Two of the NBA’s biggest superstars slammed a conservative television host after she commenting that they should just ‘shut up and dribble’ and not comment on politics.
Lebron James and Kevin Durant both vowed to keep speaking their minds about any subject they choose after Fox News host Laura Ingraham made the statement on her show earlier this week.
‘We will definitely not shut up and dribble,’ James told reporters in Los Angeles ahead of Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game, referring to the conservative commentator as ‘whatever her name is.’
Lebron James (R) and Kevin Durant (L) both vowed to keep speaking their minds about any subject they choose
Ingraham was apparently responding to comments James made on Thursday where he insisted the President doesn’t ‘give a f**k about the people’
‘I would definitely not do that,’ the 33-year-old Cleveland Cavilers superstar added.
Ingraham was apparently responding to comments James made on Thursday where he insisted that President Donald Trump doesn’t ‘give a f**k about the people’ in the United States.
‘The No. 1 job in America, the appointed person is someone who doesn’t understand the people,’ James said during a video clip for Uninterrupted, a multimedia platform site on January 14 while in Akron, Ohio.
President Donald Trump gestures to the media as he leaves the White House, Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, in Washington, for a trip to his private Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida
‘And really don’t give a f**k about the people. When I was growing up, there was like three jobs that you looked [up to] for inspiration. It was the president of the United States, it was whoever was best in sports and it was the greatest musician.’
‘You never thought you could be them, but you can grab inspiration [from them],’ James continued, which was shot along side Durant and ESPN anchor Cari Champion.
‘It’s not even a surprise when he says something. It’s like laughable. It’s laughable, and it’s scary.’
James also responded via social media, posting on his Instagram account the phrase ‘I Am More Than An Athlete’ in lights with the caption ‘We will not shut up and dribble.’
Durant later told USA Today that he believed Ingraham’s comments were derogatory and offensive.
‘To me, it was racist,’ the Golden State Warriors forward said. ‘Ignorance is something I try to ignore. That was definitely an ignorant comment.’
James also responded via social media, posting on his Instagram account the phrase ‘I Am More Than An Athlete’ (Pictured)
‘I do play basketball, but I am a civilian and I am a citizen of the United States, so my voice is just as loud as hers, I think – or even louder. I can’t focus on that. I think we’re doing some good things out here, using our platform, and I think what me and LeBron did… the other day when it came out, I thought it was great. I thought a lot of people enjoyed it.’
On Friday, Ingraham released a statement insisting there was ‘no racial intent’ behind her words, adding that she had used the phrase with different variations for over a decade.
“In 2003, I wrote a New York Times bestseller called ‘Shut Up & Sing,’ in which I criticized celebrities like the Dixie Chicks & Barbra Streisand who were trashing then-President George W. Bush,’ the statement reads.
‘I have used a variation of that title for more than 15 years to respond to performers who sound off on politics. I’ve told Robert DeNiro to ‘Shut Up & Act,’ Jimmy Kimmel to ‘Shut Up & Make Us Laugh,’ and just this week told the San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich to “Shut up & Coach.”
If pro athletes and entertainers want to freelance as political pundits, then they should not be surprised when they’re called out for insulting politicians. There was no racial intent in my remarks – false, defamatory charges of racism are a transparent attempt to immunize entertainment and sports elites from scrutiny and criticism.
“Additionally, we stated on my show that these comments came from an ESPN podcast, which was not the case – the content was unaffiliated with ESPN.”