MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Miami Heat superstar LeBron James shut down the notion of a boycott before he hit the court for a winning Game 5 against the Nets.
"Don't need to worry about a boycott or anything of that nature because I believe they [the league and commissioner Adam Silver] are gonna do what's right," said James.
James said he's satisfied with the NBA and commissioner Adam Silver's action thus far against embattled Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
"At the end of the day, as players, we see what Silver is doing and he is moving forward and if he continues which we believe adam silver will do, continues to move aggressively on the situation then as players we have nothing to worry about."
The clarification comes after Roger Mason Jr., former Heat Player and current Vice President of the NBA Players Association, said Tuesday that LeBron won't play basketball if Donald Sterling still owns the Clippers by the beginning of next season.
Mason Jr. said the comment in an interview with Showtime's Jim Rome.
"I was in the locker room three, four days ago, LeBron and I talked about it, he ain't playing if Sterling is still an owner," Mason Jr. said.
One day later, however, Mason Jr. tweeted, apparently taking back some of his comments.
"My bad if I was not clear. LBJ never said anything about boycotting. He's a friend and I would never want to imply something he didn't say... The bottom line is that our commissioner,team owners,fans, players, and the world all agree that there is no place for racism in our league," Mason Jr. tweeted.
He also spoke to CNN's Anderson cooper Wednesday night saying:
"At no point did he [LeBron] specifically say he was going to boycott. I think he was being a leader in saying us as NBA players we are going to stand for what's right".
"Roger comes in here we speak about issues I believe that issue came up but as a team we never discussed it," LeBron told reporters before Game 5. "There's a more in depth conversation that would need to be discussed if that was brought up, can't just sit in here and ask 15 guys hey we gonna sit out for the season and everyone's gona be ok with it...well see what happens in the future."
Many athletes, including LeBron, have remained adamant that they want Sterling out ever since a racist recording surfaced—prompted by an Instagram photo showing Magic Johnson and Sterling's girlfriend V. Stiviano.
After the Sterling scandal broke, LeBron asked NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to take aggressive measures, saying "there is no room for Donald Sterling in our league."
On Sunday, LeBron said that NBA players believe nobody in Sterling's family should be able to own the Los Angeles Clippers if he's gone.
Sterling was banned for life from the NBA for life and will be forced to sell the Clippers if a majority of team owners vote him out.
Donald and his estranged wife Shelley have said they won't sell willingly.
If Sterling sues, it will likely mean a lengthy legal battle.
"Obviously we don't know what's gonna happen," said LebBron. "We know what we want to happen, but the legal system can be a pain so we'll see."
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LeBron James Talks Boycott Rumors Before Game 5 Win
/ CBS Miami
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Miami Heat superstar LeBron James shut down the notion of a boycott before he hit the court for a winning Game 5 against the Nets.
"Don't need to worry about a boycott or anything of that nature because I believe they [the league and commissioner Adam Silver] are gonna do what's right," said James.
James said he's satisfied with the NBA and commissioner Adam Silver's action thus far against embattled Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
"At the end of the day, as players, we see what Silver is doing and he is moving forward and if he continues which we believe adam silver will do, continues to move aggressively on the situation then as players we have nothing to worry about."
The clarification comes after Roger Mason Jr., former Heat Player and current Vice President of the NBA Players Association, said Tuesday that LeBron won't play basketball if Donald Sterling still owns the Clippers by the beginning of next season.
Mason Jr. said the comment in an interview with Showtime's Jim Rome.
"I was in the locker room three, four days ago, LeBron and I talked about it, he ain't playing if Sterling is still an owner," Mason Jr. said.
One day later, however, Mason Jr. tweeted, apparently taking back some of his comments.
"My bad if I was not clear. LBJ never said anything about boycotting. He's a friend and I would never want to imply something he didn't say... The bottom line is that our commissioner,team owners,fans, players, and the world all agree that there is no place for racism in our league," Mason Jr. tweeted.
He also spoke to CNN's Anderson cooper Wednesday night saying:
"At no point did he [LeBron] specifically say he was going to boycott. I think he was being a leader in saying us as NBA players we are going to stand for what's right".
"Roger comes in here we speak about issues I believe that issue came up but as a team we never discussed it," LeBron told reporters before Game 5. "There's a more in depth conversation that would need to be discussed if that was brought up, can't just sit in here and ask 15 guys hey we gonna sit out for the season and everyone's gona be ok with it...well see what happens in the future."
Many athletes, including LeBron, have remained adamant that they want Sterling out ever since a racist recording surfaced—prompted by an Instagram photo showing Magic Johnson and Sterling's girlfriend V. Stiviano.
After the Sterling scandal broke, LeBron asked NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to take aggressive measures, saying "there is no room for Donald Sterling in our league."
On Sunday, LeBron said that NBA players believe nobody in Sterling's family should be able to own the Los Angeles Clippers if he's gone.
Sterling was banned for life from the NBA for life and will be forced to sell the Clippers if a majority of team owners vote him out.
Donald and his estranged wife Shelley have said they won't sell willingly.
If Sterling sues, it will likely mean a lengthy legal battle.
"Obviously we don't know what's gonna happen," said LebBron. "We know what we want to happen, but the legal system can be a pain so we'll see."
RELATED CONTENT:
In:- LeBron James
- Miami Heat
- Adam Silver
- Donald Sterling
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