LeBron James has made no secret of his distaste for President Donald Trump: He endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in October and mocked Trump in comments about NBA All-Star voting last month.
Now, the NBA’s biggest superstar is speaking out against the executive order Trump signed to ban refugees and stop immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the United States.
“Diversity is what makes this country so great,” James said while accepting the NAACP’s Jackie Robinson Sports Award this month, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “I stand with the many, many Americans who believe this does not represent what the United States is all about.”
“I am not in favor of this policy or any policy that divides and excludes people,” James said. “I stand with the many, many Americans who believe this does not represent what the United States is all about. And we should continue to speak out about it.”
The NAACP gives the Jackie Robinson Sports Award to athletes “for their high achievement in athletics in addition to their contributions in the pursuit of social justice, civil rights and community involvement.” James has previously spoken out about police killings of African-Americans, as well as other issues.
Trump’s immigration order, which is temporarily on hold after a federal judge in Seattle blocked it last week, sparked protests across the nation. A number of NBA players and coaches ― including Detroit Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy, San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr ― have also criticized the ban.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luol Deng ― a South Sudanese refugee and British citizen the NBA initially worried would be subject to the ban ― also denounced Trump’s executive order at the end of January.
Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry, meanwhile, offered a more colorful response to the executive order, telling reporters last week that Trump’s immigration ban was “absolute bullshit.”
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