Donald Trump said LeBron James was “maybe a racist” during a White House press conference, after being asked to choose between James and Michael Jordan. Trump said he preferred Jordan because they are friends and added that he only likes people who like him, making the remarks significant because they bring a personal political dispute into a longstanding sporting debate.

James has previously endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, including Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign, while Jordan’s management has denied claims that he endorsed Trump. The comments followed James’s announcement that he had joined the Philadelphia 76ers on a reported two-year, $8 million deal, after earning nearly $53 million with the Los Angeles Lakers last season.