While accepting that its fans and partners in China were angered by a since deleted tweet, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said they respect the freedom of speech and the Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is entitled to his own opinion.
Well, I guess that’s a welcome move for fans who thought the league would capitulate to China because of its lucrative market.
The fallout after the tweet has been fast and furious, and Rockets games will no longer be aired in China. Of course, we all know who China’s biggest basketball star is who played his whole career with the Rockets, Yao Ming.
I’m glad the league decided not to censure the Rockets GM considering that a few months ago, it has expressed its support for Enes Kanter, who has been critical of Turkish president Recep Erdogan.
Since the Hong Kong protests won’t go away soon and might even escalate, I don’t think the China-NBA issue will go away soon, what with NBA stars these days getting political.
Should the league stop that? No. I hope more players will lend their clout to political causes and I hope players all over the world do the same. We have to stop this notion that athletes live in a bubble separate from society and aren’t affected by political issues.
I’ve read that the planned NBA games in China will just be canceled because of the ongoing tiff. Well, if the league is looking for another Asian country to host the game, one with an equally basketball-manic population, it does not need to look further.
Hold it here in the Philippines. Even if it’s a pre-season game, I’m sure it will be packed.
SUNSTAR CUP. Just a reminder to those who want to join our annual tournament, the coaches meeting is on Oct. 15, 2019 at the St. Mark’s Hotel at 2 p.m. This will also be the final chance for the coaches to avail of the early bird registration fee, which is P1,500.
The registration fee after that is P2,000.
Also, starting this year, we will be requiring coaches to have licenses and if your club or school doesn’t have a licensed coach, better link up with one who does for the tournament.
You can contact the Central Visayas Football Association for a list of coaches with licenses.
And it’s better that by next year, your own coach should have his own license. The Aboitiz Cup is already requiring licenses for the coaches, and I think the rest of the tournaments will follow suit too.