LeBron James fired back at for caring about Wojnarowski but NOT about Hong Kong

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James' 2019 Hong Kong controversy has been mercilessly used by Republican senator Josh Hawley while calling the Lakers star out for his support for ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski. Primarily working as an NBA insider, Wojnarowski was handed a one-week suspension without pay for sending a "f**k you" message to Senator Hawley of Missouri. Wojnarowski's suspension drew quite a reaction from NBA players and fans, with most demanding the NBA reporter get his job back.

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LeBron James' support for 'Free Woj' campaign criticised by Senator Hawley

The outcry on social media garnered so much attention that the hashtag #FreeWoj started trending on Twitter on Sunday. LeBron James also joined the social media campaign by tweeting the hashtag.

However, little did the Lakers star expect, Sen. Josh Hawley fired back at LeBron James, drawing attention to his silence during the 2019 NBA-China standoff. 

Hawley brought to light the 2019 incident when LeBron James opted to remain silent on Hong Kong's protest against China, which led to major friction between the NBA and China. Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey was the centrepiece in the controversy after he tweeted out in support of the protests in Hong Kong. China subsequently reacted by cancelling the broadcast of all Rockets games in the country, despite Houston being one of the most popular teams. 

During an interview in 2019, LeBron James acknowledged the controversy stating: "I think when we talk about the political side, it was a very delicate situation, a very sensitive situation. And for me personally, you guys know that when I speak about something, I speak about something I’m very knowledgeable about, something I’m very passionate about."

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LeBron James Hong Kong tweet

Joshua Wong, a 23-year-old student activist from Hong Kong, accused LeBron James of 'hypocrisy' for raising his voice against racial injustice in the US but opting to remain silent on the protests in Hong Kong.   

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Free Woj movement: NBA stars demand Wojnarowski's suspension be lifted

Brooklyn Nets' Spencer Dinwiddie, Golden State Warriors rookie Eric Paschall, Los Angeles Clippers' Lou Williams and Patrick Beverley, Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo and several other NBA stars voiced their support for Adrian Wojnarowski on social media. 'Free Woj', therefore, became a full-blown campaign over the weekend as Wojnarowski found the backing of a number of NBA stars. 

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(Image Credits: AP, Senator Hawley Twitter Handle)