NBA: Lebron James Doesn’t Deserve This Heat

The back and forth between the United States and China has hit its peak. There’s tit-for-tat between the two world leaders and infamous South Park episode that got them banned, and then the now deleted tweet by Daryl Morey thrusting the NBA in to the mix. The NBA does billions of dollars in China, has exchanged talent, and up until now had a good working relationship with the NBA. Then someone decided to throw Lebron James into the mix.

Before we even start, this will not be a post bashing the superstar Lebron James and his position as the greatest of all time. So if you came looking for that, you missed.

Now when it comes to the NBA of course anything controversial that happens in the league, they’re going to ask their top stars their opinions. As reporters, everyone is trained to get the story. Unfortunately for players, they’ll get blindsided with questions they shouldn’t be forced to answer all for the sake of a few clips. Athletes and celebrities are constantly asked their opinion on topics because for some reason they become the voice of the people.

But here’s the problem, in this instance, this instance should have never worked its way into the locker room. At the end of the day the NBA’s business in China is just that, the business of the NBA. If Lebron James had an opinion on it, it should’ve been reserved for behind closed doors in a business manor. Now, all day long headlines read “Lebron James Faces Backlash” which is a bit unfair. Yes athletes make millions of dollars but they make it to play not to politic.

And it’s not Lebron’s fault either. Reporters force feed questions to athletes in a manor that if they don’t answer they come off as a jerk or unprofessional. There’s a difference between asking “Do you have an opinion on ___” vs “How do you feel about the NBA’s position in China”. One you have a polite way to decline “While I do have an opinion, at this point I’m only going to express my concerns behind closed doors with league officials.” There’s nothing wrong with that. There’s no way to misconstrued it. However, backing players into corners forcing them to answer seems to be the new normal. They’re athletes, not political pawns.

Free speech should not only allow a player to voice their opinion, but free speech should also allow a person to decline to comment. Sometimes we forget these athletes are people too and aren’t always going to say or do the right thing but it doesn’t change their intent. Lebron James might be facing backlash, but its backlash that should’ve never been brought to the table.