President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated his preference for Michael Jordan over LeBron James in the ongoing debate about the NBA's greatest player of all time. Trump's comments came after James agreed to a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.
When asked by Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy to weigh in, Trump stated, "Michael Jordan is a guy that’s a friend of mine. I play golf with him. He’s a really good guy. I think LeBron is maybe he’s a racist, but maybe he doesn’t like Trump. I don’t know. I only like people that like me, so I would say Michael Jordan all the way."
Trump did not offer a comparison of the players' on-court achievements. Jordan, a six-time NBA champion and five-time MVP, is widely considered one of the sport's legends. James, a four-time champion and four-time MVP, is the league's all-time leading scorer and is set to begin his record 24th season.
The two athletes have a history of public criticism spanning nearly a decade. James endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election and has since voiced criticism of Trump's handling of issues concerning athletes and professional sports. In 2017, James questioned Trump's actions after the president rescinded a White House invitation to the NBA champion Golden State Warriors.
The friction between them intensified in 2018 when James, in an interview with CNN's Don Lemon, accused Trump of using sports to divide the country. Trump responded on social media by criticizing both James and Lemon, adding, "I like Mike." Jordan later defended James, supporting his community work.
Trump also selected Jordan when questioned about the same debate in 2020, at that time suggesting Jordan's less public involvement in politics contributed to his popularity. Trump's stance on Friday indicated a consistent viewpoint on the matter.