LeBron responds to Trump's attack with biting sarcasm

An NBA legend in a new round of conflict with the US president

LeBron James didn't need a lengthy speech to answer US President Donald Trump. His reply dripped with sarcasm.

The Philadelphia 76ers star hit back after the president accused him of disrespecting the national anthem, the latest chapter in a public feud between the two men.

James spoke after his team's thrilling comeback against the Cleveland Cavaliers, where the 76ers wiped out a 29-point deficit to win 114-106.

According to the Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo", the American simply smiled and said: "It seems it's a slow news day at the office", then repeated the phrase once more, a sarcastic jab at Trump's remarks.

The crisis traces back to Philadelphia's match against the New York Knicks on Tuesday at "Madison Square Garden". James appeared to make hand movements resembling a golf swing and mimicked a basketball shot during the American national anthem.

Trump posted a clip of the incident on the "Truth Social" platform. He accused the basketball player of insulting the United States and branded his behaviour "a total disgrace", demanding he apologise to the American soldiers and heroes who lost their lives defending the flag and what the country represents.

One post wasn't enough. The president returned to the subject during a rally in Iowa on Thursday, calling the incident controversial, while the Philadelphia star kept his response brief and refused to get drawn into a prolonged argument.

A history of sparring

This is hardly the first time the two have traded blows. Trump and James have exchanged criticism over the years, going right back to the president's first term.

Back in 2017, James slammed Trump's decision to withdraw the Golden State Warriors' White House invitation, after Stephen Curry said he didn't want to attend.

His famous comment at the time said that visiting the White House had been a great honour "until you came along", a direct swipe at Trump.

The president has also publicly questioned James's intelligence and thrown other criticism his way, at times comparing him with basketball legend Michael Jordan, whom he declared he preferred.