United States President Donald Trump is returning to the spotlight after suggesting LeBron James might be a “racist” when asked if the basketball star is the greatest to play the sport.

On Friday, the 41-year-old announced that he plans to extend his illustrious career with the Philadelphia 76ers. 

Trump explained why he considered Michael Jordan to be the elite player during an oval press availability on July 24. Jordan won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s and became one of the most valuable players of all time.

Trump remarked whether Jordan or James was the best ever: “Michael Jordan is a guy that’s a friend of mine. I play golf with him. He’s a really good boy.”

“I think LeBron is maybe a racist but maybe he doesn’t like Trump. I don’t know. I only like people that like me so I would say Michael Jordan all the way.”

In view of the current controversy, James has not responded to Trump’s comment, has been a routine critic of Trump throughout his entire presidency and previously backed Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Kamala Haris when they ran against him.

For those unfamiliar, James has won four NBA titles with the Miami Heat, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers.

On social platform X, netizens have been responding to Trump’s recent remark with one user writing: “LeBron spent years inserting himself into politics and culture wars, then acts shocked when a president fires back. You wanted the smoke, you got it.”

Another wrote, “Trump says LeBron ‘maybe’s a racist’ and the same people who spent years calling everyone else racist are suddenly clutching pearls. The projection is Olympic level.”

James is all set to target a fifth title after his announcement on Friday that he is heading to Philadelphia.

Further, he said in a lengthy social media post, “I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team.”