You get by with a little help from your friends. And for LeBron James, that includes former world leaders.
The NBA rocked the world of professional sports Wednesday with an unanticipated protest from the Milwaukee Bucks, leading to a number of game postponements in light of the Jacob Blake shooting in Wisconsin.
But while players around the league supported the message behind the movement, not all were thrilled by the fact that they weren’t tipped off about the plan from the Bucks first. That includes LeBron James, who reportedly walked out of the player meeting called that night.
And according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the NBA superstar and league veteran led a small group of players Wednesday in seeking counsel from former President Barack Obama.
“Former President Barack Obama spoke to James, National Basketball Players Association president Chris Paul and a small group of players late Wednesday evening, advising them to play and utilize the opportunity to contextualize action they want in order to play,” Charania reported.
And while seeking guidance from the 44th President of the United States, the idea of forming a committee for player action and philanthropy was pitched, with players wanting Obama’s involvement.
So, it looks like we can thank Obama for having a hand in bringing back the NBA playoffs.
