# LeBron James Defends Patriotism After Trump Critique

> Stephen A. Smith defends LeBron James after Trump calls him a 'total disgrace' for pregame anthem actions.
- Title: LeBron James Defends Patriotism After Trump Critique
- Summary: Stephen A. Smith defends LeBron James after Trump calls him a 'total disgrace' for pregame anthem actions. LeBron James dismissed Trump's criticism of his…
- Keywords: lebron james, stephen a smith, donald trump, nba, philadelphia 76ers, national anthem, 29-point comeback, madison square garden, cleveland cavaliers, sports, LeBron, James
- Source: EssentiallySports — https://essentiallysports.com/nba-active-basketball-news-he-deserves-better-stephen-a-smith-defends-lebron-james-and-reveals-what-he-believes-is-donald-trumps-real-motive-behind-jab
- Author: Caroline John
- Published: 2026-10-24T01:19:57+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: lebron james, stephen a smith, donald trump, nba, philadelphia 76ers, national anthem, 29-point comeback, madison square garden, cleveland cavaliers, sports
## Trump Criticizes LeBron
Donald Trump called LeBron James a 'total disgrace' after footage showed James practicing mock golf swings during the national anthem.

> total disgrace
## James Responds to Trump
LeBron James dismissed Trump's criticism as a 'slow news day in the office' after Philadelphia's 114-106 comeback win over Cleveland.

> slow news day in the office
## Smith Defends James
Stephen A. Smith argued LeBron's career achievements and role model status outweigh a single moment of pregame restlessness during the anthem.

> he deserves better than that from us
## Trump's Rally Comments
Trump questioned James' focus during the pregame ceremony and criticized WNBA players for similar anthem snubs during the Finals.

> wnba players
## 76ers Focus on Play
Head coach Nick Nurse prioritized on-court preparation over off-court distractions after the 29-point comeback win.

> 29-point comeback
## Key takeaway

LeBron James dismissed Trump's criticism of his pregame anthem routine as a 'slow news day' after a 29-point comeback win.