Jason Whitlock has sharply criticized LeBron James for his recent political tweet endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. This endorsement came just days before the 2024 U.S. presidential election, where Harris faces off against Donald Trump.
LeBron shared a libelous video that presented Trump in a negative light, falsely portraying him as racist. In his tweet, he stated, “What are we even talking about here?? When I think about my kids and my family and how they will grow up, the choice is clear to me. VOTE KAMALA HARRIS!!!”
In response, Whitlock described LeBron’s tweet as “dumb,” arguing that Trump should consider legal action for the content of the video. He characterized the video as “libelous, slanderous and defamatory.”
Whitlock continued to express his disdain, tweeting, “LeBron answers with a video filled with lies, distortion and race baiting. This is why LeBron needs to shut up and dribble.”
Whitlock also pointed out the media’s reaction, or lack thereof, to LeBron’s tweet. He noted, “LeBron James farts and ESPN will post a story immediately about how good it smelled. LeBron posts a racist attack on the 45th president three hours ago and ESPN.com has no story. How come?”
Furthering his critique, Whitlock argued that LeBron did not merely endorse Harris but instead attacked Trump with “lies and distortions.” He remarked on the apparent hypocrisy surrounding discussions of misinformation in political narratives.
He contrasted LeBron’s approach with other athletes, mentioning Patrick Mahomes and Caitlin Clark, who both declined to endorse a candidate. Whitlock stated, “LeBron releases a hyperbolic, slanderous attack on Trump while endorsing Harris. ESPN has yet to touch it.”
Whitlock’s comments reflect a growing sentiment among some that professional athletes should focus on sports rather than politics. He concluded, “Looks like LeBron totally free-lanced his dumb tweet. Too stupid to read the room.”
As the election approaches, Trump remains the favorite against Harris, setting the stage for a contentious political climate. With such endorsements, the intersection of sports and politics continues to draw significant attention.