LeBron James will not be limited to sports, no matter who suggests it.
During an interview this week with Discover + in Sweden, Zlatan Ibrahimovic of AC Milan said it is a “mistake” that “does not look good” when James and other “famous” people get involved in politics.
James responded to the comments of the soccer star after the Lakers’ victory on Friday over the Portland Trail Blazers.
“I would never shut up about things that are wrong,” said James. “I preach about my people and I preach about equality. Social injustice. Racism. Systematic suppression of voters. Things that happen in our community.
“Because I was part of my community at one point and I saw things that were going on, and I know what’s still going on because I have a group of more than 300 children in my [charter] schools that are going through the same thing, and need a voice.
“I am their voice and I use my platform to continue to shed light on everything that may be happening, not just in my community, but across the country and around the world. So, there is no way I can limit myself to sports, because I understand how powerful this platform is and how my voice is. “
James is one of the most politically and socially active figures in sports – and the 36-year-old has drawn anger over his words in the past. In 2018, Fox News host Laura Ingraham infamously told him to “shut up and drool” after James criticized then President Donald Trump.
Over the past year, athletes like James have become more expressive on issues outside the courts, following social protests across the country.
James and Ibrahimovic crossed in Los Angeles for 16 months between 2018 and 2019, when Ibrahimovic was with Galaxy and James the Lakers.
“He was the same guy who said it when he was back in Sweden … because his surname was not a right surname, that he felt there was some racism when he was on the field,” said James. “I speak with a very polite mind, so I’m the wrong kind of person to think about because I do my homework.
James was referring to an interview in 2018, when Ibrahimovic said his roots in Bosnia made him an object of racism, mainly in the media, in his native Sweden.
“I am not Andersson or Svensson,” Ibrahimovic told Canal +. “If I were like that, believe me, they would defend me even if I robbed a bank. They would defend me, I tell you. “
On Friday, James also praised Jaylen Brown of the Celtics and NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Alvin Kamara for using their platforms to fight for social justice. He also recognized Renee Montgomery, a former WNBA player who became an owner part of the Atlanta Dream franchise this week after the league pressured Senator Kelly Loeffler to sell.
“I am proud to be part of a generation where our voices are heard and the guys speak with an educated mentality,” said James. “But the most important thing is that when you speak from the heart, it sounds even louder.
“And we have a lot of guys talking from the heart who didn’t believe they had a voice at any given time, or now they’re coming in and they see that they can have a voice and that their voice really matters. It makes me proud. “