Lebron James challenges reporters on racial bias

[True Dough]

Way to hold them accountable and make them think, Lebron!

LOS ANGELES -- After answering questions about the Los Angeles Lakers' 128-109 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, LeBron James turned things around on the reporters in the room with a query of his own. Why, James wanted to know, had he not been asked about a photograph that recently surfaced showing Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, at the age of 14, peering over a crowd of white students who were attempting to block six Black students from entering the doors of North Little Rock High School in 1957?

"I got one question for you guys before you guys leave. I was thinking when I was on my way over here, I was wondering why I haven't gotten a question from you guys about the Jerry Jones photo," James said. "But when the Kyrie [Irving] thing was going on, you guys were quick to ask us questions about that."

On Nov. 5, after the Brooklyn Nets announced a suspension for James' former teammate after Irving shared a link to a documentary containing antisemitic tropes on social media, James was asked why he believed so few players around the league had commented on Irving's post and subsequent comments.

"Me personally, I don't condone any hate to any kind. To any race. To Jewish communities, to Black communities, to Asian communities. You guys know where I stand," James said at the time. "I believe what Kyrie did caused some harm to a lot of people. And he has since, over the last -- I think it was today, or yesterday -- he apologized. But he caused some harm, and I think it's unfortunate."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35153937/lebron-james-faults-media-not-asking-1957-jerry-jones-photo

Here's the image in question, for those who haven't seen it. Jerry Jones is toward the center back, wearing horizontal stripes.

[Joinfortmill]

1. Yup, called 'em out.

[3Hotdogs]

2. Dunno about this one. What is Jones like today? I know its hard for you guys to believe, but

I did a lot of stupid shit when I was 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 ---- Fact is, I still do stupid shit today.

How 'bout you?

--somthin' about someone throwing the first stone

[True Dough]

3. I'm not suggesting that Jerry Jones should be "cancelled"

The point is that the media runs to a Black athlete to defend or critique another Black athlete but fails to ask him about a photo of segregation that has resurfaced, putting a prominent NFL team owner in the center of it, even if it was 50-some-odd years ago. It's a worthwhile conversation to be had.

[ms liberty]

4. Look at the way he acted when Kapernick started kneeling for the flag

Not to mention other comments he's reported to have made. Jerry Jones loves black men...when they keep their mouths shut and win games for him.

[tishaLA]

5. I read an interview with the reporter who found the photo

And he said that Jones was very forthcoming about it and had talked about the photo previously (but it was quite a while ago). The reporter was working on a story about hiring practices and race in the NFL and asked Jones, you've had the team for over 30 years and you've never had a non-white head coach (I may be wrong, but I think that's true of coordinators, too).

Jones straight up said "you hire people you know. I knew Jimmy Johnson; I knew Barry Switzer," etc. Fair enough, I suppose, but it sort of lays bare the old white boys network and serves as a reasonable sounding excuse for racial bias.

[Doc Sportello]

6. Probably wasn't asked because he is an NBA player

And Jones is an NFL owner. If an NBA owner was in a picture like that, I'm sure he would have been asked about it.

[MichMan]

7. Why would he think they would him a question about an owner in the NFL?

I wonder, however, what his opinion is of the protests in China?

[Doc Sportello]

8. That is a much more relevant question

Considering the NBA's ties to China and LeBron's deal with Nike and it's labor practices there.

[True Dough]

9. So Lebron James

doesn't have any experiences with racism and its legacy? With owners of prominent sports teams having exhibited bigoted opinions and actions contemporarily and in the past?

[Cuthbert Allgood]

10. Sure he does.

But his question was why did they ask him about Kyrie and not Jones. Because Kyrie is a basketball player and Jones is a football owner. It would be more on point if they had asked him about a black non-basketball player and not Jones, but that's not the case.

And James should absolutely talk about Jones. But him saying he doesn't understand why he wasn't asked is kind of odd.

[Doc Sportello]

11. Boy you missed the point - by a wide margin

You were fanboying him because he said NBA reporters covering his basketball game should be asking him about a picture from the 50s of an NFL owner. Perhaps you don't understand how NBA pressers work, but if James wanted to give an opinion on that subject he could do so at any time and get plenty of coverage, as has happened many other times before when he spoke out.

Blaming NBA beat reporters for not asking him a question that is so far afield shows his ignorance about the process, or more likely that he thinks the reporters are there simply to serve his purposes, like the Lakers orgnization. Perhaps reporters should ask him about the Trail of Tears after a game. Lots of racism and genocide there. Or, as I posted before, ask him about working conditions in Nike factories in China, which to reiterate, is much, mucn more relevant since he gets a big paycheck from Nike. He would probably have the reporter escorted out. Here's a question for you to answer: do his ties to Nike and worker exploitation bother you? Or does that interfere with your hero worship?

[True Dough]

12. I'm not even that big of a Lebron fan

But the gaggle of reporters has been served notice. They'll think twice next time before they pick and choose, knowing that they stand to get called out if they are not more judicious.

As for China, yeah, Lebron has some questions to answer on that front. But at least he puts a good chunk of his riches towards education. It makes him one a fraction of generous players who take charity and good causes seriously, even if some of his income revolves around inhumane practices, as troubling as that is.