On New Year’s Eve Kanye West released his new song “Facts”; it wasn’t very good but the lyrics did raise a lot of eyebrows.  In essence it was practically a Nike diss track.  As you know, Nike gave LeBron James a lifetime deal.  West mentioned it in the song and LeBron was asked his thoughts on the matter.

The song includes the lyrics, “Nike, Nike treat employees just like slaves // Gave LeBron a billi’ not to run away.”

James inked a lifetime deal with Nike in December, estimated to be worth well north of $600 million and possibly as much as the $1 billion figure that West referenced.

“I haven’t really listened to it,” James said after the Cleveland Cavaliers held shootaround on Monday morning. “I heard about it but I haven’t listened to it. Obviously I’m going to side with Nike no matter who it is. It’s just, it’s family when you talk about Nike, and I’m always on their side no matter what the situation is, so. We don’t look upon nobody on our side, we just try to put the best athletes that we can out on the floor every night.”

Then James went on to quote Nike’s co-founder and chairman, Phil Knight, in expressing the company’s mission to celebrate sports and those who play them as a not-so-subtle dig as to why it would have ended its relationship with West in the past.

“Phil Knight’s greatest saying is ‘Always listen to the heart of the athlete, listen to the words of the athlete,’” James said. “And that’s all it’s about, nothing else.”

Shay Marie: Twitter || Instagram

source: ESPN