Los Angeles has never been far from the political spotlight. But a recent comment from President Donald Trump put the city in a very different conversation. It immediately caught the attention of a former Warriors champion with deep ties to Southern California.
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Nick Young has always had a way of turning uncomfortable moments into jokes. But his latest post carried a different edge. The former NBA champion and Los Angeles native reacted to President Donald Trump’s recent comments about the city. His tweet included a sarcastic question that also revealed genuine concern.
“Can I sue I’m really kinda scared after what trump said about LA”
Young’s post came after Trump suggested that Iran could potentially “take out” a major American city while speaking to supporters at a rally in Nebraska. For the former Warriors star, the remarks hit closer to home than they might for most people. He grew up in Los Angeles and has spent much of his life connected to the city.
Trump was discussing the potential cost of protecting the United States as tensions surrounding Iran continued to dominate his remarks.
“It’s a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, for keeping our country safe,” Trump said. “They could take out a city. Let ’em take out Los Angeles, let ’em take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay, and it’s going to be over with very soon.”
Apart from the former Warriors star, other California officials also shared their criticism.
Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized Trump’s remarks, while Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also pushed back. San Diego officials rejected the suggestion that their city could simply be treated as an acceptable loss in a discussion about war. The White House offered a different explanation.
Trump’s comments, officials said, were being taken out of context. His remarks were tied to the potential threat posed by Iran and the consequences of a larger conflict. They further clarified that the statement did not mean that the administration wanted either of the California cities attacked.
Now, Young did not enter that political argument. He posted his reaction. with Swaggy P’s trademark sarcasm. Still, there was an obvious reason for the concern. The 41-year-old was born in the city and built his basketball identity there.
He attended Cleveland High School before playing at USC. The Lakers later selected him in 2007, and he eventually became one of the more recognizable personalities associated with the franchise. He also won a championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2018.
His connection to Los Angeles has remained part of his public identity even after his playing career. That makes the POTUS’s comment particularly personal. It also brings back another moment when Young used Trump as the subject of a joke.
The former Lakers guard once produced one of the NBA’s most memorable premature celebrations. During a game against the New York Knicks, Young released a three-point attempt and immediately turned away from the basket. He thought the shot was going in. It missed. The moment became an instant meme.
Young’s confident walk away made the miss even funnier. Then came the 2020 presidential election. On November 7, major news organizations projected Joe Biden as the winner of the election. So the former Warriors star pulled out his famous celebration photo and edited Trump’s face onto his own.
Young was comparing his premature celebration on the court with the political reaction surrounding the election results. His latest post is different. Just one sentence about a city that means something to him.
A comment about Los Angeles had reached someone who spent years calling the city home. And Young made it clear that, at least for him, it was concerning about hearing the statement described as a possible casualty.