INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- The Cavaliers play the Golden State Warriors at 8 p.m. tonight on TNT, one of five nationally televised games on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

By Joe Vardon, cleveland.com

LeBron James, who has used his athletic fame as a vehicle to advocate for social justice and equality, and also to accuse President Donald Trump of dividing the country, reflected on King and civil rights and playing on this national holiday Monday morning.

Below is a partial transcript of James’ comments.

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On playing on MLK Jr. Day

“I think it’s unbelievable what the NBA has done. To be able to have this many games, a lot of great games today, on such a great day. For a man who stood for more than himself. You always hear people saying, ‘risking their life.’ He (King) actually gave up his life for the betterment of all of us to be able to live in a free world and for us to be able to have a voice, for us to go out and be free no matter your skin color, no matter who you are, no matter the height and size and the weight or whatever the case may be, wherever you are, he had a vision and he took a bullet for all of us. Literally. In the rawest form that you could say that. He literally took a bullet for us.”

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On Trump

“And for us to stand here even though we’re trying to be dividing right now by somebody, today is a great day for people to realize how America was built and how we all have to stand united in order to be at one. Especially as Americans because we believe, we all know and we all believe, this is the greatest country in the world.”

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More Trump

“Like I said before, we are in a difficult state right now as Americans as well with the leader of our country. But us, like I said, no matter the religion, no matter the shapes and sizes, we all have to continue to come together and shine a brighter light on, you know, I mean, (I don’t want to) use the word stupidity, but that’s basically what it comes down to.”

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Still Trump

“The guy in control has given people and racism, and negative racism, an opportunity to be out and outspoken without fear. And that’s the fearful thing for us because it’s with you, and it’s around every day, but he’s allowed people to come out and just feel confident about doing negative things. Like I said, we can’t allow that to stop us from continuing to be together and preach the right word of livin’ and lovin’ and laughin’ and things of that nature. Because would we want to live anywhere else? I don’t think so. We love this place.”

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On what MLK would think of James' activism

“Well I hope I could make him proud or made him proud. Just taking what he was able to give to us and give us that type of empowerment, give us that type of strength to be able to go out and talk about things that really matter. Be able to live for something that’s more than you as an individual. So hopefully I would be one of those guys that made him proud. Hopefully I’m, making him proud still with him looking down on us.”

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On James' previous visit to the Lorraine Motel, where King was shot and killed

“It was a very eerie and powerful impact. To be able to be there at that hotel, at that site, where he was assassinated was a very eerie feeling and a very powerful feeling at the same time to be able to grace a part of the movement, be a part of the movement. You kind of felt that, so. I’m looking forward to the opportunity where i can take my kids there and they can completely understand what they’re actually witnessing.