The NBA and the national anthem have been embroiled in controversy for the better part of the last decade. In 2020, NBA players knelt during the anthem at the height of the BLM protests and riots.
In 2025, fans now claim LeBron James practiced his golf swing during the Star-Spangled Banner.
Before Sunday’s game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings, James was caught on camera swinging his hips and arms as the anthem played in the background.
Sports commentator Craig Carton and other fans felt James was practicing his golf swing during the anthem. Carton called out James’ behavior during Monday’s episode of The Craig Carton Show.
“If you wanna disregard your coach, and disregard your teammates … do it on your own time. Don’t do it during my national anthem,” Carton said.
LEBRON DISRESPECTED THE NATIONAL ANTHEM!
“If you wanna disregard your coach, teammates, do it on your own time… he disrespects the national anthem… that’s a good time to work on my golf swing? While the anthem is being played?” — @craigcartonlive #NBA #Lakers #LeBronJames pic.twitter.com/sMZ66TITDA
— The Craig Carton Show (@CraigCartonShow) December 29, 2025
Clearly, Carton was not happy with James not paying attention to the Star-Spangled Banner.
“Your guy, the self-appointed king, decides that’s a good time for me to work on my golf swing and disrespect the men and women of the military who gave their lives for this country. Let me get a couple air swings in while the anthem is being played because I don’t play good basketball anymore, I got to work on my golf game,” Carton said.
Sunday may have been the first time James’ golf game crossed over with the anthem, but the 41-year-old has made headlines this season for his head seemingly being on the fairway instead of the basketball court.
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During a timeout in October, James was seen getting golf tips from a teammate instead of listening to what was happening inside the huddle.
Earlier in December, he was practicing his golf swing during the Lakers game against the Phoenix Suns.
Those incidents were head scratchers, but Sunday’s antics had pushback.
It adds to the longstanding rocky road between sports and the national anthem.
In 2016, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first kneeled for the anthem in protest. James supported Kaepernick’s actions for years, even kneeling multiple times during the anthem himself.
During Sunday’s game, it didn’t appear that James was protesting the anthem. Instead, the 23-year NBA veteran simply wasn’t standing at attention like most everyone else in the arena.
Appearing to work on a golf swing at any point during an NBA game is a concern for Lakers fans. Lakers coach JJ Redick said in a recent interview that his team simply doesn’t care enough. James’ close friend, Dwayne Wade, said his former teammate isn’t too concerned about his coach’s comments.
“LeBron is on his golf simulator right now,” Wade said.
It’s clear that James, like many Americans, loves golf. Maybe the backlash from Sunday’s swinging is enough for the NBA legend to rethink what he does during the two minutes it takes to honor the United States.