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.”
Tensions and deadlocks over Trump’s US attorney picks hit fever pitch
Jewish voters feel ‘politically homeless’ as antisemitism rises on both sides
Man found not guilty by reason of insanity in killing of pregnant Seattle woman, unborn child
Woman claims space rock smashed into house after Houston-area blast rattles residents
Trump gives Iran 48-hour ultimatum to reopen Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on power plants
Venezuelan migrant arrested after Loyola Chicago student fatally shot near campus
Dead passenger allegedly stored in heated galley for 13 hours on British Airways flight, ‘foul smell’ reported
Trump administration urges judge to dissolve injunction blocking Abrego Garcia’s deportation to Liberia
Florida woman seen on video allegedly attacking pregnant driver, elderly bystander and biting police officer
FIRST ON FOX: US Border Patrol nabs Mexican fugitives in California wanted for murder, child sex crimes
Christian Street Preachers Fight Back with Lawsuits After Getting Arrested in Major American City
Schumer gambit fails as DHS shutdown hits 36 days and airport lines grow
BREAKING: Robert Mueller, Who Investigated Russian Collusion, Dies at 81
Judge Lays Into Progressive Prosecutors Before Slapping Violent Teen With Tough Sentence
Thune, GOP blast Dems in DHS standoff; Lankford says they fear ICE over Iran
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.
Tensions and deadlocks over Trump’s US attorney picks hit fever pitch
Jewish voters feel ‘politically homeless’ as antisemitism rises on both sides
Man found not guilty by reason of insanity in killing of pregnant Seattle woman, unborn child
Woman claims space rock smashed into house after Houston-area blast rattles residents
Trump gives Iran 48-hour ultimatum to reopen Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on power plants
Venezuelan migrant arrested after Loyola Chicago student fatally shot near campus
Dead passenger allegedly stored in heated galley for 13 hours on British Airways flight, ‘foul smell’ reported
Trump administration urges judge to dissolve injunction blocking Abrego Garcia’s deportation to Liberia
Florida woman seen on video allegedly attacking pregnant driver, elderly bystander and biting police officer
FIRST ON FOX: US Border Patrol nabs Mexican fugitives in California wanted for murder, child sex crimes
Christian Street Preachers Fight Back with Lawsuits After Getting Arrested in Major American City
Schumer gambit fails as DHS shutdown hits 36 days and airport lines grow
BREAKING: Robert Mueller, Who Investigated Russian Collusion, Dies at 81
Judge Lays Into Progressive Prosecutors Before Slapping Violent Teen With Tough Sentence
Thune, GOP blast Dems in DHS standoff; Lankford says they fear ICE over Iran
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.
