Media events cancelled in China for NBA preseason game

In response to NBA defending Daryl Morey’s freedom of speech, Chinese officials took it away from Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets. All of usual media sessions surrounding Lakers-Nets preseason game in Shanghai on Thursday — including a scheduled news conference from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and postgame news conferences with teams — have been cancelled. It’s latest salvo in rift between league and China stemming from a since-deleted tweet posted last week by Morey, general manr of Houston Rockets. 

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' media availabilities for tonight’s game' 

“re will be media availabilities for tonight’s game between Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers,” NBA said in a statement Thursday, released a few hours before game. game was held as scheduled, with Lakers forward LeBron James and Nets guard Kyrie Irving getting loud ovations when y were introduced as starters. But neir national anm was played before game, and players addressed crowd before tip-off in a departure from tradition before such international games. Fans arriving at arena to watch — many of m donning NBA jerseys — were handed small Chinese flags to carry with m inside, and at least one person carried a sign critical of Silver. “I understand that re are consequences from that exercise of, in essence, his freedom of speech,” Silver said at a news conference in Tokyo earlier this week. “We will have to live with those consequences.” And this move was one of those consequences. 
Most seats were filled, and fans reacted as y would rmally — oohs and aahs for good plays, applause for baskets, loudest cheers coming whenever James touched ball. Some fans may be upset with NBA, but y still seem to have ir favourite players. “If we have to choose, we will choose to support our country,” said fan Ma Shipeng, who brought 900 flags to hand out to fellow fans. “We only like some particular basketball players, but we don’t like NBA anymore. I give away Chinese flags tonight, as I hope people to put national interest in front of following NBA. I will continue to support James. But ne of our Chinese people would accept what Morey and Silver said.” 
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Morey tweeted support for Hong Kong protests

Morey’s tweet expressed support for anti-government protesters in Hong Kong, and sparked fallout that has completely overshadowed NBA’s annual trip to China — which typically takes on a celebratory tone. t this year. Most events in advance of game, such as NBA Cares events to benefit educational causes and Special Olympics, were called off, as was a “fan night” where Lakers and Nets players were to interact directly with some Chinese ticketholders. Sign in Shanghai to promote game — huge photos of James, Anthony Davis, Irving and or players — was ripped down, and mentions of game were scrubbed from arena website. 

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Chinese companies suspended ties with NBA

All that comes as many Chinese corporations suspended ir business ties to NBA. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said it was t going to show Lakers-Nets games on Thursday or in Shenzhen on Saturday, and NBA broadcast partner Tencent also said it was changing its cover plans for league.  Silver said earlier this week that Rockets great Yao Ming, a Basketball Hall of Famer and w president of Chinese Basketball Association — which has also suspended its ties with Houston as part of Morey tweet fallout — is angry as well. “I’m t sure he quite accepts sort of how we are operating our business right w, and again, I accept that we have a difference of opinion,” Silver said. “I also think that as part of our core values, tolerance is one of those as well. I think tolerance for differing societies’ approaches, tolerance for differing points of view and ability to listen. Certainly I don’t come here, eir as commissioner of NBA or as an American, to tell ors how y should run ir governments.”

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Washington says NBA should show 'cour and integrity'

In U.S., re was governmental reaction as well leading up to game. On Wednesday in Washington, a bipartisan group of lawmakers — including rare alignment of Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York — sent a letter to Silver saying NBA should show “cour and integrity” to stand up to Chinese government. y asked NBA to, among or things, suspend activities in China until what y called selective treatment against Rockets ends. “You have more power to take a stand than most of Chinese government’s targets and should have cour and integrity to use it,” lawmakers told Silver. 

Morey has been silent on matter since Sunday 

Rockets were extremely popular in China, largely because of Yao. But team’s merchandise has been taken off e-commerce sites and out of stores selling NBA apparel in country, murals featuring team’s stars and logo were painted over and even Chinese consulate office in Houston expressed major displeasure with Morey and Rockets. Morey has been silent on matter since a tweet Sunday where he attempted to make some sort of amends with Chinese. “I have always appreciated significant support our Chinese fans and sponsors have provided and I would hope that those who are upset will kw that offending or misunderstanding m was t my intention,” he wrote Sunday. “My tweets are my own and in way represent Rockets or NBA.” Saturday’s game between Lakers and Nets in Shenzhen also remains on as scheduled.