NBA letter on China ‘inconceivable and disrespectful’
Sports Illustrated released the NBA’s reply to a U.S. senator’s inquiry into the financial relationship between the professional basketball league and Communist China.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who sent the inquiry to the NBA on June 30, called the NBA’s reply “inconceivable and disrespectful,” according to Sports Illustrated.
In their reply to Blackburn, the NBA claims that it shut the basketball camp in the Chinese province of Xinjiang that it ran previously; that the league lost $200-$400 million after China shut down NBA broadcasts; and that it has a marketing relationship with Alibaba, the Chinese internet company, for digital distribution of the NBA.
However, Blackburn said the NBA’s response to her inquiry wasn’t good enough.
Most importantly, she says, the NBA reply has not answered questions about the conflict between the values the NBA claims to profess and its relationship with China.
Blackburn expressed satisfaction that the NBA says it no longer offers basketball camps in Xinjiang, the home of re-education camps targeted at China’s Muslim minority.
“The NBA has had no involvement with the Xinjiang basketball academy for more than a year, and the relationship has been terminated,” Mark Tatum, the association’s deputy commissioner and the chief operating officer wrote to Blackburn.
However, Blackburn says the response “lacks the appropriate concern and responsibility that should accompany congressional correspondence.”
International and U.S. observers have been increasingly vocal about Chinese human rights violations in Xinjiang. Forced Chinese labor camps targeted at the Muslim minority in the region are at odds with the progressive image that the NBA tries to project in America.
“The actions of the NBA and some players have created an appearance that your league prioritizes profit over principle,” said Blackburn in her original inquiry.
NBA partners, such as Nike, have also come under fire for benefiting from slave labor in shoe factories in Qingdao province, for example, while hiring progressives like Colin Kaepernick to complain about racial inequality in the U.S.
Last fall, the NBA found itself in a controversy involving human rights abuses by China in Hong Kong and gave every appearance of favoring China over the rights of Hong Kongers.
Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted out support for Hong Kong against Chinese interference and was hung out to dry by the NBA. Under pressure from the NBA, the Houston Rockets even considered firing Morey says Blake Schuster at Yahoo Sports.
Morey was also chastised by LeBron James, who called the tweet “misinformed.”
The NBA probably wants the whole Chinese controversy to go away. But given its foray into politics in the U.S., they shouldn’t count on it.
“The @NBA doesn’t want to talk about their financial relationship with Communist China, a country responsible for some of the greatest human rights violations of all time,” tweeted Blackburn today.
“Why won’t [NBA] Commissioner Silver address this?”
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Lebron is a Coward and money is his GOD
It’s about time that these hypocrites are rotisserie what the are…money-grubbing, spoiled brats who believe we should do as they day, not as they do…pathetic pieces of human detritus!
Lousy spellchecker! “…are revealed for what…”
This proves how completely funny and disingenuous the NBA is when it comes to human rights. China is engaged in genocide in Xinjiang province. They have sterilized hundreds of thousands of Uighur women of child birthing age. Falsely imprisoned over 1 million Uighurs! They have shaved their heads and beards and force them to eat pork, against their religion. It’s beyond reprehensible. This is the equivalent of supporting the Nazi regime and turning a blind eye to their wicked behavior during World War II.
Clearly owner Mark Cuban is fine with his players disrespecting the flag and Anthem I can only surmise that applies to the entire NBA. Given that why would allegiance to China be surprising ?
The NBA should go away.
This is why as an American and Veteran I can no longer watch the NBA or the NFL. They have no integrity and a hate for America that I can’t overlook as a Veteran and I will not watch them or buy or spend money on their products. You get what you deserve by your actions and votes. America needs to wake up and put America first or one day it will be too late and we will become just another failure where money greed and hate is the norm and trying to make our country and the world a better place will be lost.
At least someone is doing something about the sports world and their connection to China and human rights. James is like Kaepernick and Wallace all they care about is the attention. Funny though because I really don’t see it being good attention on their behalf. Sports in America has been marked for their hate of the American people. Why is it democrats and all these other privileged people are choosing China over us? These people will start feeling the sting from the American people before long. Americans spend their money on American things so sports have said China first so let China bail them out. What I find amazing is that Kaepernick isn’t even on a team yet he disrespects the fans still. Then you have Wallace and his noose and grandstanding until blue lives matter and Trump 2020 appear then of course get rid of that also. Now he wrecks out and bashes Michael for his Christian views. He already told one driver he didn’t matter and now this. People who support Marxist are causing trouble and stirring the racist pot. Because not a one of these sports figures gives a hoot about all those black lives killed and communities destroyed let alone beating up white people so that look like a man, NOT. So go after these people Mrs. Blackburn I’m with you on this. This is America and you either respect your citizenship or get the hell out of my country.
Cuban is over rated, a fool, does NOT live in the real world.
NO foreign nations should impact uSA & / or Texas cos.
The CCP is a G-dless, communist nation that stands against G-d, Jews, & Christians.
I have NO problem w/ China’s determination MOSLEMS are disruptive to their society
& have decided to eliminate the scourge, the blight on humanity.
Japan, Poland, et al. nations forbid MOSLEM invasions & determined ISLAM is a DEATH CULT.
The celebrity of the sports associations & the members reflects attitudes of privilege. They should be held to standards of any other business , this is exactly what they are – a business. Their attitude of privilege & celebrity is a result of their constant media coverage & the money they earn! It gives them the ego to reel of whatever is asked of them. More people are posting that they are not following the leagues in the future. Today, a comment was made by players of the National Basketball League that they find it more difficult to play without an audience! Maybe they better get used to it because Americans have witnessed their lack of behaving as Americans & their bad behavior in their personal lives. They need to return to the conference room & deliberate about their future. Without respect of their followers, they don’t have a great future!
This article brings to mind a question that I have heard none ask. When speaking of slave labor and Nike, then considering Kaepernick promoting the product, profiting a great deal, does this not make Kaepernick a slave owner by proxy? Seems a bit idealistic but direct or proxy, a slave is still a slave, right? Not like the slave knows the difference or could care.
Support the brave men and women of Hong Kong in their struggle for freedom.
What would really piss off the Chicoms is if we sent about 100,000 AR-15 rifles and a few million rounds of M193 ammunition their way…
“All political power comes from the barrel of a gun. The communist party must command all the guns, that way, no guns can ever be used to command the party.”
Mao Tse-tung
The N.B.A….’Not Backing America’ Congrats to Sen Blackburn(R-TN), for her stance on this. One can only hope that the American sports fans in particular and the American people in general have had enough of the owners and players comments, edicts, and demands and will stop supporting them until they change or go broke. Add to that the feckless Major League Baseball players and other personnel that have recently chosen to knell during the National Anthem, You people are pathetic, as are these grossly overpaid individuals that are taking our money for playing ‘children’s games’. Comment to the MLB hierarchy, you guys needs to grow some balls!
SHUT DOWN THE nba!
Did you see the San Francisco Giants kneeling during the national anthem? Apparently, major league baseball teams are joining in on the idiocy
I thought only white people could own slaves /s