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Lebron James reportedly ‘raged’ to fellow players over Daryl Morey’s 2019 tweet where he expressed support for protesters, one of many figures within the NBA who condemned the former Houston Rockets general manager in the face of ongoing pressure from .
At the time of the tweet, James’s Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets were thrust into the controversy when the clubs arrived in China to play two exhibition games amidst turmoil after Morey tweeted a graphic reading: ‘Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.’
The Lakers superstar was working on the movie ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ at the time when he learned the movie would never get released in China, and then allegedly went off to oth
‘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, based on one interpretation, of one complicated event,’ Morey’s statement read.
‘I have had a lot of opportunity since that tweet to hear and consider other perspectives.’
NBA commissioner Adam Silver had said he regretted that Chinese fans were upset, but would not apologize for Morey’s tweet.
Nets team owner Joe Tsai, who has deep connections to the Chinese government, was reported to have similarly called out Morey for the tweet, according to ESPN.
Tsai was alleged to have been pushing the NBA to fire Morey over the tweet, but the Nets have since denied that claim.
James faced accusations of hypocrisy on both sides of the Pacific for characterizing Morey as ‘misinformed’ after the NBA team executive ignited an international dispute between the league and China.
At the time, around 200 demonstrators in the city burned James’ jersey at a playground with signs reading, ‘Stand with HK; Stand with Morey.’ Many of the activists were seen wearing replica jerseys of other NBA players.
Demonstrators hold placards as they march during a protest in Causeway Bay district of Hong Kong, China, on December 8, 2019
Hundreds of thousands of people march through Hong Kong to mark Human Rights Day and press for greater democracy in the city in 2019
Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska tweeted his own objection to James’s comment
A political cartoon in Florida’s Pensacola News Journal showed James groveling to Xi Jinping
As controversy within the league over Morey’s tweet reached a fever pitch, 4D Live Draw thousands of Hong Kong protesters were tear-gassed in clashes with police after Beijing announced a new law to ‘take full control’ of the administrative region.
The law was eventually passed in June 2020.
Pro-democracy supporters in Hong Kong had sharply criticized China’s proposal to enact a national security law, which bans secessionist and subversive activity, as well as foreign interference and terrorism in the semi-autonomous territory.
They say it goes against the ‘one country, two systems’ framework that promises the city freedoms not found on the mainland.
Demonstrators set a LeBron James jersey on fire during a rally at a playground in Hong Kong
A demonstrator stomps on Lebron James jerseys after the Lakers star criticized Rockets general manager Darryl Morey over his support for anti-China demonstrators on the Island
About 200 or so protesters were at the playground as LeBron James’s replica Miami Heat jersey was burned. James previously played in Miami before returning to Cleveland and moving on to the Lakers
A typical NBA preseason promotional swing through Shanghai and Shenzhen became something else when Daryl Morey (left) tweeted in support of the Hong Kong protesters while the Lakers were in the air on their 13-hour flight to China. NBA commissioner Adam Silver (right) said he regrets Chinese fans are upset, but would not apologize for Morey’s tweet
Much of the criticism directed at James took place on social media, who was called out himself for supporting China in spite of alleged human rights violations.
‘By criticizing Daryl Morey on Monday, Lebron James endorsed a world where calling out his own government for wrongdoing is encouraged but China is above reproach,’ USA Today columnist Dan Wolken wrote at the time on Twitter. ‘It’s the most shameful day of his career.’
Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska tweeted his own objection: ‘@KingJames — you’re parroting communist propaganda. China is running torture camps and you know it. #GoogleUyghurs.’