Jay Z took a dig at
New York Knicks president Phil Jackson during his speech to introduce
LeBron James as Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the Year on Monday night.
Jay Z referenced the term "posse," which Jackson previously used to describe James' business associates. James and business partner Maverick Carter were upset over Jackson's use of the term.
Jay Z described James as
"the son who honors and worships his mother, Gloria. The friend who put his posse in position." The crowd laughed when the rapper referenced the term.
"We know where we come from. We do understand where we come from," Jay Z added.
"The only difference between us and someone who has their MBA from Wharton or Sloan or Berkeley or Stanford is opportunity. LeBron James has provided his friends with that opportunity, and we've witnessed their development. And if we're to look up at the scoreboard, very few businessmen are better than Maverick Carter, Rich Paul, Randy Mims and all the rest of the posse behind the scenes that make it look like they're just hanging out."