Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James saw similarities between the All-Star picks of NBA players and the election of Donald Trump as president, suggesting "goofy votes" were prevalent in both processes.
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James was an open supporter of Democratic nominee Hilary Clinton during the presidential campaign, introducing her at a rally in Cleveland in November.
He aimed a jibe at new commander-in-chief Trump on Friday, responding to a comment from a reporter that there had been "goofy votes" in the All-Star process by joking: "There's always goofy votes. I mean, Donald Trump is our president."
This was the first year players had been given the chance to play a role in choosing who started the All-Star game, with their ballots accounting for 25 per cent of the total.
Of the 324 players who took part, 126 did not select James. There were also a large number of individuals with just one pick, leading to suggestions that some voted for themselves.
The Cavaliers forward still secured a starting spot for the Eastern Conference, though, and he is looking forward to the occasion.
James said: "For me personally it's an honour to represent this franchise. I'm doing something right so I just want to continue doing that.
"I don't take it for granted. I don't know how much I am going to play, I don't know exactly what I'm going to do but I won't disrespect the game."