Trump blasts 76ers star LeBron James as ‘disgrace’ for not standing still during national anthem

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – President Donald Trump on Thursday accused LeBron James of disrespecting the United States after the NBA star appeared to continue his warmups while the national anthem was performed before Philadelphia's season opener on Tuesday.

Key points

• James appeared to practice a golf swing and jump shot as "The Star-Spangled Banner" was performed Tuesday at New York's Madison Square Garden.
• "I said right from the beginning that he's no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE, " Trump remarked of James in a social media post sharing the video.
• Trump and James have been critical of each other for years, occasionally trading public swipes.

What happened

"I said right from the beginning that he's no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE, " Trump remarked of James in a social media post sharing the video. "LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our Country stands for!"

James appeared to practice a golf swing and jump shot as "The Star-Spangled Banner" was performed Tuesday at New York's Madison Square Garden. James, starting his first season with Philadelphia, was lined up alongside teammates who mostly stood still during the anthem.

The bottom line

In short, trump blasts 76ers star LeBron James as disgrace for not standing still is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.