In March, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) wrote a letter to the National Basketball Association (NBA) regarding their strong relationship with the Chinese government; the sports league has spent decades promoting their brand in the country with over a billion people and has become a huge market for the organization.
Because of this, some Sen. Scott and other congressional Republicans have accused the league of standing up for China and their interests – as authoritarian as they may be – rather than standing up for American values.
Sen. Scott’s letter questioned the league’s celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year during a Washington Wizards game. His letter was addressed to League Commissioner Adam Silver but was given a response by Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum.
Tatum stated, “China is home to hundreds of millions of NBA fans and is one of many international markets where the NBA is engaged in the business of exporting American basketball and the culture that comes with it. Through direct relationships we have with the fans that follow NBA basketball, we are an exporter of American values, and the values of our league.”
Tatum also answered the question of whether the NBA “regulates what players, team investors, and league and team personnel say on the topic of China or any political issue.”
However, it is not a secret that the league does not support any anti-China sentiment, regardless if they punish statements made against it.
In 2019 during the Hong Kong protests, former General Manager of the Houston Rockets Daryl Morey tweeted out “Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.”
The league stated that they were “extremely disappointed in the inappropriate comment” and that the Rockets GM “undoubtedly seriously hurt the feelings of Chinese basketball fans.”
With all of this in mind, Scott called the NBA’s response to his letter “pathetic.”
🚨 BREAKING: I asked the @NBA why they actively promote Communist China's evil regime and human rights abuse.
Their response is pathetic! I'm standing against the CCP, and I don't understand why the NBA refuses to do the same. pic.twitter.com/5WO5eilf2x
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) April 21, 2023
“BREAKING: I asked the NBA why they actively promote Communist China's evil regime and human rights abuse. Their response is pathetic! I'm standing against the CCP, and I don't understand why the NBA refuses to do the same,” stated Sen. Scott.
Sen. Scott recently urged for legal action against China for the COVID outbreak after some U.S. agencies declared the “lab-leak theory” as the actual cause of the spread.
