*NBA star LeBron James has fired back at New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees for saying the #TakeAKnee movement is “disrespecting the flag.”
His remarks came during an interview with Yahoo Sports on Wednesday, when Brees was asked about NFL players continuing the movement that Colin Kaepernick started in 2016 by kneeling during the playing of the national anthem to protest police brutality.
“I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country,” Brees responded. “Let me just tell you what I see or what I feel when the national anthem is played and when I look at the flag of the United States.”
He then spoke of his grandfathers in the military during World War II.
“Both [risked] their lives to protect our country and to try to make our country and this world a better place,” he said. “So every time I stand with my hand over my heart looking at that flag and singing the national anthem, that’s what I think about.”
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Highlight: @readdanwrite asks @drewbrees what the star NFL quarterback thinks about “players kneeling again when the NFL season starts.”@drewbrees: “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country.”
Full exchange: pic.twitter.com/MpCkFyOMed
— Yahoo Finance (@YahooFinance) June 3, 2020
James was quick to add his voice to the chorus of Brees’ critics.
“WOW MAN!!” James wrote on Twitter. “Is it still surprising at this point. Sure isn’t! You literally still don’t understand why Kap was kneeling on one knee?? Has absolute nothing to do with the disrespect of [the flag] and our soldiers (men and women) who keep our land free.”
“My father-in-law was one of those men who fought as well for this country,” he continued. “I asked him question about it and thank him all the time for his commitment. He never found Kap peaceful protest offensive because he and I both know what’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong! God bless you.”
Check out LeBron’s tweets below.
As noted by PEOPLE, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers also joined in on the criticism, posting a picture of himself locking arms with his teammates.
“A few years ago we were criticized for locking arms in solidarity before the game,” Rodgers said. “It has NEVER been about an anthem or a flag. Not then. Not now. Listen with an open heart, let’s educate ourselves, and then turn word and thought into action.”
Saints’ wide receiver Michael Thomas also called out Brees, saying, “He don’t know no better,” and “We don’t care if you don’t agree and whoever else how about that,” on Twitter.
WOW MAN!! ??♂️. Is it still surprising at this point. Sure isn’t! You literally still don’t understand why Kap was kneeling on one knee?? Has absolute nothing to do with the disrespect of ?? and our soldiers(men and women) who keep our land free. My father-in-law was one of those https://t.co/pvUWPmh4s8
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 3, 2020
men who fought as well for this country. I asked him question about it and thank him all the time for his commitement. He never found Kap peaceful protest offensive because he and I both know what’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong! God bless you. ??✊??
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 3, 2020
When asked about his comments by ESPN, Brees said he’s done his “absolute best to make this world a better place.”
“I believe we should all stand for the national anthem and respect our country and all those who sacrificed so much for our freedoms,” he said. “That includes all those who marched for women’s suffrage in the 1920s and all those who marched in the civil rights movements and continue to march for racial equality. All of us … EVERYONE … represent that flag. Same way I respect all the citizens of our country … no matter their race, color, religion.”
“And I would ask anyone who has a problem with what I said to look at the way I live my life,” Brees continued. “Do I come across as someone who is not doing my absolute best to make this world a better place, to bring justice and equality to others, and hope & opportunity to those who don’t have it? That’s what I meant by actions speak louder than words. … My ACTIONS speak for themselves.”
You can hear his full remarks via the Twitter video embed above.
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