Written by: Simon Fischer

Sports and politics have always maintained a close relationship, but foreign policy has rarely been an issue between the two. Issues of race and freedom of speech entered the world of the NFL in 2016, but foreign policy has stayed separate from sports in any controversial manner. This previous context made the recent debacle involving China and the NBA even more fascinating; what started as a simple tweet from a league executive has spiraled into a legitimate problem for the US-Chinese relationship, as well as the NBA’s own carefully cultivated relationship with China. This tweet has not only been problematic, but it has more than crossed the paths of sports and foreign policy.

The problems began when Daryl Morey, the Houston Rockets General Manager, tweeted out a picture of the Hong Kong protests with the caption “Freedom for Hong Kong” on October 3 (the tweet has since been deleted). Reactions were swift. Rockets owner, Tilman Fertitta, quickly put out a statement of his own on Twitter condemning Morey and calling the Rockets an apolitical organization, but it could not stop the forthcoming opposition to the organization. The Chinese Basketball Association and telecom company Tencent, which formerly streamed NBA games in China, both cut ties with the team. Yet the issues were just beginning to take hold, as the league was soon to play two preseason games a week later in Shanghai and Shenzhen. The league finally put out its own statement on October 6, as a spokesman stated that Morey does not speak for the NBA and while they regretted offending any Chinese fans, the league supported Morey’s right to free speech. This apology did not satisfy Chinese businesses, though, and their response grew into more of a league-wide backlash that entangled these preseason games. China subsequently suspended all preseason broadcasts, all sponsors pulled out of having their logos on the court for the games, and there was no media availability for any players after the games. The response by the NBA in the states has been dramatic as well, as there have been multiple instances of censorship noted on social media regarding free speech on the issue. Fans tweeted that they were removed from arenas because they were displaying pro-Hong Kong signs and a reporter was prevented from asking a question about the situation to star Rockets players James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Even league icon LeBron James has played a part in the debacle, as he faced heavy criticism for stating that Morey “wasn’t educated” before speaking about the issue on Twitter.

To comprehend the NBA’s panicked reaction, one must understand how and why the league has maintained a long-standing partnership with China. It began when former Rockets player Yao Ming was drafted by the team #1 overall in 2002. There were few if any Asian players in the NBA before Yao entered the league, with little fan interest. But he quickly cashed in on his potential, becoming an All-Star by 2003, and his success brought attention and interest from the Chinese people. Yao even received the most All-Star votes ever in 2005, beating Michael Jordan’s record with over 2.5 million votes. The Rockets and the NBA capitalized on his popularity and established a working relationship with China, striving to build the league’s appeal and tap into the revenue potential that billions of citizens provided. Keeping this in mind, it is easy to see why team owner Fertitta and commissioner Silver reacted the way they did; they desperately want to keep the league’s relationship with China intact.

The most telling part of this controversy, though, has been the collective Chinese reaction to the ordeal and how it signifies the effectiveness of the Chinese government’s propaganda efforts regarding Hong Kong. Much of the notable reaction to Morey’s tweet has come from outside of the Chinese government, showing that their attempts to convince the public that the Hong Kong protests are an anti-nationalist separation movement are working. It also shows how sensitive the country is to the issue as a whole. Morey was not trying to be controversial by commenting on the protests, and while he is a high-level employee of the team, he does not interact with  China on a day to day basis. The fact that the Chinese government and its citizens have pushed back so hard on one tweet means that no matter what the government published, the protests have been deeply concerning for mainland China, and it will not be a problem that goes away soon.