NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
LeBron James received criticism over the weekend after he was seen swaying his hips during the national anthem before the Los Angeles Lakers played the Sacramento Kings.
The Lakers star was accused of practicing his golf swing instead of standing still with his hand over his heart or with his hands behind his back. Sports expert Craig Carton criticized James for the move during an episode of his podcast on Monday.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the first half against the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena on December 28, 2025. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images)
“If you want to ignore your coach, ignore your teammates, being an 11 plus 1 guy, do it on your own time. Don’t do it during my national anthem,” Carton said. “A couple of days ago, in Lakers basketball, the national anthem disrespected the national anthem.
“And while the anthem is playing, your man, the self-proclaimed ‘King,’ decides it’s a good time to work on my golf swing and disrespect the men and women of the military who gave their lives for this country. ‘Let me take a couple swings in the air while the anthem plays because I don’t play basketball well anymore. I have to work on my golf game.'”
Pak Gazette Digital has reached out to James’ representatives for comment.
NUGGETS STAR NIKOLA JOKIC SUFFERS KNEE INJURY AND MISSES ENTIRE SECOND HALF IN LOSS TO MIAMI HEAT
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after scoring a basket as forward Rui Hachimura, back left, looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Jessie Alcheh/AP Photo)
Controversies over the national anthem first arose during the 2016 season when then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt while “The Star-Spangled Banner” was playing. He said he was protesting racial injustice in the United States and took it a step further when he wore socks depicting police officers as pigs and expressed support for Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
An anthem controversy erupted again when James and others kneeled during the song in the NBA bubble after Jacob Blake was shot in a police incident weeks after George Floyd’s death. Blake later admitted that he had a knife when he was shot.
It didn’t look like James was making an act of protest before the game against the Kings.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, center, drives to the basket against Sacramento Kings guard Demar Derozan (10) as center Maxime Raynaud (42) watches during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Jessie Alcheh/AP Photo)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pak Gazette APP
Los Angeles defeated Sacramento, 125-101. James scored 24 points and five assists.
