LeBron James does not stay at Trump SoHo hotel with Cavaliers teammates
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James against Toronto Raptors in Toronto on Monday, Dec. 5, 2016. Credit: AP / Chris Young
For the first time in 14 years, LeBron James didn’t stay with his team on a road trip.
James on Wednesday morning confirmed that he did not spend the night at the Cleveland Cavaliers’ team hotel in New York – the Trump SoHo – though others on the Cavaliers, including coach Tyronn Lue, did.
Cavs general manager David Griffin earlier told Cleveland.com that as many as half the players were expected to opt for the second hotel and that players who did not want to stay at the Trump-branded location were excused from doing so. The 46-story Trump SoHo is managed by Donald Trump’s company but not owned by it.
“I’m not trying to make a statement,” said James, who supported Hillary Clinton during her campaign. “It’s just my personal preference. At the end of the day, I hope he’s one of the best presidents ever, for all of our sakes – my family, for all of us. It’s just my personal preference. It would be the same if I went to a restaurant and decided to eat chicken or not steak.”
James said he took the team bus to Madison Square Garden “as I’ve done 14 straight years – with my teammates, coaching staff and everybody else that travels with us.”
He declined to offer any further comment on the matter.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
