Fox News host Laura Ingraham slammed LeBron James and Kevin Durant on Thursday night for comments the NBA stars made about U.S. President Donald Trump.
In a video released on Thursday (but recorded in January) by James’s multimedia platform Uninterrupted, both LeBron and Durant were critical of Trump and his ability to lead the country.
“The No. 1 job in America — the point of person — is someone who doesn’t understand the people. And really don’t give a [expletive] about the people,” James told ESPN’s Cari Champion, who hosts the Rolling with the Champion video series.
“I feel like our team, as a country, is not ran by a great coach,” Durant added later in the video.
On Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle, a show which airs on the conservative news network every weeknight, the host called LeBron’s criticism “barely intelligible” and “un-grammatical” before eventually telling the duo to “shut up and dribble.”
Ingraham’s comments have sparked backlash on social media with many from around the sports world coming to the defence of James and Durant, including LeBron’s former teammate Dwyane Wade and ESPN personality Jemele Hill.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long also called out Fox News on Twitter, claiming that Ingraham was being hypocritical by attacking James and Durant for voicing their political opinions.
MUSICIAN pic.twitter.com/vb2d9UIFRC
— Chris Long (@JOEL9ONE) February 16, 2018
BASKETBALL. COACH. pic.twitter.com/IA7aRH2GR5
— Chris Long (@JOEL9ONE) February 16, 2018
TED NUGENT #FOXNEWSSPECIALIST pic.twitter.com/xrPBiUDqFo
— Chris Long (@JOEL9ONE) February 16, 2018
CLINT EASTWOOD pic.twitter.com/Ly7raoKFX1
— Chris Long (@JOEL9ONE) February 16, 2018
This was not the first time James has used his platform to voice his political opinions. The Cavaliers star has been openly critical of Trump in the past, just last month saying that the U.S. President was dividing the country.