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LeBron blasts Brees: You 'still don't understand why Kap was kneeling?'

Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James issued a strong rebuke of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees after the latter maintained Wednesday he still doesn't agree with NFL players kneeling during the national anthem, even as thousands of people protest police brutality and anti-black racism.

Brees was responding to a question from Yahoo Finance's Daniel Roberts, who asked how the passer would feel if players returned to the form of peaceful protest that former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick began in 2016.

Kaepernick famously took to one knee during the national anthem in protest of police brutality and racial inequality, the same causes behind the widespread protests ongoing in the U.S. in response to George Floyd's death in police custody on May 25.

During Kaepernick's silent protests, Brees said then that he agreed with the quarterback's reasoning but not his method, which he said was "disrespecting the flag."

Other current and former NBA players also criticized Brees for his stance Wednesday, including retired point guard Mo Williams, who won a title alongside James on the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers.

James' current Lakers teammate Jared Dudley called Brees' comments the "problem we are dealing with."

Former Orlando Magic guard Jameer Nelson also reproached the quarterback for his comments.

Brees' teammate, Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, appeared to call him out on Wednesday too, as did several other NFL players.

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