Sunday 24 September 2017 07:50, UK
LeBron James called Donald Trump a "bum" after the US President rescinded an invitation for Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry to go to the White House.
Trump tweeted Saturday that Curry is no longer invited to the White House because of what the president called hesitation by the two-time NBA MVP in deciding whether to make the traditional champions' trip to Washington.
That prompted an angry response from Cleveland Cavaliers star James.
James tweeted: "U bum. Stephen Curry already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honour until you showed up!"
Trump's comment on Curry came one day after the president told NFL owners to fire players who won't stand for the national anthem.
It was not immediately clear whether Trump was rescinding the invitation for Curry or the entire team.
"Going to the White House is considered a great honour for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!" Trump wrote from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
The Warriors, who hold their first practice of the season on Saturday, had not made a collective decision whether to go to the White House in celebration of last season's title.
Curry,, who has garnered widespread support from past and present players including Kobe Bryant, has said he did not want to make such a visit.
"By acting and not going, hopefully that will inspire some change when it comes to what we tolerate in this country and what is accepted and what we turn a blind eye to," Curry said Friday at the Warriors' media day. "It's not just the act of not going. There are things you have to do on the back end to actually push that message into motion."
At a rally in Alabama on Friday night, Trump said NFL players who refused to stand for "The Star-Spangled Banner" are exhibiting a "total disrespect of our heritage." 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.
"That's a total disrespect of everything that we stand for," Trump said, encouraging owners to act. He added, "Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you'd say, 'Get that son of a b**** off the field right now. Out! He's fired."
