President Donald Trump doubled down on denouncing protests by NFL players and rescinded NBA star Stephen Curry香蕉视频直播檚 White House invitation on Saturday, a series of tweets that quickly inflamed football and basketball stars and even prompted LeBron James to call the president a 香蕉视频直播渂um.香蕉视频直播�
Trump started by announcing that Curry, the immensely popular two-time MVP for the Golden State Warriors, would not be welcome at the White House for the commemorative visit traditionally made by championship teams. Later, Trump reiterated what he said at a rally in Alabama the previous night that NFL players who kneel for the national anthem should be fired.
U bum already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!
香蕉视频直播� LeBron James (@KingJames)
The Warriors said it was made clear to them that they were not welcome at the White House. They said that when they go to Washington this season they will instead 香蕉视频直播渃elebrate equality, diversity and inclusion 香蕉视频直播� the values that we embrace as an organization.香蕉视频直播�
Curry had said he did not want to go to the White House anyway, but the Warriors had not made a collective decision before Saturday.
Following a tweet Saturday, James clarified his stance on the issue in a video.
"It香蕉视频直播檚 not about dividing. We as American people need to come together even stronger.香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� responds to 香蕉视频直播檚 comments.
香蕉视频直播� UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted)
Warriors general manager Bob Myers said Saturday he was surprised by the invitation being pulled.
香蕉视频直播淭he White House visit should be something that is celebrated,香蕉视频直播� Myers said. 香蕉视频直播淪o we want to go to Washington, D.C. and do something to commemorate kind of who we are as an organization, what we feel, what we represent and at the same time spend our energy on that. Instead of looking backward, we want to look forward.香蕉视频直播�
Added Warriors coach Steve Kerr, after his team香蕉视频直播檚 first practice of the season: 香蕉视频直播淭hese are not normal times.香蕉视频直播�
Trump香蕉视频直播檚 latest entry into the intersection of sports and politics started in Alabama on Friday night, when he said NFL players who refused to stand for 香蕉视频直播淭he Star-Spangled Banner香蕉视频直播� are exhibiting a 香蕉视频直播渢otal disrespect of our heritage.香蕉视频直播�
Several NFL players, starting last season with then-San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick, have either knelt, sat or raised fists during the anthem to protest police treatment of blacks and social injustice. Last week at NFL games, four players sat or knelt during the anthem, and two raised fists while others stood by the protesters in support.
Other players have protested in different ways over the past season since Kaepernick began sitting during the 2016 preseason.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 a total disrespect of everything that we stand for,香蕉视频直播� Trump said, encouraging owners to act. He added, 香蕉视频直播淲ouldn香蕉视频直播檛 you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you香蕉视频直播檇 say, 香蕉视频直播楪et that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He香蕉视频直播檚 fired.香蕉视频直播�
On Saturday, Trump echoed his stance.
Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team.Stephen Curry is hesitating,therefore invitation is withdrawn!
香蕉视频直播� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect....
香蕉视频直播� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
Plenty of other current and former stars from across sports weighed in Saturday. Richard Sherman of Seattle Seahawks said the president香蕉视频直播檚 behaviour is 香蕉视频直播渦nacceptable and needs to be addressed.香蕉视频直播� NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell strongly backed his league香蕉视频直播檚 players, calling Trump香蕉视频直播檚 words 香蕉视频直播渄ivisive香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� as did New York Giants owners John Mara and Steve Tisch, who also said the president香蕉视频直播檚 comments were inappropriate and offensive.
香蕉视频直播淒ivisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities,香蕉视频直播� Goodell said in a statement.
Trump also bemoaned what he called a decline in violence in football, noting that it香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渘ot the same game香蕉视频直播� because players are now either penalized or thrown out of games for aggressive tackles.
香蕉视频直播淣o man or woman should ever have to choose a job that forces them to surrender their rights,香蕉视频直播� DeMaurice Smith, the NFL Players Association executive director, said Saturday. 香蕉视频直播淣o worker nor any athlete, professional or not, should be forced to become less than human when it comes to protecting their basic health and safety.香蕉视频直播�
Trump has met with some teams already in his first year in office.
Clemson visited the White House this year after winning the College Football Playoff, some members of the New England Patriots went after the Super Bowl victory and the Chicago Cubs went to the Oval Office in June to commemorate their World Series title. The Cubs also had the larger and more traditional visit with President Barack Obama in January, four days before the Trump inauguration.
North Carolina, the reigning NCAA men香蕉视频直播檚 basketball champion, said Saturday it will not visit the White House this season. The Tar Heels cited scheduling conflicts.
Warriors forward Draymond Green said the good news was that Golden State won香蕉视频直播檛 have to talk about going to the White House again 香蕉视频直播� unless they win another title during the Trump presidency.
香蕉视频直播淢ichelle Obama said it best,香蕉视频直播� Green said. 香蕉视频直播淪he said it best. They go low. We go high. He beat us to the punch. Happy the game is over.香蕉视频直播�
Reynolds reported from Miami. AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in Oakland, California contributed to this story.
Catherine Lucey And Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
