UFC star Colby Covington added to the chorus of criticism of LeBron James after a video surfaced of the Los Angeles Lakers star entering USC’s arena during the national anthem and immediately taking a seat.
Covington made his remarks on Wednesday night as he prepares to take on Leon Edwards in a welterweight bout at UFC 296 over the weekend.
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"If you hate America so much, and you don’t like this country that gave you a billion dollars – leave it. Or come deal with me. Go to China. Go to these sweatshops that you employ all these laborers and use these women and pay them pennies on the dollar to make your millions.
"F--- you LeBron James. You’re a coward. You’re a spineless coward and you’re a b----."
Orange County Register reporter Luca Evans posted the video on X of James walking into the Galen Center with his younger son Bryce and two of his Sierra Canyon High School teammates. The video showed James entering the arena while the anthem was playing. He was there to watch his son, Bronny, make his debut after a cardiac arrest during the summer.
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X users noticed that James immediately sat in his chair as "The Star-Spangled Banner" blared on the speakers and failed to remove his hat — which is customary to do during the national anthem. He finally stands toward the end of the video.
He was immediately criticized for allegedly having "zero respect" for the U.S. as well as hating the country because he did not stand for the anthem.
As the video got picked up, Evans pushed back on the criticism.
"As the reporter who took this video, this is gross and completely mischaracterizes the situation," he wrote on X. "LeBron has done this for YEARS in Bronny’s time at Sierra Canyon. It’s objectively the best time to walk in so he doesn’t cause a massive stir. Stop it."
James did not play in Wednesday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs.
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