Just as the NBA 2019-2020 season kicks off, the league finds itself in an intricate and dangerous situation with China.
While select teams were participating in pre-season games in China, an effort made by the league to spread the game globally, Houston rockets General Manager Daryl Morey Tweeted a photo supporting Hong Kong and their fight for independence from China. The post was deleted moments later, but the damage had already been done.
As a result of the Tweet, China suspended games scheduled between teams in the Chinese Basketball Association and the NBA G-League. An NBA Cares event in Shanghai with players from the Brooklyn Nets was also cancelled. Several Chinese corporations that sponsor NBA players, including sportswear brands Li-Ning and Alta, have cut all ties with the NBA. Furthermore, China refused to air the remaining games scheduled in the country on state television network CCTV.
In a statement, CCTV said, “We've noted that Adam Silver, the commissioner of the NBA... has responded to the inappropriate comment on Hong Kong made by the general manager of the Houston Rockets, Daryl Morey. We voice our strong dissatisfaction and opposition to Adam Silver offering as an excuse the right to freedom of expression.” They added, “We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expressions. In light of this, China Media Group sports channel has decided to immediately suspend the current plans to relay broadcast the NBA pre-season (China games) and will immediately undertake a full check of all cooperative exchanges involving the NBA.” Silver has stood his own against China, refusing to even consider firing Daryl Morey, something the Chinese government asked him to do.
Daryl Morey issued a statement after deleting the Tweet, saying, “I did not intend my tweet to cause any offense to Rockets fans and friends of mine in China. I was merely voicing one thought… of one complicated event.” He added, “I have always supported and appreciated the significant support our Chinese fans have provided and I would hope that those who are upset will know that offending or misunderstanding them was not my intention…” Adam Silver defended Morey and the NBA’s stance on allowing free speech, “the NBA will not put itself in a position of regulating what players, employees and team owners say or will not say on these issues. We simply could not operate that way” Silver said.
Other NBA stars have given their take on the issue, most notably LeBron James. James was criticized for his comments that seemed to defend China. “... We all talk about this freedom of speech. Yes, we all do have freedom of speech, but at times there are ramifications for the negative that can happen when you're not thinking about others, and you're only thinking about yourself… I believe he (Morey) wasn't educated on the situation at hand, and he spoke. And so many people could have been harmed, not only financially, but physically, emotionally, spiritually. So just be careful what we tweet and what we say, and what we do. Even though yes, we do have freedom of speech, but there can be a lot of negative that comes with that too.”
James has received a lot of hate for those comments, as some believed he defended China to save his brand and image with China and misused his opportunity to speak out against the situation between China and Hong Kong.
Information was from cbssports.com
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