Lakers star LeBron James has suggested that the media "buried" the story of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones standing among a group of white students trying to block Black students from desegregating his Arkansas high school in September 1957.
James, speaking with reporters after the Lakers' win over the Trail Blazers on Wednesday night, said he was "disappointed" that he hadn't been asked about the Jones photo given that he was questioned about the recent controversy over former teammate Kyrie Irving promoting an anti-Semitic documentary on social media.
"I got one question for you guys before you guys leave. I was thinking when I was on my way over here, I was wondering why I haven't gotten a question from you guys about the Jerry Jones photo," James said, according to ESPN.com. "But when the Kyrie thing was going on, you guys were quick to ask us questions about that."
Last week, the Washington Post published the photo of a 14-year-old Jones standing near the back of white students on the steps of North Little Rock High School, as part of a story examining Jones' record on racial equality in the NFL. The story, titled "Jerry Jones helped transform the NFL, except when it comes to race," noted that Jones has never hired a Black head coach for the Cowboys, and only two Black coordinators.
Jones has been questioned multiple times about the photo, telling reporters last week he was at that school entrance as "a curious kid."
“That was, gosh, 65 years ago, and [I was a] curious kid,” Jones said. “I didn’t know at the time the monumental event really that was going on. And I’m sure glad that we’re a long way from that.”
Jones also addressed the photo during his visit with 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday.
"I think the key thing for me is it's a misread if you think I don't recognize how monumental those days were. I think those were years before Martin Luther King even. And [I] respect the people that were involved that were [trying to] change things. I have a lot of respect for that."
The story was picked up but many national outlets, but James apparently thinks it wasn't enough.
"But it seems like to me that the whole Jerry Jones situation, photo -- and I know it was years and years ago and we all make mistakes, I get it -- but it seems like it's just been buried under, like, 'Oh, it happened. OK, we just move on.' And I was just kind of disappointed that I haven't received that question from you guys."
James famously grew up a Cowboys fan, but he recently indicated that was no longer the case, in part because of the Cowboys' hardline stance against players kneeling during the playing of the national anthem several years ago.
As for Irving, James condemned the controversial social media post, but he also said that the Nets' suspension of his former Cavaliers teammate was "excessive." Irving was inactive for eight games after what was initially announced as a suspension of at least five games.
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