Jalen Rose to Trump: Stop Attacking Jemele Hill ... 'She's Family'

10/10/2017 12:04 PM PDT

ESPN's Jalen Rose to Trump: Stop Attacking Jemele Hill, 'She's Family'

EXCLUSIVE

ESPN host Jalen Rose tells TMZ Sports he wishes Donald Trump would stop going after his colleague Jemele Hill ... and focus on the "bigger issues" in our country. 

The former NBA star is one of the more prominent figures on the network -- so with Trump tweeting about his co-worker, we asked for his thoughts. 

"I just wish the President would focus on the larger issues we have to deal with in our country ... straight up, real talk ... as a tax paying citizen."

He added, "Jemele is family."