NBA

LeBron James says he doesn't respect Phil Jackson anymore

USA TODAY
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) wasn't happy with some things Knicks president Phil Jackson said.

LeBron James isn't happy about some comments New York Knicks president Phil Jackson had in a recent interview with ESPN.

So unhappy, in fact, that he said Tuesday at the team's shootaround that he has lost respect for the famed coach-turned-executive.

"I had nothing but respect for him as a coach ..." James told reporters.

LeBron's business partner calls out Phil Jackson for 'disrespectful language' about LeBron

He was then asked: "Had respect?"

James responded: "Yeah"

He was asked: "Until now?"

James: "Yeah"

Jackson was featured in a Q&A on ESPN.com earlier this week. In response to a question about how it hurt the Miami Heat when James signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jackson said:

"It had to hurt when they lost LeBron. That was definitely a slap in the face. But there were a lot of little things that came out of that. When LeBron was playing with the Heat, they went to Cleveland and he wanted to spend the night. They don't do overnights. Teams just don't. So now (coach Erik) Spoelstra has to text Riley and say, 'What do I do in this situation?' And Pat, who has iron-fist rules, answers, 'You are on the plane, you are with this team.' You can't hold up the whole team because you and your mom and your posse want to spend an extra night in Cleveland."

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James and his business partner Maverick Carter, didn't like the word 'posse' that Jackson used in the quote.

Carter, in response, said: "It’s the word ‘posse’ and the characterization I take offense to. If he would have said LeBron and his agent, LeBron and his business partners or LeBron and his friends, that’s one thing. Yet because you’re young and black, he can use that word. We’re grown men.”