A tweet from Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey led Chinese businesses and the Chinese Basketball Association to cut ties with the NBA team.
On Friday, Morey tweeted an image that said “Fight for Freedom. Stand for Hong Kong,” in support of the pro-democracy protests amid increasing tensions between Hong Kong and Beijing, which controls the former British colony.
The backlash from China was swift. The Chinese Basketball Association, whose chairman is Yao Ming, a former Rockets player, said Sunday it was suspending cooperation with the team.
China’s consulate in Houston asked the Texas team to “clarify [and] correct the mistakes immediately.”
Other partnerships between China and the Rockets were also thrown in doubt, leading the NBA and Morey to respond. Their responses also triggered backlash, this time from U.S. lawmakers.
The NBA said it recognized that Morey’s tweet “deeply offended many of our friends and fans in China, which is regrettable.”
“While Daryl has made it clear that his tweet does not represent the Rockets or the NBA, the values of the league support individuals educating themselves and sharing their views on matters important to them,” NBA chief communications officer Mike Bass said in a statement. “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 to bridge cultural divides and bring people together.”
Morey said he did not mean “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,” he said.
2/ I have always appreciated the significant support our Chinese fans and sponsors have provided and 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.
— Daryl Morey (@dmorey) October 7, 2019
Republican Florida Sen. Rick Scott called the NBA’s statement “shameful,” accusing the association of “kowtowing to Beijing to protect their bottom line.”
It’s clear that the @NBA is more interested in money than human rights. Tonight’s statement from Commissioner Silver is an absolute joke.
The NBA is kowtowing to Beijing to protect their bottom line and disavowing those with the temerity to #standwithHongKong. Shameful! https://t.co/RBPJa04xzK
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) October 7, 2019
Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley questioned why the NBA wanted to build “cultural divides” when China is persecuting Uighurs and repressing protesters in Hong Kong.
Chinese govt has a million people locked in concentration camps & is trying to brutally repress Hong Kong demonstrators – and NBA wants to “bridge cultural divides”? Cultural divides? https://t.co/d6jXQOzb5F
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) October 7, 2019
Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz echoed those sentiments: “We’re better than this; human rights shouldn’t be for sale & the NBA shouldn’t be assisting Chinese communist censorship.”
We’re better than this; human rights shouldn’t be for sale & the NBA shouldn’t be assisting Chinese communist censorship.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) October 7, 2019
Other lawmakers and presidential candidates weighed in as well.
The only thing the NBA should be apologizing for is their blatant prioritization of profits over human rights. What an embarrassment. https://t.co/bbiwCBTwc1
— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) October 7, 2019
Julián, glad to agree with you on this one. https://t.co/0V7PHY1iIW
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) October 7, 2019
Listen….some things are more important than money. Like doing the right thing. @dmorey tweeted about human rights and supporting #HongKongProtests. How ironic that you’re siding with communism to advance your greed. https://t.co/RoyJ3o3bbY
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) October 7, 2019
