LeBron James and his business partner Maverick Carter lashed out at Phil Jackson
Channel: Flash videos
Date: 2016-11-15

LeBron James and his agent, business partner, and friend Maverick Carter took issue with New York Knicks President Phil Jackson referring to James' group of friends and business partners as his "posse."

In an interview with ESPN's Jackie MacMullan, Jackson answered a question about James' decision to leave the Miami Heat in 2014.

Among other things, Jackson said James likes "special treatment" and "needs things his way." While discussing one of Miami's trips to Cleveland, Jackson criticized James for trying to alter the Heat's travel plans "because you and your mom and your posse want to spend an extra night in Cleveland."

On Tuesday, James responded forcefully to the comments, saying he lost respect for Jackson, noting the two don't have a prior relationship. He also said Jackson's comments hurt because he's developed successful businesses off the court and put friends in positions of power. Via ESPN:

"It just sucks that now at this point having one of the biggest businesses you can have both on and off the floor, having a certified agent in Rich Paul, having a certified business partner in Maverick Carter, that's done so many great business [deals], that the title for young African-Americans is the word 'posse.'"

James added, "For me, we see the success that we have, but then there is always someone that lets you know still how far we still have to go as African-Americans."

James said he doubts that Jackson would have used that comment if he was referring to another group of people.

"I don't believe that Phil Jackson would have used that term if he was doing business with someone else and working with another team. Or if he was working with anybody in sports that was owning a team that wasn't African-American and had a group of guys around [him and] didn't agree with what they did, I don't think he would have called them a posse. But it just shows how far we have to go."

Carter also responded, telling ESPN's Dave McMenamin that he took issue with Jackson's use of the word "posse."

"It's the word 'posse' and the characterization I take offense to. If he would have said LeBron and his agent, LeBron and his business partners or LeBron and his friends, that's one thing. Yet because you're young and black, he can use that word. We're grown men."

Carter also took to Twitter to reinforce his point:



New York Knicks president Phil Jackson's labeling of LeBron James' business associates as the three-time NBA champion's "posse" touched a nerve with James' camp on Monday.

"I don't care that he talks about LeBron," Maverick Carter told ESPN.com. "He could say he's not that good or the greatest in the world as a basketball player. I wouldn't care. It's the word 'posse' and the characterization I take offense to. If he would have said LeBron and his agent, LeBron and his business partners or LeBron and his friends, that's one thing. Yet because you're young and black, he can use that word. We're grown men."

Carter, a high school teammate of James', has been involved in James' business ventures for more than a decade. He comprises one part of LRMR, the management company founded by James, Carter, Rich Paul and Randy Mims in 2006 that guides the Cleveland Cavaliers superstar's career on and off the court.

EDITOR'S PICKS

Phil Jackson Q&A: On LeBron, the Lakers and the triangle
Phil Jackson discusses an L.A. return, his relationship with Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James' departure from Miami. Oh, and the state of the New York Knicks.
Jackson, in an ESPN.com interview with Jackie MacMullan, made the statement while revisiting James' departure from the Miami Heat in the summer of 2014 and what it meant for the tenure of Heat president Pat Riley.

"It had to hurt when they lost LeBron," Jackson said. "That was definitely a slap in the face. But there were a lot of little things that came out of that. When LeBron was playing with the Heat, they went to Cleveland, and he wanted to spend the night. They don't do overnights. Teams just don't. So now [coach Erik] Spoelstra has to text Riley and say, 'What do I do in this situation?' And Pat, who has iron-fist rules, answers, 'You are on the plane. You are with this team.' You can't hold up the whole team because you and your mom and your posse want to spend an extra night in Cleveland.

"I always thought Pat had this really nice vibe with his guys. But something happened there where it broke down. I do know LeBron likes special treatment. He needs things his way."

Carter, citing the recent debate around coded language, said he felt obligated to respond to Jackson's comment. He also tweeted his dismay with the article: