LeBron James calls out media double standard over 1957 Jerry Jones photo, Kyrie Irving
Following Wednesday night's Los Angeles Lakers game against the Portland Trail Blazers, LeBron James took the media to task over failing to ask his opinion about a photo tying Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to anti-segregation protests in the 1950s.
James called out what he perceived as a double standard among the media. Citing the multitude of questions he received about Kyrie Irving as evidence, James asked the media to "keep the same energy" when discussing other issues pertaining to Black people in America.
"I want to keep the same energy when we're talking about my people and the things we've been through," James said. "And, that Jerry Jones photo is one of those moments that our people, Black people, have been through in America."
James said he wanted to use his "platform" to expose important issues like these while further clarifying why he was so disappointed not to be asked about the Jones photo.
"When we do something wrong, or something that people don't agree with, it's on every single tabloid, every single new coverage," James said. "It's on the bottom ticker. It's asked about every single day.
"But it seems like to me that the whole Jerry Jones situation, photo — and I know it was years and years ago, and we all make mistakes, I get it — but it seems like it's just been buried under, like, oh, it happened, OK we just move on. And I was just kind of disappointed that I haven't received that question from you guys."
Last week, the Washington Post released a photo from 1957 showing a group of white students, including a 14-year-old Jones, confronting Black students as they were entering North Little Rock High School.
Jones downplayed his involvement to reporters after the photo surfaced.
"That was 65 years ago," Jones said. "I had no idea when I walked up there what I was doing, just a reminder to me how to improve and do things the right way."
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