Basketball Star Lisa Leslie Says Trump 'Trying to Be a Dictator'
*By Michael Teich*
As a four-time Olympic gold medalist, Lisa Leslie is used to wearing the red, white, and blue, and though she prefers to stand for the national anthem, the former basketball star said everyone has the right to express their opinions.
"I would not kneel because that’s not what I want to stand for, but I am very much in support of black men to have the opportunity to have equal rights," Leslie said Wednesday in an interview with Cheddar.
The former WNBA star said President Trump's obsession with NFL players choosing to kneel during the anthem doesn't reflect America's democratic values.
"There are so many things going on in the world that are more important than what's happening, that he focuses so much on trying to be the dictator of our country," Leslie said, adding: "It's very sad where we are, and how much we've opened ourselves up into being a true reality show."
After berating football players several times for kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality, Trump again lashed out at the NFL by canceling the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles' invitation to the White House after he learned only some of players planned to attend.
President Trump’s antagonism with the NFL and its players has gone beyond the anthem and now appears to be in service of his own political agenda, said Frank Zaccanelli, the CEO of Fiamma Partners and former president and co-owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team.
"This is not defendable," Zaccanelli said in his own interview with Cheddar. "What he has done is he has created an incredible canyon between, not only the sports world, but people who are sensitized to his rhetoric that is divisive and offensive.”
Leslie isn't the only basketball star to speak out against Trump singling out football players. LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant expressed their dissatisfaction with Trump.
"I know regardless of who wins this series, no one wants an invite anyway," said James, whose Cleveland Cavaliers are down 3-0 to Curry and Durant's Golden State Warriors in the NBA finals.
Zaccanelli said if he still owned an NBA championship team, he would "probably not" accept an invitation to the White House under these circumstances.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/comedy-on-the-court).
Next-gen social sports platform Break the Love recently raised $2.5 million in seed funding. Break the Love's platform and iOS app allows users to discover and book group-based tennis activities, to either learn, train, or compete. The new company has already gotten support from a few big names in the world of tennis, including the coach of Naomi Osaka, as well as the United States Tennis Association and the brand Wilson. Break the Love founder and CEO Trisha Goyal joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman joined Cheddar's "Between Bells" to talk about his own brand of organic light beer called Eight (his jersey number with the Dallas Cowboys) and explained that he's had an interest in the industry since his days working for a distributor during college. "These brands that are on the market have been there for a long time and [I] felt that it was time for something fresh, something new, and I thought that we could do it in a way that was a better-for-you beer' and that's what we've done," he said. Aikman also provided some insight into the upcoming NFL playoffs and noted that he doesn't see a clear frontrunner for this year's Vince Lombardi trophy.
It is 'game on' for sports bettors in the state of New York, as mobile betting kicks off on four major betting operating platforms this Saturday. The state, with over 20 million residents, will be the most populous state with legal online sports betting. Max Bichsel, VP of US Business for EmpireStakes.com joins Cheddar News to discuss.
College athletes scored big in 2021 when they were finally allowed to begin earning money based off of their name, image, and likeness, known as NIL. But how can young athletes best manage their money so they can set themselves up for years of success? Nicole Pullen Ross, Head of Goldman Sachs Sports and Entertainment Solutions, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss why financial management for college athletes is important, common pitfalls they could run into, and more.
On Saturday, New York will join neighboring New Jersey and Connecticut in authorizing mobile sports betting. Matt Kalish, president and co-founder of Draftkings North America, joined Cheddar to talk about the landmark change that is estimated to rake in $500 million in annual tax revenue on a potential billion-dollar market. Kalish also addressed the possibility that legalized sports betting in the Empire State could cannibalize his company's revenues in the bordering states. "It's pretty inconvenient, you know, to go across the border to make a bet. And people were doing it, but I think it really stifled a lot of the opportunity," he said. "So while there's some of that going on, I think really a tremendous amount, like a giant percent, of New York will be very incremental."
Desmond Howard, former NFL wide receiver and Modelo college football playoff ambassador, joins Cheddar News to talk about the Modelo sweepstakes honoring the 30th anniversary of his iconic punt return.
The New York Times has acquired sports outlet The Athletic in a $550 million deal. The acquisition brings the Times closer to its 10 million paid subscribers goal by 2025.
Austin Mock, College Football betting contributor for The Athletic, explains his strategy for selecting a winner in the national title game between Georgia and Alabama.
Sponsored by BetMGM
Michael Jenkins gives his picks for the final week of the NFL regular season while Joe Osborne dishes out his insight for how to approach a week where some teams choose to sit out their star players. Meanwhile, Austin Mock explains his strategy for selecting a winner in the national title game between Georgia and Alabama.
Sponsored by BetMGM