LeBron James on protests: 'My voice is more important than my knee'

LeBron James doesn't sound inclined to take a knee in protest during the national anthem, but he has plenty to say about the issues at stake.

In a wide-ranging discussion at Cavaliers media day Monday, James spoke several times about the controversy surrounding President Donald Trump's recent comments about athlete protests — without mentioning the president by name.

While he said he "wouldn't be surprised" if NBA players followed the lead of their NFL counterparts who have taken a knee during the anthem, he had this to say about his own plans:

"My voice and what I do in my community is more powerful than getting on a knee. … It's not about the disrespect of the flag and our military, it's about equality and the freedom to speak about things they feel are unjust."

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James also expressed dismay at Trump's use of players as political fodder, noting that sports brings people of all backgrounds together like nothing else.

"We're not going to let — I'm not going to let, while I have this platform — one individual, no matter the power, no matter the impact that he should have or she should have, ever use sport as a platform to divide us," James said.