Perhaps chief among them, though, was San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.

Popovich also has nothing but praise for LeBron.

As for the protests, though, even though the Women's March on Cleveland was going on all around them while his San Antonio Spurs warmed up for the game later in the day, Gregg Popovich said he was happy to see the huge turnout for the marches all over the United States. And what really bothers me are the people around him: the Sean Spicers, the Kellyanne Conways, the Reince Priebuses that know who he is and actually have the cynical approach and disingenuous attitude to really defend him and try to make it look like he didn't say what he said. "He's just a great mastermind of the game of basketball".

After being kept to a reserve role in the 2004 Athens Olympic bronze medal disappointment, James sparked gold medal efforts in Beijing and London.

Included in their past history have been three NBA Finals. He was a key member of the American teams that captured gold in Beijing (2008) and (2012), performances that helped him and the US squad erase some of the disappointment from taking bronze in Athens (2004).

Not since the USA squad won the first seven Olympic gold medals has a men's basketball team captured four gold medals in a row.

For James, the pick was ideal. "It was in good hands with Coach K. It's nearly like 'The Godfather.' We hand it off to Michael Corleone now".

Gregg Popovich went on to call out some of the television personalities who have been defending Donald Trump - those who have been accused of trying to cover up and deny numerous offensive things that the president has said and done. I've said that over and over and over.

"You have to be sharp, mentally and physically, when you go against his ballclub. If you were an National Football League player, it's probably the same as going against a [Bill] Belichick team", James continued.

"'We went to Hawaii, checked his birth certificate and my investigators couldn't believe what they found, '" Popovich said, describing the birther movement Trump clung to, which threatened to discredit the legitimacy of Barack Obama.

Popovich joked that James said nice things about him because he owed the coach money.

"I think he's the greatest coach of all time", James told ESPN. He admires the way the 67-year-old coach has adjusted and adapted over the years.

"To do what he's done in an era of basketball where its changed so much and have a growth mindset and change with the game... he's continued to build around Timmy, Manu and Tony and bring pieces in and out throughout his whole tenure." he said.