The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Spurs coach defends James’ criticism of Trump
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich had Cavaliers’ star LeBron James’ back on Feb. 25 before their teams squared off in a nationally televised game at Quicken Loans Arena.
Popovich, who has led the Spurs to five NBA titles and 20 straight winning seasons in 23 years on the job, was asked for his reaction to Fox News program host and nationally syndicated radio talk show host Laura Ingraham saying that James should “shut up and dribble” and keep his political opinions to himself.
Ingraham chided James on Feb. 16 after the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player said President Donald Trump “doesn’t understand the people, and really don’t give a (expletive) about the people” on “Uninterrupted.”
It was the latest in a series of stinging criticisms of Trump by James, who endorsed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Popovich also has made no secret of his disdain for Trump, one time referring to him as “a soulless coward” and “pathological liar” who is “unfit intellectually, emotionally, and psychologically to hold this office and the whole world knows it.”
It was near the end of Popovich’s pre-game chat with reporters when the conversation finally turned to Ingraham’s rebuke of James. He referred to Ingraham several times as a “talking head.”
“It was an unbelievable show of arrogance for a talking head to try to tell someone else if they can speak, what they can speak about and when and where to do it. It’s just ludicrous,” Popovich said.
Popovich chided Ingraham for her dismissive remarks given James’ track
record as a public figure and his well-documented philanthropy.
“To this day, (James) hasn’t missed a step,” Popovich said. “He hasn’t fallen off the ledge. He’s been a brilliant example for millions of kids, especially kids of lesser opportunity who haven’t had the same advantages of others. They see in this guy someone who has consistently exhibited excellence in the workplace. It gives them a voice,
let’s them know you really can speak about anything.”:
James’ right to speak his mind is guaranteed in the First Amendment, Popovich added.
“I can have opinions as a coach, a plumber, an astrophysicist, as a lowly reporter,” Popovich said, nodding and smiling to reporters gathered in the small interview room. “I can have whatever opinions I want. That’s what is amazing about this when you look
at this guy. How many tens of millions of dollars he’s given. Tens of millions of kids that see him and are inspired by him. It’s kinda like the ‘Black Panther’ movie. How cool is it for kids to see that, have that superhero,” Popovich added. “Well, LeBron’s been that for a long time. For someone to be totally numb to that and attack him in such a childish way really speaks more volumes about that individual than it does about LeBron.”