Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Chinese backlash to NBA boss's Hong Kong tweet

The general manager of the Houston Rockets had expressed support for Hong Kong protesters.

The general manager of the Houston Rockets basketball team has apologised after a tweet in support of Hong Kong protesters led to a Chinese backlash.

Daryl Morey's original tweet included an image captioned: "Fight For Freedom. Stand With Hong Kong."

But the coach backpedalled after a fierce criticism from Chinese fans, sponsors and commercial partners.

Chinese broadcasters and streaming platforms said they would no longer broadcast Rockets games.

NBA games draw huge viewership in China, with millions watching games primarily through streaming platforms. The Rockets have been popular since the team signed Chinese star Yao Ming in 2002.

The Rockets and the National Basketball Association in the US quickly distanced themselves from Mr Morey's tweet.

And, in a follow-up statement, Mr Morey said he had reconsidered his position. "I was merely voicing one thought, based on one interpretation, of one complicated event," he wrote.

"I have had a lot of opportunity since that tweet to hear and consider other perspectives.

"I have always appreciated the significant support our Chinese fans and sponsors...I would hope that those who are upset will know that offending or misunderstanding them was not my intention.

"My tweets are my own and in no way represent the Rockets or the NBA."

Hong Kong has seen months of protests - sparked by an extradition law that has since been withdrawn - that have grown increasingly violent.


What's the reaction?

Mr Morey's original tweet, sent on Friday, caused uproar in China.

On Sunday, the Chinese Basketball Association suspended cooperation with the Houston Rockets, as did Chinese sportswear brand Li-Ning.

The club's sponsor in China, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, suspended co-operation, too.

And Chinese state broadcaster CCTV and Tencent Holdings, which streams NBA games in China, both said they would stop broadcasting Rockets matches.

- Hong Kong protest march descends into violence

- Hong Kong protests explained in 100 and 500 words

And, in a lengthy Facebook post, Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai criticised Mr Morey for his "damaging" tweet, saying he misjudged how strongly many Chinese people felt about Hong Kong.

The Canadian, who is also the vice-chairman of Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba, said he had "spent a good part of my professional life in China".

"There are certain topics that are third-rail issues [untouchable] in certain countries, societies and communities," he went on.

"Supporting a separatist movement in a Chinese territory is one of those third-rail issues, not only for the Chinese government, but also for all citizens in China."

Mr Tsai said the damage from Mr Morey's tweet "will take a long time to repair". He added that 1.4 billion Chinese citizens "stand united when it comes to the territorial integrity of China" and the issue "is non-negotiable".


Political backlash


The NBA zone defence over Mr Morey's tweet provoked accusations from Democratic and Republican lawmakers that the league was bowing to Beijing instead of supporting democracy.

Former US presidential hopeful - and Rockets fan - Ted Cruz accused the NBA of "shamefully retreating" in pursuit of profit.

Mr Cruz said he was proud to see Mr Morey "call out the Chinese Communist Party's repressive treatment of protestors in Hong Kong".

Fellow Republican Senator Ben Sasse called the NBA's response "shameful" in a statement.

"The NBA wants money, and the Communist Party of China is asking them to deny the most basic of human rights. In response, the NBA issued a statement saying money is the most important thing."

Democratic presidential hopeful Julian Castro tweeted that the US most "not allow American citizens to be bullied by an authoritarian government".

Other Democrats, including Mr Castro's 2020 rival Andrew Yang and congressman Eric Swalwell also criticised the NBA's move.

Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta tweeted that Morey didn't speak for the team, which he said was "not a political organisation". Rockets player James Harden said: "We apologise. We love China."

The NBA described Mr Morey's comments as "regrettable" and acknowledged he had "deeply offended many of our friends and fans in China".

"We have great respect for the history and culture of China and hope that sports and the NBA can be used as a unifying force."


AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
×