LeBron James: 'I stand with Nike'

NEW YORK (AP):

Clutching his young daughter in his arms, LeBron James said that he stands with Nike, a clear reference to the company's Colin Kaepernick ad campaign.

The basketball superstar and new Los Angeles Laker made the remarks as he received an award on Tuesday for both his style and his philanthropy from Harlem's Fashion Row.

The fashion collective partnered with Nike for the New York event, both a fashion show and an awards ceremony that focused on diversity in the fashion world. The evening culminated in the reveal of the latest LeBron James Nike basketball shoe: a women's sneaker designed by three female African-American designers and inspired by strong African-American women.

In emotional remarks, James paid tribute to the three women in his life : his mother, wife, and three-year-old daughter, Zhuri.

He noted how his mother had raised him alone and given him "a sense of pride, a sense of strength, a sense of no worry".

"Because of you, Gloria James, I'm able to be in a position today where I can give back and showcase why I believe African-American women are the most powerful women in the world."

The NBA star, who was wearing one of his favoured shrunken-fit shorts suits by designer Thom Browne, called his daughter "my rock".

"People always told me if you ever have a girl, she'll change you," said James, who also has two sons. "I was, like, nobody's changing me, I'm a man." But she did, he said.

"Not only did she change me, she's made me a better person," James said. "A more dedicated person, a stronger person, I guess a more sensitive person."

Closing his remarks, he said that he stood "for anybody who believes in change". He added: "I stand with Nike, all day, every day."

Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, unveiled his first ad of the new campaign on Monday. "Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything," it said.

Vigourous debate

The new endorsement deal has sparked vigorous debate, with some fans expressing displeasure over the apparel giant's support of a player known for starting a wave of protests among NFL players against police brutality, racial inequality, and other social issues.

Some angry fans were even burning and cutting out the signature swoosh logos on their gear and posting the results on social media.