LeBron James Under Fire Over ‘Glowing’ Op-Ed In Chinese State-Run Media Outlet

NBA superstar LeBron James is facing backlash for once again cozying up to the Chinese Communist Party after he published a glowing review of the nation in a Chinese state-run media outlet.

James penned an op-ed that appeared in China’s state-run People’s Daily newspaper this past Monday. It comes on the heels of his extensive tour of China’s growing basketball scene, in which he met players, helped critique practice sessions, met with community groups, and shook hands with fans and government officials throughout the country, Breitbart News reported.

The four-time NBA champion referred to basketball as a “connecting bridge” between the two countries in the op-ed, which was exceptionally notable given the fact that foreigners are rarely published in People’s Daily.

“Basketball is not only a sport, but also a bridge that connects us. The passion flows in our hearts,” James wrote, according to a translation from South China News. “I know that basketball can inspire generations of people to pursue their dreams. Seeing so many young basketball lovers in China, I hope I can also contribute to the development of Chinese basketball,” he added.

He further praised the Chinese government for the “incredible reception” he received throughout his nationwide tour of China.

“Every time I come here, my family and I are warmly welcomed. I am deeply moved by the hospitality and friendliness of our Chinese friends. All I can do is give my all in every match and express my gratitude to everyone,” James wrote.

While it is unclear whether the Chinese government played a direct role in organizing James’ Forever King Tour in China, the op-ed in a state-run media outlet  appears to indicate that the visit was at the very least met with approval. China’s use of social credit scores and extensive domestic surveillance also means that James’ tour was likely highly coordinated and designed to provide the best image of the nation possible.

The Lakers star is far from the only prominent NBA star to embark on a tour of China.The NBA has also announced that it will be holding its first-ever NBA House event in Macau, China, in October. The event will be attended by star players, including Tim Hardaway Sr, Stephon Marbury, Shawn Marion, Shaquille O’Neal, Mitch Richmond, and Deron Williams, Breitbart News reported.

The op-ed and upcoming tours indicate that the NBA is still placing massive value on capturing the Chinese market, as basketball has surged in popularity over the last several years.

In 2019, then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey criticized the Chinese government’s human rights abuses and expressed support for pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong. The post, which came just before the Los Angeles Lakers and and Brooklyn Nets were set to play a preseason game in China, infuriated CCP officials while Morey was ultimately forced to apologize.

“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. I have had a lot of opportunity since that tweet to hear and consider other perspectives,” Morey said in a statement at the time.

According to a 2022 report from ESPN, James and Nets team owner Joe Tsai, who has deep connections to the Chinese government, aggressively pushed back against Morey for the post. The Lakers superstar was working on the movie “Space Jam: A New Legacy” at the time and, according to ESPN, “raged” to players about the post.

James’ film was ultimately not released in China as a result of the government’s pushback against the post.

While James has denied portions of the ESPN report, he did publicly trash Morey when asked about the post right after it happened. “I don’t want to get into a [verbal] feud with Daryl Morey, but I believe he wasn’t educated on the situation at hand, and he spoke,” James said ahead of a 2019 preseason game at the Staples Center.

“And so many people could have been harmed not only financially, physically, emotionally, spiritually. So just be careful what we tweet and say and we do, even though, yes, we do have freedom of speech, but there can be a lot of negative that comes with that, too.”

When asked why he thought Morey “wasn’t educated” about the CCP’s brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, James said it is “just my belief.”

“I believe he was either misinformed or not really educated on the situation, and if he was, then so be it,” James said. “I have no idea, but that is just my belief. Because when you say things or do things, if you are doing it and you know the people that can be affected by it and the families and individuals and everyone that can be affected by it, sometimes things can be changed as well. And also social media is not always the proper way to go about things as well, but that’s just my belief.”