By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
LeBron James talked for the first time to the media about the tense relationship between the NBA and China, and the result is even more confusing.
While he said that he considered himself “uneducated” on this matter and wouldn’t like to comment, he also added that probably the same applies to Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey. Morey’s tweet about the Hong Kong protests initiated the Chinese reaction.
“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 before the Los Angeles Lakers played the Golden State Warriors in a preseason game. “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.”
“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.”
James’ initial comments were ill-received, and he added on Twitter: “I do not believe there was any consideration for the consequences and ramifications of the tweet. I’m not discussing the substance. Others can talk about that. My team and this league just went through a difficult week. I think people need to understand what a tweet or statement can do to others. And I believe nobody stopped and considered what would happen. Could have waited a week to send it”.