Lebron James glowingly writes about China in Communist Party newspaper
by Allen Cone · UPISept. 8 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, wrapping up his Forever King Tour in China, wrote an essay in the Communist Party's People's Daily on Monday, expressing appreciation of the people.
The trip coincided with his 20th anniversary of touring Asia with Nike.
James' opinion was six years after Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey hurt relations between Chinese and the NBA. Morey posted on Oct. 4, 2019, on Twitter -- "Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong" -- leading to China pulling the NBA off its broadcasts and suspending sponsorship agreements.
China ended its one-year ban of NBA games during the NBA Finals from Sept. 20 to Oct. 11, 2020, which were later than June because of the pandemic. People in China couldn't watch NBA games for two years.
James' essay tone, titled "Basketball Is a Bridge That Connects Us All," was much different than what was expressed by Morey, who stepped down as general manager in October 2020.
"I am deeply moved by the passion and friendliness of my Chinese friends, and I can only express my gratitude by giving my best in every game," James wrote in an English translation. "Soon, I will be starting the 23rd season of my professional career in the NBA. I've worn the No. 23 for most of my career. It's a number that means a lot to me. Ahead of this special season, I am once again in China to start my next chapter with the fans here."
He also said: "I hope I can contribute to the development of Chinese basketball."
China is a big market for the NBA. More than 300 million people play the game recreationally there, CNBC reported in 2018. Chinese star Yao Ming, a Basketball Hall of Famer, played for the Houston Rocks from 1997 to 2011.
NBA Commissioner David Stern noted Yao's role as a "bridge between Chinese and American fans"
The league has scheduled two preseason games in China, the first since the incident. The Brooklyn Nets and the Phoenix Suns will play Oct. 10 and 12 at The Venetian Arena in Macao.
"The atmosphere of basketball in China has always been surprising," he wrote. "There are many famous basketball players and many outstanding young players have emerged. In Chengdu, Sichuan, I joined in a training session with the Chinese national youth team. I shared my experience with them: Take every training session seriously. The harder you practice, the more relaxed you will be in the game."
Not everyone received his views warmly, though.
Michael Sobolik, senior fellow at the conservative Hudson Institute think tank, noted on X that "Lebron hasn't said a word about the Uyghurs, Tibetans, or other persecuted groups in China. Gross."
James' Lakers played two preseason games against the Brooklyn Nets in Shanghai and Shenzhen before the start of the 2019-20 season. This was when Hong Kong residents protested against a security law.
Once the Lakers returned to the United States, James said those who are "misinformed or not educated about something" should not speak on geopolitical issues.
NBA Commissioner Nate Adam Silver came to the defense of the general manager supporting the protesters.
"I have read some of the media suggesting that we are not supporting Daryl Morey, but in fact, we have," Silver told Kyodo News. "I think as a values-based organization that I want to make it clear... that Daryl Morey is supported in terms of his ability to exercise his freedom of expression."
Morey later deleted the message.
"I did not intend my tweet to cause any offense to Rockets fans and friends of mine in China," he said. "I was merely voicing one thought, based on one interpretation, of one complicated event. I have had a lot of opportunity since that tweet to hear and consider other perspectives."
Sportswear brand Li-Ning and Rockets sponsor Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Credit Card Center suspended ties with the team.
China state television CCTV and Tencent, the NBA's Chinese digital partner, stopped broadcasting the league's preseason basketball games.
In 2021, Boston Celtics games were removed from Tencent -- the Chinese company that streams NBA games and has a content-sharing partnership with ESPN -- after center Enes Kanter expressed support for Tibet in a two-minute video posted to social media before a game.
Kanter called Chinese President Xi Jinping a "brutal dictator" in the caption of the post, and he wore a shirt with the image of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, in the video. The NBA big man also wore shoes with the phrase "Free Tibet" on them against the Knicks.
"I'm here to add my voice and speak out about what is happening in Tibet," Kanter said in the video. "Under the Chinese government's brutal rule, Tibetan people's basic rights and freedoms are non-existent."
The Lakers will open the regular season against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21 at the Los Angeles team's Crypto.com Arena.
James, 40, is the all-time No. 1 alltime scorer during the regular season with 42,184 points. He also has 8,289 points in 292 games for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Lakers. He was four NBA titles: two with one Miami and one each with the Lakers and Cavaliers.
Since November 2024, James has taken a break from social media.