“Should be disqualified” – Riley Gaines stirs controversy over LeBron James kneeling for national anthem ahead of Paris Olympics

LeBron James has been selected to lead Team USA during the Opening Ceremony of Paris Olympics.

“Should be disqualified” – Riley Gaines stirs controversy over LeBron James kneeling for national anthem ahead of Paris Olympics

Riley Gaines stirs controversy over LeBron James kneeling for national anthem before NBA game ahead of Paris Olympics

LeBron James has defined greatness over his 20-plus years playing elite basketball in the NBA. Recognized over the world for his accomplishments, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar has become the face of American sports.

On that note, he was selected as the official men’s flag bearer at the Paris Olympics, an achievement he considered to be an honor. However, activist Riley Gaines does not agree with the selection.

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The former competitive swimmer gained popularity during her fight to remove transgender women from competing in women’s categories. She brought out an old picture of James wearing a Black Lives Matter t-shirt and wrote a message on her official X account.

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THIS is who was chosen as the U.S. flag bearer for the opening ceremony of the Olympics. Anyone who has ever knelt for the national anthem should be disqualified from this honor.
Riley Gaines wrote on X

Riley Gaines suggested that the all-time leading scorer in NBA history should not be allowed to be the flag bearer. She feels he had disrespected the flag and the nation by taking the knee.

It should be noted that LeBron James had actively participated in the Black Lives Matter protest to voice his unhappiness with police brutality toward the African American community. However, the protest achieved its purpose, and James and his NBA counterparts returned to stand during the national anthem.

But Gaines felt it was a disrespect to the country, which means it disqualify James. That is, he could have protested against police brutality without kneeling during the national anthem. This scenario has controversially become viral just a day before James walks in Paris with the American flag in hand.

LeBron James and Team USA to kick off Olympics against Serbia

Team USA are in Lille and are preparing for the Paris Olympics basketball tournament. Their first match will be against Serbia, against whom they played a friendly in Abu Dhabi and won. However, that game was as competitive as friendlies go. Nikola Jokic and his teammates were not playing to their usual competitiveness.

More importantly, fellow NBA star, sharpshooter, and national team captain, Bogdan Bogdanovic was out injured. Therefore, when the game tips off on Sunday, the Serbians will come out in full force. They know all too well that the Americans are what stand in their way of a medal game. On the other hand, Team USA, consisting of James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and others have a common goal, re-establish the position of USA as the powerhouse of basketball.

They have banded together to ensure that no other team comes in the way of that goal. As the friendlies have shown so far, LeBron James will, if required, take on the load on his own.

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