James addresses the comments after Philadelphia’s comeback
LeBron James responded to criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump after the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 114–106 on Thursday, October 22. His postgame comments were reported on Friday, October 23, in the Philippines.
Trump had criticized James over video showing the player making rotational and shooting movements during the national anthem before Philadelphia's season opener against the New York Knicks on Tuesday. In a social-media post, the president characterized the behavior as disrespectful and called for an apology.
James answered reporters' questions with a brief remark about a slow news day. He did not offer a lengthy explanation of the pregame movements in the response reported by Yahoo Sports and AFP.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse also addressed the issue, describing it as outside noise and emphasizing the team's work in practice, film sessions and games. His comments framed the exchange as a distraction from Philadelphia's basketball preparations rather than a change to the team's plans.
The distinction between what the video showed and the president's interpretation is important. Trump's description was a criticism of James' conduct; it does not independently establish the player's intention during the anthem.
On the court, Philadelphia had recovered from a 29-point deficit to win its home opener. James contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds to that result, which left the Sixers with two victories from their first two games.
The postgame exchange therefore added an off-court story to a night already defined by Philadelphia's comeback. The confirmed developments are the president's public criticism, James' brief response and Nurse's emphasis on maintaining the team's focus.