LeBron James is under fire after a viral video appeared to show him practicing his golf swing during the national anthem, sparking outrage.
LeBron James might have just found himself in one of the strangest controversies of his legendary NBA career.
Before the Philadelphia 76ers’ season opener against the New York Knicks on Tuesday night, cameras caught James making what appeared to be golf-swing motions during the national anthem. While several teammates stood relatively still, LeBron was rotating his shoulders, swinging his arms, and even going through a basketball shooting motion.
Seriously, LeBron? During the national anthem?
The video quickly went viral, with fans questioning why one of the greatest basketball players of all time couldn’t stand still for a couple of minutes.
Even President Donald Trump got involved, calling James a “TOTAL DISGRACE” and demanding that he apologize to American military heroes.
However, there’s an interesting twist. Some observers believe James was simply stretching rather than practicing his golf swing. In fact, the motion appeared to resemble a left-handed golf swing, even though LeBron plays golf right-handed.
Still, the optics weren’t great.
James has never been afraid of controversy, but this situation has people wondering whether he should have shown more respect during a moment that means so much to millions of Americans.
When asked about the criticism, LeBron brushed it off, saying, “It must be a slow news day at the office.”
Whether it was an innocent stretching routine or an actual attempt to work on his golf game, one thing is certain: LeBron has once again managed to make headlines without even touching a basketball.
And this time, it had absolutely nothing to do with his performance on the court.
