NBA superstar LeBron James accused Donald Trump of using sports to divide Americans amid the opening of his new public school in Ohio.

The basketball legend addressed a few objectives for his I Promise School (IPS) in Akron, when he noted the importance of athletics and his concern that the US president had used sports to produce tensions.

“This race thing has taken over, one, because I believe our president is kind of trying to divide us,” James told CNN's Don Lemon. “He is dividing us, and what I noticed over the last few months is that that he’s kind of used sport to divide us and that’s something that I can’t relate to.”

Mr James said his participation in sports as a youth had enabled him to fraternise with white people for the first time.

The Los Angeles Laker later addressed Mr Trump’s responses to NFL protests led by former San Francisco 49er player Colin Kaepernick who silently kneeled during the national anthem to object against police brutality and other forms of racial discrimination in the US.

After his protest was followed by some of his fellow players, Mr Trump labelled them “sons of b**ches.”

James said: “Sports has never been something that divides people, it’s always been something that brings someone together."

Asked about the time Mr Trump withdrew Stephen Curry's invitation to the White House after he had already publicly said he was not interested in going – the basketball star said he took issue with the president’s attacks on a man he considers a “model citizen.”

“There’s no reason for anyone to ever attack him,” he said.

Mr James, through The LeBron James Family Foundation, has partnered with Akron Public Schools in his hometown in Ohio to open IPS for at-risk youth. It will initially open its doors to third and fourth grades students (typically 8 through 10 years old), and eventually expand to first to eighth grade students (up to about 14 years old) by 2022, its website states.

The I Promise School has identified students who are in need of academic intervention, who are at-risk in reading and who could potentially fall further behind than their peers.

“IPS will be for the students in Akron growing up like LeBron did,” the school’s website states. “It will work to create a supportive and safe environment that provides infrastructure and stability so that learning can be the focus.”

American sportspeople kneel in protest Show all 14 1 /14 American sportspeople kneel in protest American sportspeople kneel in protest Terrance Smith #48, Eric Fisher #72, Demetrius Harris #84, and Cameron Erving #75 of the Kansas City Chiefs is seen taking a knee before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at the StubHub Center on 24 September, 2017 in Carson, California Sean M. Haffey/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Members of the Dallas Cowboys link arms and kneel during the National Anthem before the start of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on 25 September, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona Christian Petersen/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Bruce Maxwell of the Oakland Athletics kneels as teammate Mark Canha #20 places his hand on Maxwell's shoulder during the singing of the National Anthem before their MLB American League baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California on 25 September 2017 Reuters/Stephen Lam American sportspeople kneel in protest Members of the Oakland Unified School District Honor Band kneel as they perform the national anthem before a MLB American League baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California on 25 September, 2017 Reuters/Stephen Lam American sportspeople kneel in protest Samaje Perine #32 and Chris Carter #55 of the Washington Redskins hold hands as they stand and kneel in unison during the national anthem before playing against the Oakland Raiders at FedExField on 24 September, 2017 in Landover, Maryland Patrick Smith/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Meghan Linsey, a former contestant on "The Voice," kneels after singing the national anthem before the start of the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee on 24 September, 2017 Ryan Hermens/The Paducah Sun via AP American sportspeople kneel in protest The Los Angeles Chargers are seen during national anthem before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at the StubHub Center on 24 September, 2017 in Carson, California Jeff Gross/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Nick Kyrgios of Team World joined NFL stars from Wembley by dropping his knee before his Laver Cup match with Roger Federer today during his mens singles match against Roger Federer of Team Europe on the final day of the Laver cup on 24 September, 2017 in Prague, Czech Republic Julian Finney/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Laremy Tunsil #67, Maurice Smith #27 and Julius Thomas #89 kneel with Jarvis Landry #14 of the Miami Dolphins during the National Anthem prior to an NFL game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on 24 September, 2017 in East Rutherford, New Jersey Steven Ryan/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receivers Mike Evans #13, and DeSean Jackson #11, take a knee during the national anthem before the game against the Minnesota Vikings on 24 September, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota Hannah Foslien/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Denver Broncos players kneel during the American National Anthem before an NFL game against the Buffalo Bills on 24 September, 2017 at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York Brett Carlsen/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Buffalo Bills players kneel during the American National anthem before an NFL game against the Denver Broncos on 24 September, 2017 at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York Brett Carlsen/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Colin Kaepernick #7 and Eric Reid #35 of the San Francisco 49ers kneel in protest during the national anthem prior to playing the Los Angeles Rams in their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on September 12, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. The kneel began as a protest against police killing people of colour Thearon W. Henderson/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Megan Rapinoe #15 kneels during the National Anthem prior to the match between the United States and the Netherlands at Georgia Dome on 18 September, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia Kevin C. Cox/Getty

Students at IPS will receive breakfast, lunch and a snack each day. The school’s “we are family” approach aims to support students’ families as well.