Los Angeles Lakers legend LeBron James is lending his voice to the NBA's involvement in China.
He is doing so in the form of a rare opinion piece written for Chinese state media, per ESPN.
In writing for the People's Daily newspaper, James outlined his case for basketball being used as a diplomatic tool.
This comes at a time of heightened tension between the United States and China. Currently, President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on China, to which China has threatened retaliation.
Last Month, Trump delayed imposing the tariffs for 90 days as both countries are negotiating towards a potential deal.
Meanwhile, the NBA is set to embark on a tour in China before the season begins. The Phoenix Suns and the Brooklyn Nets will play two preseason games on Oct. 10 and Oct. 12 in Macao.
Also, James reflected on his visit to China and was amazed by the support he received.
“It's super humbling for me to be able to come here, so far away from home, and get the reception and the love, I just wanted to pour it back to the community and to this country,” Xinhua, the official news agency, quoted James as saying as he wrapped up his visit in Chengdu.
In response to his op-ed, the Hong Kong-based newspaper South China Morning post said:
“It is rare for the mouthpiece of China's ruling Communist Party to run articles carrying the byline of foreign sports stars. It is more common for international sporting heroes to connect with fans in China via Chinese social media.”
The controversy surrounding LeBron James and China
In recent years, James has been criticized for failing to speak up on human rights abuses in China, particularly with regard to the treatment of Uyghur Muslims.
This goes back to 2019 when then Houston Rockets GM now 76ers GM Darryl Morey tweeted his support for human rights protesters in Hong Kong. At the time, the Lakers were playing against the Nets in China.
James said that Morey was “misinformed” and “not educated” on the matter.
Morey's tweet was later deleted. However, China imposed a year long ban on NBA games being broadcasted.
In 2022, games were broadcasted again. Basketball is widely popular in China.
