Charles Barkley Ripped LeBron Over Anthem Disgrace and Then Ruined His Commentary With a Bad Line for Trump

President Trump branded LeBron James a total disgrace over his national anthem antics.

Now one of basketball's biggest legends just backed him up without saying his name.

Charles Barkley just confirmed Trump was right about LeBron and still refused to admit it.

LeBron Swung an Imaginary Golf Club While Fans Stood for the Anthem

LeBron James opened his 24th NBA season with the Philadelphia 76ers on the road against the New York Knicks on October 20, 2026.

While the anthem played, James worked through an animated golf swing, miming his backswing and follow-through for close to ninety seconds, as if he were lining up a drive at the ninth hole.

None of that stopped the moment from going viral within hours.

President Trump posted on Truth Social two days later, on October 22, writing that James "is no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE," and demanding he apologize to "all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes."

James brushed it off when reporters asked him about it, calling the dustup a "slow news day."

Not every athlete treated the anthem the same way that week.

WNBA star Sophie Cunningham said plainly that she stands because "we have family members who have served," adding, "I'm going to show that support, and I'm going to give them love."

She said she takes "a lot of pride" in where she comes from and is "proud to be an American citizen."

Her comments stood in sharp contrast to James's approach to the same ninety seconds of music.

Charles Barkley Agreed with Trump and Then Pretended He Did Not

Charles Barkley addressed the incident on SiriusXM's NBA Radio.

"I thought that was very disrespectful, practicing your golf swing in the middle of the anthem," Barkley said.

"I always stand for the anthem. I just think it's important," he said.

"We live in the greatest country ever where you can always protest," Barkley said.

He added that he was "standing there for free speech" and that standing for the anthem is his way of "supporting the troops."

Then came the part where Barkley tried to have it both ways.

SiriusXM's recap of his comments quoted him saying LeBron "was very disrespectful, but I don't ever pay any attention to what President Trump says."

Barkley agreed with Trump's point while insisting he got there without Trump's help.

The NBA's Anthem Problem Didn't Start or End With LeBron James

This is not the first time the league's biggest stars have treated the anthem as optional.

LeBron James himself said in 2017 he hoped kneeling protests during the anthem made Colin Kaepernick proud.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has said publicly he supports players who kneel, and the league stopped enforcing its anthem rule during the 2020 bubble season and never fully brought it back.

Drew Brees learned what happens to a star who breaks from that consensus in the other direction, apologizing in 2020 after saying he would never agree with anyone disrespecting the American flag.

That history is why Barkley's answer actually matters.

He is not a MAGA pundit looking for a culture war fight.

Barkley has openly discussed running for governor of Alabama as a Democrat.

He has built his entire public persona on disagreeing with Trump, and even he could not find a way to defend practicing a golf swing during the national anthem.

When the guy who built a brand on disagreeing with conservatives says the behavior crossed a line, the behavior crossed a line.

LeBron has every legal right to swing an invisible club during ninety seconds of music.

He does not have the right to pretend doing it in front of twenty thousand fans at Madison Square Garden was not a message.

Sources:

• Rusty Weiss, "Charles Barkley Posterizes LeBron James After His Clownish National Anthem Behavior," RedState, October 29, 2026.
• ClutchPoints Staff, "76ers News: Charles Barkley Sides With Donald Trump on LeBron James National Anthem," ClutchPoints, October 28, 2026.
• Fox News Staff, "LeBron James on Kneeling Protest During National Anthem: I Hope We Made Kap Proud," Fox News, 2017.
• ABC11 Staff, "76ers' LeBron James After President Trump's Anthem Criticism: Slow News Day," ABC11, October 23, 2026.
• Billy Penn Staff, "President Donald Trump Criticizes LeBron James Warmups During National Anthem," Billy Penn, October 22, 2026.