Los Angeles Lakers president Magic Johnson was proud about how NBA stars have handled their sentiments toward the recent wave of social injustice displayed in the last few months. From Stephen Curry openly stating his unwillingness to attend the White House next year after winning a second championship in three years, to LeBron James backing up his NBA Finals rival after President Donald Trump uninvited the team via Twitter before having formally extended an invite.

“I was really proud of them. I was very happy,” Johnson told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated during the Lakers’ Media Day on Monday. “I can’t say a lot because now people are saying, ‘Oh, Magic is trying to recruit everybody,’ but I am proud of them for standing for something.”

“We’ve all got to stand for something. They’ve also got to have each other’s back. After [the news broke] on Saturday, I tweeted out that I’m supporting Golden State and I’m supporting the players because it’s important that we have each other’s back.”

Donald Trump, Stephen Curry
Rich Pedroncelli/Evan Vucci/The Associated Press

While Curry opined that Trump pulling the invitation was a move he could see coming, James was infuriated that Trump would use sports as a way to divide athletes and their fans.

“I took it as a president, who first of all, is overstepping his stage,” the 58-year-old Johnson said. “Stay focused on North Korea, job creation, what this country needs. You can’t take away, whether it’s a player or an individual, freedom of speech.”

“And you have to be in touch with why everybody is protesting. He doesn’t understand that equality, diversity and inclusion is so important. And the fact that there are issues in urban America, which I’ve been dealing with for 30 years, that is going on in our schools, our community and our neighborhood.”

Magic Johnson
Ty Nowell/Lakers.com

“Why are you singling out the NBA and the NFL? For what? Stephen Curry can say if he wants to come to the White House or not. Nobody said anything when [New England Patriots quarterback] Tom Brady said he wasn’t going when President [Barack] Obama was sitting there. And now all the sudden Stephen Curry doesn’t want to go and he makes it a big deal? I think that’s wrong. And it’s the same thing with the NFL players who decide to kneel or sit on the bench. That’s their right. I was happy that the owners and coaches backed the players. So, it was really good.”

“Guys stepped up and said different things. This is a sensitive situation. Racism is back strong in our country, unfortunately. One thing that is great about sports is that it brings all colors of people together. You have to remember that guys are playing with different races of guys.”

Johnson has been a proponent of social justice for many years, so it comes at no surprise that he is choosing to back up the players and the NBPA on their response to Trump's comments. Coaches like Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich have been especially vocal about this issue, also taking the side of the players and denouncing Trump for his actions and words.