LeBron James called Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey uneducated and went off at-length about the “negative” side-effects of free speech, in reaction to Morey’s tweet of support to pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong.
On October 4th, Morey tweeted a message of support of Hong Kong’s demonstrators, saying: “Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.”
That message touched off a firestorm of controversy as China canceled minor league exhibition games and canceled numerous business deals with the Rockets, and the NBA. On Monday, Lakers forward LeBron James spoke publicly about the incident for the first time, and didn’t mince words while calling Morey out for a tweet that he says could have caused people to be physically “harmed.”
Protester punched in face by Trump supporter, mocked by president at Ohio rally: ‘Gotta go on a diet’
Man admits to dismembering ex-girlfriend, keeping severed head in suitcase after she played him ‘like a fool’
Raw Footage: Federal Agents Remove Evidence from Ilhan Omar’s House
DOJ Investigating Fox News, CNN, Broadcast Networks for Possible Violations of Federal Law
Police Likely Amassed ‘Compelling Evidence’ in ‘End of a Long Investigation’ Into Ilhan Omar Even Before Raid: Source
Mamdani Skips Decades-Long New York Tradition to Spite Christopher Columbus – Attendees Are Glad He’s a No-Show
Katie Zacharia says she plans to be press secretary until the end of Trump’s term as she preps for first briefing
Online marketplace jewelry listing tied to armed robbery in affluent Tennessee city
‘Maryland Dad’ All Over Again: TX Illegal ICE Shot and Libs Love Was Machete-Wielding Menace, Says Ex-Neighbor
Bigfoot Clip Everyone’s Seen Is Shown to Be Total Fraud After Film Cannister Stored in Safe for Decades Found
Trump says he’s not involved in investigation into Ilhan Omar
Watch: Fireworks as Black Student and Talarico Voters Meet – Begin Hating, Attacking Each Other in Seconds
Coworker accused of slashing woman’s throat during ride home, victim escaped moving car: police
Ouch: ‘Saturday Night Live’ Turns Jelly Roll Into a Punchline
DNC Chair Ken Martin defends ‘Big Tent’ strategy when pressed on democratic socialists
LeBron says he believes Rockets GM Daryl Morey wasn’t educated when he spoke about Hong Kong and that his tweet could have hurt a lot of people, including financially pic.twitter.com/UMj71DPQH7
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) October 15, 2019
The NBA received tremendous bipartisan criticism for their initial response to Morey’s tweet, when they responded by calling the post “regrettable” for the offense that it caused. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver eventually tried to quell the backlash by championing Morey’s free speech rights.
Protester punched in face by Trump supporter, mocked by president at Ohio rally: ‘Gotta go on a diet’
Man admits to dismembering ex-girlfriend, keeping severed head in suitcase after she played him ‘like a fool’
Raw Footage: Federal Agents Remove Evidence from Ilhan Omar’s House
DOJ Investigating Fox News, CNN, Broadcast Networks for Possible Violations of Federal Law
Police Likely Amassed ‘Compelling Evidence’ in ‘End of a Long Investigation’ Into Ilhan Omar Even Before Raid: Source
Mamdani Skips Decades-Long New York Tradition to Spite Christopher Columbus – Attendees Are Glad He’s a No-Show
Katie Zacharia says she plans to be press secretary until the end of Trump’s term as she preps for first briefing
Online marketplace jewelry listing tied to armed robbery in affluent Tennessee city
‘Maryland Dad’ All Over Again: TX Illegal ICE Shot and Libs Love Was Machete-Wielding Menace, Says Ex-Neighbor
Bigfoot Clip Everyone’s Seen Is Shown to Be Total Fraud After Film Cannister Stored in Safe for Decades Found
Trump says he’s not involved in investigation into Ilhan Omar
Watch: Fireworks as Black Student and Talarico Voters Meet – Begin Hating, Attacking Each Other in Seconds
Coworker accused of slashing woman’s throat during ride home, victim escaped moving car: police
Ouch: ‘Saturday Night Live’ Turns Jelly Roll Into a Punchline
DNC Chair Ken Martin defends ‘Big Tent’ strategy when pressed on democratic socialists
Now, with the league representatives and players back from their tumultuous trip to China, it seemed like the news cycle of the NBA-China rift had died down. However, with James denouncing free speech in even stronger terms than the NBA did while calling a pro-democracy tweet “uneducated,” it’s difficult to see the crisis going away.
It’s also difficult to see why James would so willingly and unnecessarily reignite the controversy.
Then again, perhaps it makes sense after all. James is still the best and most popular player in the league. Moreover, for nearly ten years he’s championed numerous social justice causes and launched numerous attacks against President Trump, all to the delight of the sports media.
Maybe he’s become so used to being applauded for speaking his mind, that he no longer recognizes when he shouldn’t?
Story cited here.
