Donald Trump once made his feelings clear on the Michael Jordan versus LeBron James debate, taking a swipe at the NBA superstar during a public disagreement in 2018.
The exchange came after James appeared in an interview with CNN’s Don Lemon, discussing the opening of his I Promise School in Akron, Ohio.
James also criticised Trump, accusing the then-president of using sport to divide Americans.
Trump responded on Twitter, now known as X, questioning James’s intelligence before finishing his post with three words: “I like Mike!”
He said: “LeBron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, [CNN anchor] Don Lemon,” Trump tweeted. “He made Lebron look smart, which isn’t easy to do. I like Mike!”
It was an apparent reference to Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, who won six NBA championships and remains central to the debate over basketball’s greatest player.
But Jordan had little interest in joining Trump’s criticism of James.
Instead, the former Bulls star publicly backed his fellow NBA great, releasing a statement through his spokesperson.
“I support LeBron James. He’s doing an amazing job for his community,” Jordan said.
The exchange attracted widespread attention, with Trump’s comments turning a disagreement over politics into another chapter of the Jordan versus James debate.
It also produced an unexpected response, with the very player Trump appeared to favour choosing to support his rival.