Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Sixers' Jerryd Bayless criticizes Trump for anthem comments

"I think what he's done is self-explanatory," the backup guard says.

Jerryd Bayless, speaking with the media back in April.
Jerryd Bayless, speaking with the media back in April.Read moreJESSICA GRIFFIN / Staff Photographer

Jerryd Bayless is outspoken when it comes to social issues. So as expected, the Sixers reserve combo weighed in Monday on President Trump's sharp criticism of athletes who have staged silent protests during the national anthem.

"I think what he's done in dividing us and his narrow-minded views is obviously not a good thing for the country," Bayless said during the team's media day. "I think we've all known and we've seen his comments from immigration to climate change to his bias from sons of bitches to fine people being part of a rally."

During a speech last week in Alabama, Trump suggested that a team owner respond to a player's protesting during the anthem by getting "that son of a bitch off the field." Back in August, Trump was criticized for saying a white nationalist group that protested in Charlottesville, Va., included "some very fine people."

"I think what he's done is self-explanatory," Bayless said. "But now, we kind of see how we are all going to come about this and how we are going to move forward."

Bayless says protests are great, "but now it's time to figure out as a whole — black, white, Mexican, Asian, whatever — how are we going to move forward? How are we going to come together so we can make him feel like whatever he is doing is wrong? … It's disappointing, but hopefully from this everybody will be able to move forward and figure out a way to make him go in a different direction."