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LeBron seeks answers after Trump win, finds hope in Kendrick Lamar

LeBron James, center, accompanied by Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player J. R. Smith, left, his daughter Demi, bottom left, and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, right, speaks at a rally at the Cleveland Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
LeBron James, center, accompanied by Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player J. R. Smith, left, his daughter Demi, bottom left, and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, right, speaks at a rally at the Cleveland Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

LeBron James endorsed the presidential candidacy of Hillary Clinton, whom he said he believed would “build on the legacy of my good friend, President Barack Obama,” whom he praised as “a champion for children and their futures,” and whom he lauded for “running on the message of hope and unity that we need.” The Cleveland Cavaliers superstar and teammate J.R. Smith stumped for the Democratic nominee at a campaign rally in Ohio over the weekend.

The global icon and Northeast Ohio celebrity’s support wasn’t enough to tilt the swing state in Clinton’s direction, though, as Republican nominee Donald Trump carried the state on his way to flouting pundits’ projections in a stunning victory that will make the real-estate magnate and reality-TV star the 45th president of the United States.

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The election’s outcome elicited a wide array of reactions in the sports world as it unfolded on Tuesday night and as people continued to adjust to the new reality on Wednesday morning. Smith, for example, expressed discomfort at the prospect of explaining the result to his daughter: “How do you say ‘go try your best’ even though it won’t be good enough[?] How do I even feel confident sending her on play dates knowing the kids family voted for the racist, sexist person [and] I don’t know how they will treat her when she’s gone. How? Seriously How?”

James, for his part, worked the other side of the street, weighing in with a brief and positive message on Instagram soundtracked by a snippet of rapper Kendrick Lamar’s anthemic “Alright,” the 2016 Grammy Award winner for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance. (NOTE: There’s some NSFW language in the song, so be careful before pressing play.)

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James’ caption:

As I woke up today looking and searching for answers on what has happened this song hit it right on the head! If we continue the faith(as hard as it may be to do so) we will BE ALRIGHT!!

Parents and leaders of our children please let them know they can still change the world for the better! Don’t lose a bit of faith! They’re our future and we must remain stronger than ever!!

Yes we all wanna lace up the boots, put on the hard hats and strike but that’s not the answer. Love, genuine LOVE and FAITH will be the only thing that can get us through this.

Minorities and Women in all please know that this isn’t the end, it’s just a very challenging obstacle that we will overcome!! The man above will never put something in our paths that we can handle no matter how difficult it may feel/be! To all the youth out there I PROMISE I’ll continue to lead u guys every single day without no hesitation!! Time to educate and even more mold my children into being the greatest model citizens they can become in life! They will continue the legacy beyond life!

Lastly, Even if whos now in office doesn’t, Know that I LOVE YOU’LL!!!

James and the Cavaliers will visit the White House on Thursday to meet with President Obama and celebrate their victory in the 2016 NBA Finals. So, too, will Trump, whom Obama invited to the White House after Tuesday’s victory for a tour and a briefing.

Given the forthcoming shift in leadership, the atmosphere might be a bit stranger than it’s been for past champions’ visits.

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Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at devine@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!

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