President Trump Rips 'Disgraceful' NBA Kneelers, Doc Rivers Fires Back
President Trump Rips 'Disgraceful' NBA Kneelers ... Doc Rivers Fires Back
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11:59 AM PT -- Doc Rivers just fired back at Trump ... with the LA Clippers head coach saying he really couldn't care less if POTUS stops watching the NBA over the kneeling protests.
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"Well, we lost one guy," Doc said with a laugh. "I mean, so what? Like, really, I don't even care."
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President Trump: "I'm not going to watch games."
— Farbod Esnaashari (@Farbod_E) August 5, 2020 @Farbod_E
Doc Rivers: "Well we lost one guy. So what?" pic.twitter.com/dhRuC9uTnd
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Doc -- who was wearing a hat with the word "Vote" on it for his meeting with reporters Wednesday -- continued, "We know that justice is on our side, right?"
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"And, this hat that I'm wearing is what our president is trying to get us to not do, which I think is just as disgraceful."
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The clapback is just further evidence Doc and Donald's friendship has deteriorated to non-existent levels ... remember, the two used to be buds and were even spotted having a chummy meal together in 2015 in Los Angeles.
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But Doc famously told us in 2016 he was voting for Hillary Clinton ... and he clearly hasn't changed his opinion of Donald much since then.
Saw this coming from a mile away ... but here's President Donald Trump going scorched earth on the NBA kneelers -- calling the demonstration "disgraceful."
"When I see people kneeling during the playing and disrespecting our flag and national anthem, what I do personally is turn off the game," Trump said Wednesday morning in a phone interview with "FOX & Friends."
"I think it's disgraceful. We work with [the NBA], we worked with them very hard trying to get open. I was pushing for them to get open. Then I see everybody kneeling during the anthem. That's not acceptable to me."
"When I see them kneeling during the game, I just turn off the game. I have no interest in the game. Let me tell you this, plenty of other people out there, too."
During the call, Trump also claimed NBA ratings are way down -- when according to TV sports media outlets, the rating are up 14% from the average before the season was suspended.
Trump added, "We have to stand up for our flag, stand up for our country. A lot of people agree with me. If I'm wrong, I'm going to lose an election. That's okay with me. I will always stand for our flag."
Trump has always hated kneeling -- and publicly blasted Colin Kaepernick and other NFL stars for taking a knee back in 2017 ... calling for the NFL fire any "son of a bitch" who doesn't stand for the Star-Spangled Banner.
9/22/17
Ever since the NBA rebooted last week, just about every player, coach, ref and staff member inside the Bubble have taken a knee during the anthem before games.
Only 4 people -- 2 players, 2 coaches -- have stood for the anthem.
LeBron James, who took a knee, said he hopes the demonstration makes Colin Kaepernick proud and helps to shine a spotlight on police brutality and social injustice affecting the Black community and others.
During the call, Trump also claimed he's done more for the Black community than any other president -- with the "possible exception of Abraham Lincoln."
Originally Published -- 7:57 AM PT
