Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
NBA Decides to Remain Silent for Rest of China Trip
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 years ago on
October 11, 2019

Share

The NBA will complete its trip to China in silence.

“We have decided not to hold media availability for our teams for the remainder of our trip in China. They have been placed into a complicated and unprecedented situation while abroad and we believe it would be unfair to ask them to address these matters in real time.” — NBA
Saturday’s game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets to end this year’s NBA China Games series will be played as scheduled in Shenzhen, though there will be no news conferences for players or coaches before or after that contest.
The NBA came to that conclusion after talking with the teams and the National Basketball Players Association about what would be best for players.
“We have decided not to hold media availability for our teams for the remainder of our trip in China,” the NBA said. “They have been placed into a complicated and unprecedented situation while abroad and we believe it would be unfair to ask them to address these matters in real time.”
On Thursday, it was the Chinese that stopped NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and the teams from holding news conferences before or after the Lakers-Nets game in Shanghai. That was part of the Chinese response to the rift that started when Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted support for anti-government protesters in Hong Kong and intensified when Silver defended Morey’s right to exercise free speech.

No Player or Coach From Either Team Has Reacted Publicly to the Fallout

This time, it was the NBA’s call. The game in Shenzhen has been a hot ticket since the matchup was announced, and just as was the case in Shanghai on Thursday a full arena is expected on Saturday.
“I think whoever bought the ticket needs to attend the game. After all, it is just a sport. An entertainment in fact,” Chinese fan Lao Zhang said in Shenzhen on Friday. “The bottom line is the two countries respect each other. We have the choice to like NBA players or not, meanwhile, NBA should respect China. Only by this way, NBA would have more fans and a bigger market in China.”
Under normal circumstances, the Lakers and Nets may have spoken Friday in advance of the game and then coaches and players would be made available to talk both before and after Saturday’s contest. No player or coach from either team has reacted publicly to the fallout surrounding Morey’s tweet, which was deleted quickly though continues to remain a major problem for the league and its relationship with the world’s most populous country.
The Rockets were asked repeatedly about the situation during their two-game trip to Japan earlier this week for games with the reigning NBA champion Toronto Raptors. A Rockets media relations official stopped Houston guards James Harden and Russell Westbrook from answering a question from a CNN reporter Thursday about whether they would continue to speak out about political and societal matters. That prompted an apology from the NBA, who said that decision “was inconsistent with how the NBA conducts media events.”

NBA Will Continue Protecting Freedom of Expression for Players, Employees

In Tokyo, Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said questions about the China-NBA rift are thorny to answer.
“You can’t answer questions like that because you’re wrong no matter what,” D’Antoni said. “I’m here to speak basketball, talk basketball. … Hey, I coach basketball. I’m not a diplomat.”

“You can’t answer questions like that because you’re wrong no matter what. I’m here to speak basketball, talk basketball. … Hey, I coach basketball. I’m not a diplomat.” — Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni
Golden State forward Draymond Green said the fallout over China won’t stop players from speaking out about matters they deem important. But he also said he didn’t think it was wise to discuss the nuances of this rift without fully grasping all sides of the matter.
“I don’t really understand it,” Green said. “So at this point I’m just trying to educate myself more on all of it. Even the initial tweet that started this uproar, I don’t really understand what’s going on in Hong Kong or China. It’s hard enough trying to understand politics in America for me.”
Silver spoke earlier this week and said the league would continue protecting freedom of expression for its players and employees. Morey’s tweet was criticized by Nets chairman Joe Tsai, who is in China for this week’s games and is a co-founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba.
“I don’t think it’s inconsistent to both be apologetic that that was the outcome of that speech but at the same time support Daryl’s right to his freedom of expression and Joe Tsai’s right to respond,” Silver said.

DON'T MISS

China Halts Approvals for New US Investment Projects

DON'T MISS

Measles Spreads to Central Texas; 5 States Have Active Outbreaks

DON'T MISS

Trump Tariff Fears Erase $2 Trillion From US Stocks

DON'T MISS

Startup Offers Controversial Microplastic Blood Cleansing Treatment

DON'T MISS

Senate Confirms Mehmet Oz to Take Lead of Medicare and Medicaid Agency

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Pence Will Receive the Profile in Courage Award From the JFK Library for His Actions on Jan. 6

DON'T MISS

Politics Turns Ugly for a Conservative Running for Fresno State Student Body President

DON'T MISS

Pentagon’s Watchdog to Review Hegseth’s Use of Signal App to Convey Plans for Houthi Strike

DON'T MISS

President Trump’s Tariffs Could Be the Political Tipping Point

UP NEXT

Carbon Monoxide Was Cause of Death of Brett Gardner’s Teen Son, Officials Confirm

UP NEXT

Bettors Back Duke Men and UConn Women for National Championships

UP NEXT

Flores Homers, Matos and Wade Also Go Deep to Help Giants Cap Sweep of Astros

UP NEXT

After Briefly Disappearing, TikTok Went Back to Normal. Or Did It?

UP NEXT

Ohtani’s Walk-off Homer Boosts Dodgers to 8-0 With Another Comeback Win

UP NEXT

Here’s How the New NFL Rules on Kickoffs and Overtime Will Work

UP NEXT

Webb Pitches 7 Strong Innings as Giants Beat Astros

UP NEXT

Curry Drops 52 as Warriors Beat Grizzlies, Move into Fifth in West

UP NEXT

Dodgers Extend Perfect Start Behind May and Betts’ Heroics

UP NEXT

Lakers Hold Off Rockets With 6 3-Pointers Apiece From Dorian Finney-Smith, Gabe Vincent

Startup Offers Controversial Microplastic Blood Cleansing Treatment

34 minutes ago

Senate Confirms Mehmet Oz to Take Lead of Medicare and Medicaid Agency

2 hours ago

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

3 hours ago

Pence Will Receive the Profile in Courage Award From the JFK Library for His Actions on Jan. 6

4 hours ago

Politics Turns Ugly for a Conservative Running for Fresno State Student Body President

4 hours ago

Pentagon’s Watchdog to Review Hegseth’s Use of Signal App to Convey Plans for Houthi Strike

4 hours ago

President Trump’s Tariffs Could Be the Political Tipping Point

5 hours ago

Order That Kept Water in the Kern River Reversed by 5th District Court of Appeal

5 hours ago

As Dem Candidates for Governor Increase, They Wait for Harris to Decide

5 hours ago

No More Calling ‘Shotgun?’ CA Could Ban Teens From Riding in Front Seat

5 hours ago

China Halts Approvals for New US Investment Projects

According to a Bloomberg report cited by Investing.com, China has introduced new limitations affecting its local companies planning investme...

15 seconds ago

15 seconds ago

China Halts Approvals for New US Investment Projects

23 minutes ago

Measles Spreads to Central Texas; 5 States Have Active Outbreaks

30 minutes ago

Trump Tariff Fears Erase $2 Trillion From US Stocks

34 minutes ago

Startup Offers Controversial Microplastic Blood Cleansing Treatment

Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, seated right, gives a thumbs-up alongside his wife Lisa Oz, seated left, with friends and family after he testified at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP/Ben Curtis)
2 hours ago

Senate Confirms Mehmet Oz to Take Lead of Medicare and Medicaid Agency

3 hours ago

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

Vice President Mike Pence hands the electoral certificate from the state of Arizona to Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., as he presides over a joint session of Congress as it convenes to count the Electoral College votes cast in November's election, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021. (AP File)
4 hours ago

Pence Will Receive the Profile in Courage Award From the JFK Library for His Actions on Jan. 6

4 hours ago

Politics Turns Ugly for a Conservative Running for Fresno State Student Body President

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend