opening game. The basketball player was filmed appearing to practice golf swings during the national anthem and then doing dry runs as if he were shooting a basketball. Trump called James a “total disgrace” and demanded an apology. At an appearance on Thursday evening in Iowa, he followed up and spoke of “a story that resembles a major scandal.”

James' coach Nick Nurse was also asked about the Trump statements before the game. “I think this fits neatly into the other external disruptions that we've already had to contend with,” he said. "I keep saying the same thing: the only thing that really matters to me is that the players come to training, that they go for video analysis and that they are on the field. The concentration they show and their determination is simply outstanding."

Before the game against the Cavaliers, James shifted slightly during the anthem, but otherwise appeared calm. In terms of sport, things went smoothly for his team after initially having major problems. The 76ers were trailing by 29 points at one point, but ultimately won 114:106. It was the biggest comeback for the Sixers in 30 years. James scored 17 points and collected ten rebounds in the second win of the second game.