The NBA issued an apology to a CNN reporter who was silenced after she asked Houston Rockets players a question about the ongoing feud between China and the NBA.
Christina Macfarlane asked athletes James Harden and Russell Westbrook if they “would feel differently about speaking out” after “fallout” from the Rockets general manager tweeting support for Hong Kong freedom protests. Before she could finish asking her question, a team media relations employee tried cutting her off and taking the microphone from her.
A league spokesperson said, “During today’s Houston Rockets media availability, a team representative inappropriately interjected to prevent CNN’s Christina Macfarlane from receiving an answer to her question. We’ve apologized to Ms. Macfarlane as this was inconsistent with how the NBA conducts media events.”
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) October 10, 2019
The feud between China and the NBA took place slightly less than a week ago when Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted out his support for the ongoing protests in Hong Kong. The tweet, which was deleted, sparked an international controversy with the NBA trying to balance China, which was outraged by Morey’s tweet, and the image of the league within the United States.
China has said that there is “little room for reconciliation” after NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced his support for Morey in his second public statements on the issue.
Pro-Hong Kong fans at an NBA preseason game in Philadelphia were kicked out for signs, while other fans in Washington, D.C. had signs confiscated from them inside the arena.
