President Donald Trump doubled down on denouncing protests by NFL players and rescinded NBA star Stephen Curry害羞草研究所檚 White House invitation on Saturday, a series of tweets that quickly inflamed football and basketball stars and even prompted LeBron James to call the president a 害羞草研究所渂um.害羞草研究所�
Trump started by announcing that Curry, the immensely popular two-time MVP for the Golden State Warriors, would not be welcome at the White House for the commemorative visit traditionally made by championship teams. Later, Trump reiterated what he said at a rally in Alabama the previous night that NFL players who kneel for the national anthem should be fired.
U bum already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!
害羞草研究所� LeBron James (@KingJames)
The Warriors said it was made clear to them that they were not welcome at the White House. They said that when they go to Washington this season they will instead 害羞草研究所渃elebrate equality, diversity and inclusion 害羞草研究所� the values that we embrace as an organization.害羞草研究所�
Curry had said he did not want to go to the White House anyway, but the Warriors had not made a collective decision before Saturday.
Following a tweet Saturday, James clarified his stance on the issue in a video.
"It害羞草研究所檚 not about dividing. We as American people need to come together even stronger.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� responds to 害羞草研究所檚 comments.
害羞草研究所� UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted)
Warriors general manager Bob Myers said Saturday he was surprised by the invitation being pulled.
害羞草研究所淭he White House visit should be something that is celebrated,害羞草研究所� Myers said. 害羞草研究所淪o we want to go to Washington, D.C. and do something to commemorate kind of who we are as an organization, what we feel, what we represent and at the same time spend our energy on that. Instead of looking backward, we want to look forward.害羞草研究所�
Added Warriors coach Steve Kerr, after his team害羞草研究所檚 first practice of the season: 害羞草研究所淭hese are not normal times.害羞草研究所�
Trump害羞草研究所檚 latest entry into the intersection of sports and politics started in Alabama on Friday night, when he said NFL players who refused to stand for 害羞草研究所淭he Star-Spangled Banner害羞草研究所� are exhibiting a 害羞草研究所渢otal disrespect of our heritage.害羞草研究所�
Several NFL players, starting last season with then-San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick, have either knelt, sat or raised fists during the anthem to protest police treatment of blacks and social injustice. Last week at NFL games, four players sat or knelt during the anthem, and two raised fists while others stood by the protesters in support.
Other players have protested in different ways over the past season since Kaepernick began sitting during the 2016 preseason.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 a total disrespect of everything that we stand for,害羞草研究所� Trump said, encouraging owners to act. He added, 害羞草研究所淲ouldn害羞草研究所檛 you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you害羞草研究所檇 say, 害羞草研究所楪et that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He害羞草研究所檚 fired.害羞草研究所�
On Saturday, Trump echoed his stance.
Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team.Stephen Curry is hesitating,therefore invitation is withdrawn!
害羞草研究所� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect....
害羞草研究所� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
Plenty of other current and former stars from across sports weighed in Saturday. Richard Sherman of Seattle Seahawks said the president害羞草研究所檚 behaviour is 害羞草研究所渦nacceptable and needs to be addressed.害羞草研究所� NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell strongly backed his league害羞草研究所檚 players, calling Trump害羞草研究所檚 words 害羞草研究所渄ivisive害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� as did New York Giants owners John Mara and Steve Tisch, who also said the president害羞草研究所檚 comments were inappropriate and offensive.
害羞草研究所淒ivisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities,害羞草研究所� Goodell said in a statement.
Trump also bemoaned what he called a decline in violence in football, noting that it害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渘ot the same game害羞草研究所� because players are now either penalized or thrown out of games for aggressive tackles.
害羞草研究所淣o man or woman should ever have to choose a job that forces them to surrender their rights,害羞草研究所� DeMaurice Smith, the NFL Players Association executive director, said Saturday. 害羞草研究所淣o worker nor any athlete, professional or not, should be forced to become less than human when it comes to protecting their basic health and safety.害羞草研究所�
Trump has met with some teams already in his first year in office.
Clemson visited the White House this year after winning the College Football Playoff, some members of the New England Patriots went after the Super Bowl victory and the Chicago Cubs went to the Oval Office in June to commemorate their World Series title. The Cubs also had the larger and more traditional visit with President Barack Obama in January, four days before the Trump inauguration.
North Carolina, the reigning NCAA men害羞草研究所檚 basketball champion, said Saturday it will not visit the White House this season. The Tar Heels cited scheduling conflicts.
Warriors forward Draymond Green said the good news was that Golden State won害羞草研究所檛 have to talk about going to the White House again 害羞草研究所� unless they win another title during the Trump presidency.
害羞草研究所淢ichelle Obama said it best,害羞草研究所� Green said. 害羞草研究所淪he said it best. They go low. We go high. He beat us to the punch. Happy the game is over.害羞草研究所�
Reynolds reported from Miami. AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in Oakland, California contributed to this story.
Catherine Lucey And Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
