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).
Jill is joined by Baker Machado to talk all things infrastructure: where will the money go and who’s in charge? Plus, Sesame Street has its first Asian-American muppet. And a trailer for the trailer for Spiderman. Huh?
All-Pro Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley joins Cheddar News to discuss launching The Ronnie Stanley Foundation, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for rescue dogs, provide training that cultivates therapeutic properties, and match each rescue with an individual who has faced a challenge in life such as a chronic illness or emotional trauma.
Jill and Carlo cover the latest with the infrastructure bill, the growing state rebellion over boosters, Trump's dereliction of duty on the pandemic, Taylor Swift's reign of cultural domination and more.
Earlier this week, New York's gaming commission approved nine mobile sports platforms to operate in the market, but each respective sportsbooks' revenue will be taxed at 51%, tied for the steepest rate in the country. Eben Novy-Williams, sports business reporter for Sportico, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell where he breaks down the challenge sportsbooks face to be profitable in the region.
One NFL team says it is using data to help it win off the field. The Seattle Seahawks say they want to be a source of inspiration for other organizations that want to reap the rewards of a data-driven culture and aim to show the unlikely role data can play in professional sports operations. Seattle Seahawks Director of Business Strategy and Analytics Paimon Jaberi joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Mark Drumheller, Betting Analyst for the Sharp App, tells viewers who to back in a pair of key college football matchups and shares who to put your Heisman bets in for before it's too late.
Sponsored by BetMGM
Martin Weiss, Extra Points Podcast Network Host and Gambling Personality, provides his betting insight on what to expect for the remainder of the NFL season and doles out some NFL Mid-Season Awards.
Sponsored by BetMGM
BetMGM host Olivia Harlan Dekker joins Cheddar Bets to break down a week with massive implications for the AFC Playoff picture. Plus: the debut of Olivia's Weekend Portfolio.
Sponsored by BetMGM
A jam-packed Freitag pod with Carlo and Baker: new Covid hotspots, Kyle Rittenhouse trial, Belarus making trouble for Europe, red-hot housing market, and how to manage a PR crisis the right way.
