NBA postpones Nets-Lakers media sessions in the city of Shanghai

NBA has postponed Wednesday’s scheduled media sessions in Shanghai for Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers, and it remains unclear if teams will play in China this week as scheduled. teams were practicing in Shanghai on Wednesday, where at least two or NBA events in advance of start of China games were called off as part of ongoing rift that started after Houston Rockets general manr Daryl Morey posted a tweet last week that showed support for anti-government protesters in Hong Kong. “Given fluidity of situation, today’s media availability has been postponed,” league said.

NBA postpones Nets-Lakers media session

An NBA Cares event that was to benefit Special Olympics was called off, as was a “fan night” celebration which was to be highlighted by league anuncing plans to refurbish some outdoor courts in Shanghai. And workers in multiple spots around city were tearing down large outdoor promotional advertisements for Thursday’s Lakers-Nets game. teams are also supposed to play Saturday in Shenzhen.

Chinese smartphone maker Vivo has joined list of companies that have suspended — for w, at least — ties with NBA, and that only adds to uncertainty over wher China games will be played. Vivo was a presenting sponsor of Lakers-Nets games, and on Wednesday re was reference to game in Shanghai on list of upcoming events scheduled at Mercedes-Benz Arena. Or firms such as apparel company Li-Ning anunced similar moves earlier this week, as rift was just beginning.

Read: NBA India Games: 5 Things You Need To Kw About Basketball League

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday in Tokyo that he supports Morey’s right to free speech. Several Chinese companies have suspended ir partnership with NBA in recent days, and Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said it will t broadcast Lakers-Nets games.

“I’m sympatic to our interests here and to our partners who are upset,” Silver said. “I don’t think it’s inconsistent on one hand to be sympatic to m and at same time stand by our principles.”

Read: NBA In India Buildup Sees Floating Court & Preview Of What Is To Come

A fight against racism

Silver was arriving in Shanghai on Wednesday. All around China, stores that sell NBA merchandise were removing Rockets-related apparel from shelves and many murals featuring Rockets — even ones with Yao Ming, Chinese great who played for Houston during his NBA career — were being painted over. San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich spoke out Tuesday in Miami in support of how Silver is handling situation.

“And it wasn’t easy for him to say,” Popovich said. “He said that in an environment fraught with possible ecomic peril. But he sided with principles that we all hold dearly, or most of us did until last three years. So I’m thrilled with what he said.”

Or NBA coaches have t been so willing to discuss situation. Philadelphia’s Brett Brown said he did t wish to get into specifics of China-NBA rift, though said he has been to that country many times and is always blown away by how popular game is re.

“Just massive amounts of basketball courts and you’re looking out and re’s available court,” Brown said. “It’s just people playing on a court. I took a (lower-level) Australian team to China and story comes re were 400 million viewers watching t true national team. You’re just reminded of popularity of sport.”

NBA is t first major corporation to deal with criticism from China over political differences. Mercedes-Benz, Delta Air Lines, hotel operator Marriott, fashion brand Zara and ors also have found mselves in conflicts with China in recent years.

Morey’s tweet was deleted, and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta said Morey does t speak for organization. Joe Tsai, who recently completed his purchase of Nets and is a co-founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, has said dam to NBA’s relationship with China “will take a long time to repair.”

Read: Spain's Basketball Win Makes Tokyo Olympics Field Exciting

Read: NBA Issues Statement Of Regret After Rockets Owner's Anti-China Tweet