Not content with cleaning the Cleveland Cavaliers locker room – literally, cleaning the Cleveland Cavaliers’ locker room – Cavs star LeBron James has taken issue with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s attempt to characterize his caught-by-mic comments about sexual assault as “locker room talk.”

[ | Mock Draft | The Vertical | Latest news]

[The 2016-17 BDL 25: The key storylines to watch this NBA season]

Trump, who prattled on in a 2005 videotape in a discussion with former Access Hollywood host Billy Bush about being lent license to grab women by their genitalia due to his “star” status, repeatedly sought to slough off those leaked comments during Sunday’s Presidential (!) debate as mere “locker room” fodder, typical of men like Trump and Bush – two ballers that you would totally choose first when picking sides for a team.

James, in speaking to reporters on Wednesday, wanted no part of that weak stuff:

LeBron on Donald Trump: "That's not locker room talk. That's trash talk." pic.twitter.com/3optkXraM3 — Hayden Grove (@H_Grove) October 12, 2016





For those that cannot play the video:





[Follow Dunks Don’t Lie on Tumblr: The best slams from all of basketball]

Once again, for the hopelessly daft, forever swayed by an orange man in a red hat:

Men and boys sometimes discuss all sorts of lewd things in private, in locker rooms, and using a word that starts with the letter ‘P’ to reference female genitalia isn’t an uncommon occurrence. Among friends, at least. Which Trump and the sniveling schlemiel known in the pancake world as “Billy Bush” most certainly are not.

It’s not typical, but it happens.

Discussing, bragging about and ultimately justifying sexual assault is not “locker room talk.” Any attempt to characterize the Republican nominee’s comments as such are only coming from those that are so insipidly partisan that their credibility will be shot to pieces long after what will stand out as a uproariously embarrassing 2016 turn from them.

Vote however you want in November, LeBron James is already on record regarding his decision in that realm. Don’t try, however, to de-criminalize Donald Trump’s statements as anything less than a defense of rape culture.

– – – – – – –

Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @KDonhoops