LeBron Jamesissticking up fora fellow sports legend,Serena Williams, after the tennis playerblamed her U.S. Open women’s singles final violationson sexism.
The brand-newLos Angeles Laker, 33, toldThe Hollywood Reporterin the outlet’s latest cover story, “What we all have to understand is what she is fighting for is bigger than just that match. She is fighting for equality — always having to win more, more, more, just to feel equal.”
Earlier this month, Williams, who lost the U.S. Open final toNaomi Osaka, calledchair umpire Carlos Ramos“a thief” during a match in which he penalized her for illegal coaching, breaking her racket and verbal abuse.
At a press conferenceafterwards, Williams, 36, said, “I’m here fighting for women’s rights and for women’s equality and for all kinds of stuff. And for me to say ‘thief’ and for him to take a game, it made me feel like it was a sexist remark. He’s never took a game from a man because they said ‘thief.’ For me it blows my mind. But I’m going to continue to fight for women and to fight for us to have equal [rights].”
Jamie McCarthy/WireImage
She noted, “I just feel like the fact that I have to go through this is just an example for the next person that has emotions and that want to express themselves and they want to be a strong woman, and they’re going to be allowed to do that because of today.”
James talked about the burden that Williams is bearing in the new interview. “Being an African-American woman playing in a predominantly white sport, she’s dealing with so much more. I have no idea what was going on in her head, but I feel that struggle,” he said toTHR.
James also discussedDonald Trump‘s criticism of him from August, which came after the athlete said on CNN that the presidentis “dividing” the country.
James toldTHRthat Trump calling him “dumb” does not irritate him “because I’m not.”
He added to the outlet, “That’s like somebody saying I can’t play ball. That doesn’t bother me at all. What bothers me is that he has time to even do that. He has the most powerful job in the world. Like, you really got this much time that you can comment on me?”
James also commented on the NBA’s differences from the NFL when it comes toprotests, like the take a knee movement. He said, “[With the NFL] it’s the owners saying, ‘Do what we tell you to do, this is our league, our team. And you do what the hell I tell you to do.’ “
source: people.com
