"They got a bunch of old white men owning teams" - When LeBron James called out NFL owners for harboring a 'slave mentality'
Irrespective of most factors, LeBron James rarely shies away from speaking his mind. The Los Angeles Lakers star is already termed as a GOAT by a few, and some of the credit goes to his off-field personality and candor. However, it wasn't just the NBA that James was opinionated about.
While on HBO's 'The Shop' in 2018, James directly targeted the NFL and its owners. His gripe was mainly with the owners, who apparently ended up nursing a slave mentality even after so many years.
There was a mixed response from fans, some of whom supported James, and some who didn't. A certain group of people were tired of NBA players jumping in and commenting on football. In the end, they were two different sports to follow and enjoy.
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"In the NFL they got a bunch of old white men owning teams and they got that slave mentality," James said. "And it's like, 'This is my team. You do what the f--- I tell y'all to do. Or we get rid of y'all.'"
He continued:
"The players are who make the ship go. We make it go. Every Sunday, without Todd Gurley and without Odell Beckham Jr., without those players, those guys, there is no football. And it's the same in the NBA.
Did LeBron James compare the NFL to NBA?
With the four-time NBA champion speaking of owners and their tendencies, a comparison was inevitable. According to James, the NBA ends up caring about what a player can be. They are interested in the player's potential.
"In the NFL, it's what can you do for me this Sunday or this Monday or this Thursday. And if you ain't it, we moving on," James added.
Apart from James, a few others also shared the same sentiment.
Philly.com's Solomon James compared NFL owners to slave owners, echoing a similar sentiment to 'The Chosen One'. The former San Francisco 49ers cornerback called out Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones for his stance on the national anthem protests, labeling it a 'plantation mentality'.
Furthermore, LeBron James' ability to speak his mind hasn't stopped him from being a football fan. The Lakers star played football in high school, later choosing basketball and the NBA as his top sports.
Of course, one cannot determine if LeBron James would have excelled as an NFL player or not. Many believe that while he may have been drafted, he wouldn't have made a name for himself as a GOAT.