The NBA’s Golden State Warriors decided to honor the NBA’s rules and stand for the performance of the national anthem in their preseason opener on Saturday.
They did so despite engaging in a Twitter fight with President Donald Trump over San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to disinvite Warriors point guard Stephen Curry and his team from the White House.
That, in turn, led to attacks from fellow NBA star LeBron James against the commander-in-chief.
Bay Area News Group columnist Dieter Kurtenbach praised the Warriors for their decision to “avoid” conflict in an article he published in the East Bay Times titled, “The Warriors made the right decision to stand for the anthem.”
He pointed out that the “Warriors have been outspoken in their support of NFL players following Colin Kaepernick’s lead and taking knee during the national anthem to protest racial inequality in America and police brutality against people of color and in their opposition to President Donald Trump.” He noted: “The juxtaposition led some to believe that the Warriors could be the first NBA team to have a player take a knee during the anthem.”
However, the Bay Area-based team stood and “didn’t let their message be bastardized,” as Kurthenbach put it.
After Friday practice, Warriors Coach Steve Kerr told NBC Sports Bay Area, “We’ve made our feelings public. People know where we stand. I don’t know if any sort of protest would make it any clearer.”
On Friday, NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum reportedly sent a memo reminding members that “Players, coaches, and trainers are to stand and line up in a dignified posture along the sidelines or on the foul line during the playing of the National Anthem.”
That policy did not stop LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliersfrom making it abundantly clear that they are unwilling to hear the president out, tweeting last week that the commander-in-chief is a “bum” and noting that Curry told him that he did not intend to visit the White House anyway.
James also said, “Going to the White House was a great honor until you showed up!”, referring to his meeting with former President Barack Obama.
James voted for Hillary Clinton.
Obama invited James and then-President-elect Trump to the White House on the same day, November 10, 2016.
Adelle Nazarian is a politics and national security reporter for Breitbart News. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
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