LeBron James rejected Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s criticism of his social activism, pointing out the hypocrisy of the AC Milan star’s comments on Friday.
Ibrahimovic, whose time playing for his former team, the LA Galaxy, coincided with James’ first season with the Lakers, criticized James in an interview with UEFA for Discovery + in Sweden on Thursday, saying it was a “mistake” and ” no .. looks good “when James and other” famous “people get involved in politics.
“He was the same man who said when he was back in Sweden… because his last name was not a particular last name, that he felt there was some racism going on when he was on the field,” said James. “I’m speaking from a very educated mind so I’m actually the wrong guy to go to because I’m doing my homework.”
Several years ago, Ibrahimovic said he was subject to “undercover racism” in his native Sweden because his Bosnian roots gave him a surname that does not sound traditionally Swedish.
“I’m not Andersson or Svensson,” Ibrahimovic told Canal + in 2018, referring to what he viewed as racist treatment by the media. ‘If I were, believe me, they would defend me, even if I robbed a bank. They would defend me, I tell you. ‘
James was not deterred by Ibrahimovic’s stance against him, explaining why he approaches out of court cases the way he does.
“I would never shut up about things that are wrong,” said James after the Lakers 102-93 win over the Trail Blazers on Friday night. “I preach about my people, and I preach about equality. Social injustice. Racism. Systematic oppression of voters. Things that happen in our community.
“Because at one point I was part of my community and saw the things that were going on, and I know what’s still going on because I have a group of over 300 kids in my school going through the same thing, and they need a voice And I am their voice I am their voice and I use my platform to keep shedding light on everything that’s going on, not just in my community, but in this country and around the world.
“So there is no way I would ever stick to sports because I understand how this platform and how powerful my voice is.”
James went on to credit former WNBA player Renee Montgomery, who became part owner of the Atlanta Dream on Friday after the league put pressure on former Senator Kelly Loeffler, a Republican who last summer opposed the racial justice initiatives of WNBA players. her part of the team.
You can just ask Renee Montgomery if I had shut up and dribbled [what would have happened], James said, later referring to the two-time WNBA champion as a ‘beautiful black woman’.
James also cited Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints for their commitment to social justice issues.
“I feel proud to be part of a generation where our voices are heard and boys speak with an educated mindset,” said James. ‘But more importantly, when you speak from your heart it goes even faster.
“And we have a lot of guys who speak from the heart who didn’t believe they ever had a voice, or now they come in and see that they can have a voice and that their voice really matters. That makes me proud.”
James ‘I Promise School in Akron, Ohio, not only educates hundreds of at-risk children in his hometown, but also provides affordable housing, a meal plan and job training for the students’ families.
His More Than a Vote organization was also instrumental in mobilizing more than 40,000 volunteers to work in polling stations in the November general election in an effort to thwart voter oppression.
“As athletes, we’ve been hearing this for a long time,” said James. “You should [feel] privileged. You should be thankful that you can dribble a ball or run a soccer ball or be able to run the 100 yards or swing a baseball bat and things like that, you shouldn’t be able to talk about anything else, be it right or wrong, you just have to do that. But that is not the case. That is no longer the case. As long as I’m there, it won’t be for a long time. “