Photo Credit: Basketball Network
Former U.S. president Donald Trump has been at war with the NBA, while still being in office. Trump disliked the player protests during the National Anthem, and repeatedly blasted the league over its bad ratings, while saying it has become a “political organization”.
Even before that, the majority of NBA players have been outspoken critics of Trump, among them, reigning Finals MVP LeBron James, with whom he’s been feuding with ever since stepping into politics.
But there was a time when Donald Trump was a fan of the league, long before his presidency, he often was sitting courtside at games and once even broke up a fight between Jayson Williams and Kobe Bryant in his hotel.
Yes, you’ve read this correctly, Donald Trump stepped in to break up a fight between two athletes. Jeff Pearlman recalled this incredible story during an appearance on ‘The Ryen Russillo’ podcast.
“Jayson Williams is in the elevator in the Grand Hyatt, which Trump used to own. He was in the process of selling. He was nearly underselling. It’s Trump who’s just involved because he’s always these things. Trump, Jayson Williams, Charles Oakley and a very young Kobe Bryant.
And Jayson Williams, who obviously went on to some levels of infamy, said something to Kobe. I don’t remember the exact words, but it was like ‘what’s up Kobe?!’ And Kobe just gave him like.. ‘oh okay… hey…’ And Williams was just infuriated, because he was one of these old school guys… like Oakley actually, who believes in the code, you know like the code is supposed to treat someone with respect. He lunges after freaking Kobe Bryant and just punching Kobe right in the elevator. I’m not a Donald Trump fan, I guess in one of the few things that I would say Donald Trump deserves credit for, he actually broke up. Donald Trump of all things broke up a fight, or got in the middle of a fight of Kobe Bryant and Jayson Williams.”
