LeBron respects Kaepernick's message, says he'll stand during anthem
CLEVELAND – LeBron James said he’ll stand for the national anthem, but his respect for Colin Kaepernick couldn’t be more apparent.
James, speaking at the Cleveland Cavaliers’ media day on Monday following the franchise’s first NBA championship, spent a significant portion of his podium time praising the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback, whose own protest began more than a month ago.
Though James said he’ll stand, “that doesn’t mean I don’t respect and don’t agree with what Colin Kaepernick is doing. … What I don’t like about the situation is the negative attention that been thrown upon him from certain people because it’s not deserved. He was very educated, very smart, very candid, very demanding about what he wanted to do,” James said. “He did it in the most peaceful manner I’ve ever seen someone stand up and do something.”
James knew these type of questions were coming, evident in his polished responses. The same went for Cavs coach Ty Lue, general manager David Griffin and Kyrie Irving. It was likely a reflection of a league-wide memo sent last week urging players to take substantive action in creating “positive change.”
The memo could’ve easily said we see what’s happening at NFL stadiums, high school football games, professional women’s soccer fields and college football student sections, so be prepared. And for the most part, James was.
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He, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul spoke at the ESPY’s in July and essentially foreshadowed this movement. Let’s “explore these issues, speak up, use our influence and renounce all violence,” James said then.
He reiterated that again on Monday despite the on-court questions pertaining to the Cavs’ title defense. And while there will come a time shortly for James and his teammates to focus on their return quest to the Finals, it wasn’t surprising to hear him address the current social climate, like he has done in the past.
“I look at my son being four years removed from driving his own car and being able to leave the house on his own, and it’s a scary thought right now to think if my son gets pulled over, and you tell your kids, ‘If you just apply, and you listen to the police, that they will be respectful and things will work itself out,”' James said. “It’s a scary ass situation that if my son calls me and said he’s been pulled over, that I’m not that confident that things are going to go well, that my son is going to return home.”
James organized a pre-camp workout last week in Santa Barbara for all of his teammates, but there was no ignoring the current cultural climate.
“It’s tough being a parent right now.”
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