Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell puts Donald Trump on blast

LAS VEAGS, NV - JULY 8: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz attends the game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Atlanta Hawks during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 8, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEAGS, NV - JULY 8: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz attends the game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Atlanta Hawks during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 8, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz took President  Donald Trump to task on Twitter for recent comments made about LeBron James.

If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. It’s a message we can all get behind, and one that Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell tried to relay with a tweet early Saturday morning.

So who was it that prompted the first-year phenom to take to Twitter with life lessons? None other than the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump.

On Friday, Trump stirred up controversy with a tweet of his own; a commentary on LA Lakers star LeBron James‘ interview with CNN’s Don Lemon, which was re-aired that night. During the CNN Monday sit-down, James — who has been critical of the President at times in the past — made reference to Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling protests, as well as Golden State Warriors’ front-man Stephen Curry‘s call not to visit the White House after his squad captured the NBA title.

Tweeted Trump —

"Lebron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon. He made Lebron look smart, which isn’t easy to do. I like Mike!"

Whether you’re down with the POTUS or not, those statements don’t really come off as respectful to anyone (except Michael Jordan, who Trump apparently backs in basketball’s GOAT debate). As for Mitchell, he wasn’t having any of it.

The pride of Utah instead took it upon himself to call the Donald out for being a bad example for kids —

https://twitter.com/spidadmitchell/status/1025719952739844098

Again, if you can’t say something nice…

This isn’t the first time a Jazzman has responded to comments made by the President. Most recently, big man Rudy Gobert had some words for Fox News contributor Tomi Lahren when she defended Trump’s reported use of derogatory verbiage to describe Haiti and African nations —

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Clearly, Jazz players aren’t afraid to speak out if they see or hear something they think is wrong.  Even if it comes from the President. Meanwhile, Mitchell continues to show awareness beyond his years. Just this week, he spontaneously helped out a fan in need of phone repairs.

Oh, and not that anyone asked me, but I’ll take LBJ over MJ and the Donald all day at this point.