The NBA is showing its true colors by bowing to China

While the tweet was quickly deleted, it set off a firestorm in China.

The Chinese Basketball Association, the chairman of which is former Rockets player Yao Ming, announced they were suspending their relationship with the Rockets.

Morey was then essentially coerced into releasing a statement that distanced his views from the NBA, stating, “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. 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.”

The NBA released a statement themselves, essentially apologizing to the Chinese government for Morey’s tweet, saying, “We recognize that the views expressed by Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey have deeply offended many of our friends and fans in China, which is regrettable. While Daryl 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. 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.”

While this is a hyper-polarized time, Americans from across the political spectrum rallied together and blasted the NBA for kowtowing to the Chinese.

Ted Cruz, the Republican senator from Texas, wrote on Twitter, “As a lifelong @HoustonRockets fan, I was proud to see @dmorey call out the Chinese Communist Party’s repressive treatment of protestors in Hong Kong. Now, in pursuit of big $$, the @nba is shamefully retreating.”

Cruz’s 2018 Senate opponent, Beto O’Rourke, wrote, “The only thing the NBA should be apologizing for is their blatant prioritization of profits over human rights. What an embarrassment.”

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro and Republican Sen. John Cornyn agreed that the United States shouldn’t allow American citizens to be bullied by an authoritarian government by speaking out in favor of pro-democracy supporters in Hong Kong.

NBA coaches and players, however, weren’t on the same page as the American public.

Steve Kerr, who coaches the Golden State Warriors, demurred on the subject, saying, “It’s a really bizarre international story and a lot of us don’t know what to make of it. So it’s something I’m reading about just like everybody is but I’m not going to comment further on that.” He went on to even say that his brother-in-law is a Chinese history professor and that he will look for guidance from him.

Meanwhile, Gregg Popovich, the legendary head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, took the side of NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s handling of the situation.

Then you have NBA superstars such as James Harden and Steph Curry.

Reporters are even being shut down asking NBA players about the subject.

The NBA is even going so far as to kick out fans who bring in signs such as “Free Hong Kong” or “Google Uighurs.”

The NBA once championed itself as being a “woke” league, an organization that wasn’t afraid to speak truth to power. However, with billions of Chinese dollars on the line, American corporations such as the NBA are showing their true colors.