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LeBron James authored an essay in China’s state-run People’s Daily on Monday, nearly six years after a post from former Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey ignited a firestorm in the country and frayed the relationship between the Chinese government in the NBA.
The Los Angeles Lakers star’s words came as he wrapped up the Forever King Tour in which he visited Shanghai and Chengdu. The tour coincided with his 20th anniversary of touring Asia with Nike.
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) talks with a referee in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game four of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center on April 27, 2025. (Matt Blewett/Imagn Images)
“The enthusiasm and kindness of Chinese friends deeply touch me, and all I can do is give my all in every game to express my gratitude,” he wrote in the paper, via Reuters. “I hope I can contribute to the development of Chinese basketball.”
The Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets were in Asia for a tour before the start of the 2019-20 season and it came as Hong Kong residents protested against a security law. Morey wrote on X, then called Twitter, “Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.” The post caused a huge rift between the NBA and China as some Chinese broadcasters refused to air games.
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A poster of NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers player LeBron James with China national flag is seen outside Mong Kok Mass Transit Railway (MTR) station during an anti-government protest, in Hong Kong, China, Oct. 20, 2019. (REUTERS/Tyrone Siu)
Morey would later delete the tweet and release a statement, saying: “I did not intend my tweet to cause any offense to Rockets fans and friends of mine in China. I was merely voicing one thought, based on one interpretation, of one complicated event. I have had a lot of opportunity since that tweet to hear and consider other perspectives.”
James, at the time, “raged” to players about Morey’s tweet, according to an ESPN report in 2022. He also spoke out once the Lakers arrived back in the United States, suggesting that those who are “misinformed or not educated about something” should not speak on geopolitical issues.
The South China Morning Post noted on Monday that James thanked his Chinese fans for their reception of him.
“Every time I come here, my family and I are warmly welcomed. I am deeply moved by the hospitality and friendliness of our Chinese friends. All I can do is give my all in every match and express my gratitude to everyone,” he wrote.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James appears during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, on Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
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It appears China has since cooled on its tensions with the NBA over the last few years with games slowly returning to Chinese broadcasters and streaming services.
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