Kyrie Irving's Unrepentant Antisemitism and his Profiting from Chinese Human Rights Abuses Are Ignored by Most Media Outlets
Kyrie Irving arrived to game two of the NBA Finals carrying a keffiyeh. This is not the first time that Irving has displayed a keffiyeh at an NBA game; regardless of what the garment may have represented in the past, what it represents now is support for Hamas' October 7, 2023 mass casualty terrorist attack against Israel, and Hamas' declaration of its intent to perpetrate such attacks "again and again and again" until Israel is destroyed. Irving has also worn a necklace with a map of Israel covered by a Palestinian flag, and after the October 7 attack he has been silent about Jewish victims but instead posted to social media, "Where are all you tough talking Media Heads
that get on TV and social platforms to condemn people who stand by the
oppressed?? Crimes are being committed against humanity and most of you
are silent. Cat got your tongue? Or you’re afraid of actually standing
for something real." Thus, Irving not only blatantly ignores the full dimension of the atrocities committed by Hamas, but he falsely accuses Israel of war crimes while advocating--via the symbols he proudly wears--the replacement of Israel with a Palestinian state (i.e., advocating genocide of Jews). Anti-Zionism is antisemitism, and Irving is a raving anti-Zionist who is not criticizing specific Israeli policies but rather advocating that Israel be destroyed and replaced by a Palestinian Arab state.
Further, during a January 2024 game Irving demanded that a Jewish fan take down a Jewish pride sign. Irving exercises his freedom to express whatever hate-filled vitriol is floating through his head while also seeking to repress other people's freedom of expression.
It would be considered unacceptable for an NBA player to deny the horrors of the Transatlantic slave trade, or to post social media comments making false allegations against Black people, so it is also unacceptable for an NBA player to openly display antisemitism--and Irving's conduct documented above demonstrates that he is antisemitic.
Irving has the right to wear or display whatever garments he wants to wear/display, but the NBA also has a right--and an obligation--to make clear where it stands. The NBA has been very vocal about supporting Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ rights, and other selected causes, so its silence about surging antisemitism is noteworthy and disturbing. The Mavericks' majority owner, Miriam Adelson, is Jewish, as is minority owner Mark Cuban, and it is disappointing that using Irving's talents to try to win an NBA title is apparently more important to them than the deplorable stances that Irving takes regarding the Jewish people and Israel.
On top of Irving's unrepentant antisemitism, he and many other NBA players promote shoes that are made by Chinese companies that use slave laborers. The NBA is demonstrating that it cares more about profits than human rights, and that extends to the disparate treatment that team owners receive after engaging in misconduct or presiding over a workplace with rampant misconduct; thus, Mark Cuban fared better than Robert Sarver, who fared better than Donald Sterling.
I have often written about racism and the Civil Rights Movement, and I have drawn attention to movies like "Black Magic" that powerfully describe history that must never be forgotten. I have written about Chinese human rights abuses, as noted above. Collectively, the Jewish people have been vocal supporters of the Civil Rights Movement, and some Jews paid the ultimate price for such support. Jews spoke out for Blacks because it is the right thing to do, without expecting anything in return--but the widespread and growing antisemitism in the Black community, as reflected in the support that Irving receives in the Black community for his antisemitism, is very disappointing.
Between games one and two of the NBA Finals, Vince Goodwill asked Boston Coach Joe Mazzulla a rambling, incoherent questions about Black NBA coaches, and then Goodwill wrote a rambling, incoherent column after Mazzulla failed to take the (race) bait. Does Goodwill's attempted foray into social advocacy extend to antisemitism and to Chinese persecution of Uighur Muslims, or does he specialize in selective outrage calculated to bring maximum attention to himself? I have mixed feelings about giving Goodwill the attention that he craves, but he is already a national media figure, so calling him out for failing to ask the most important questions is important even if that gives him more attention.
Goodwill is not alone in his selective approach regarding bigotry and persecution. Will Brian Windhorst, Dave McMenamin, Mike Wilbon, Stephen A. Smith, or any of the other national media members covering the NBA Finals report about Irving's antisemitism and Irving's promotion of shoes built by Chinese companies that are flagrant abusers of human rights?
Labels: China, Dallas Mavericks, Hamas, Israel, Kyrie Irving
posted by David Friedman @ 8:11 PM
Kyrie Irving's Chinese Shoe Company ANTA is Involved in Human Rights Abuses, Including the Use of Slave Labor
The recent announcement that Kyrie Irving signed his father to a shoe contract was presented as a heartwarming and unique story of familial love. There is no doubt that Irving timed this announcement to coincide
with the NBA Finals in order to garner maximum media attention, and thus
obtain the maximum possible profits from sales of the new shoe.
An important part of that story was left out: ANTA and other Chinese shoe companies that have NBA player representatives are involved in human rights abuses, including the use of slave labor.
How many media members are
knowledgeable enough and have enough intestinal fortitude to point out
ANTA's sordid track record? Since Irving decided to make this
announcement on the eve of the NBA Finals, will even one media member
dare to question Irving about this during any of the NBA Finals media availability
sessions?
It must be noted that Irving is not the only NBA player who has a shoe deal with a Chinese company; other current and retired players with such deals include Precious Achiuwa, Jimmy Butler, Alex Caruso, Hamidou Diallo, Spencer Dinwiddie, Aaron Gordon, Udonis Haslem, Gordon Hayward, Kevon Looney, Terance Mann, C.J. McCollum, Austin Reaves, D'Angelo Russell, Klay Thompson, Fred VanVleet, Dwyane Wade, Andrew Wiggins, and Lou Williams.
All of those players should be called out, not just Kyrie Irving--but the NBA cares about profits, not people; the Chinese persecution of Uighur Muslims does not concern self-proclaimed "progressives" in general, nor does it concern the NBA--which touts itself as the most "progressive" sports league--in particular. "Progressives" speak out about alleged human rights violations in Gaza because this serves their preferred antisemitic/anti-Zionist narrative, but the reality is that they don't care about Muslims in Gaza, China, or anywhere else, because if they cared then they would speak out against China instead of focusing their attention on false allegations against the only democratic nation in the Mideast.
Will anyone have the guts to ask Irving why he proudly wears a keffiyeh to show his support for Hamas' terrorism against Israel and the Jewish people while also profiting off of the enslavement of Uighur Muslims in China? Will anyone ask Irving to speak out against Hamas' persecution of Gazans, including stealing the aid provided by the international community? Does anyone care about Irving's blatant hypocrisy of claiming to care about Muslims when in fact his Chinese shoe company is persecuting Muslims?
Or are we just going to be subjected to the Kyrie Irving redemption narrative devoid of facts and context? That narrative is rapidly descending into propaganda actively promoted by sympathetic media outlets and media members.
Irving often states that Kobe Bryant was his mentor. Bryant spoke out against Arab/Islamic genocide in Sudan. Will Irving ever speak out against Arab/Islamic genocide and totalitarianism? Or is Irving so wrapped up in promoting antisemitic conspiracies that he cannot bring himself to speak out against Arab/Islamic countries and movements that are antisemitic? Irving mentions the rights of indigenous people. Is he aware that Arabs/Muslims colonized and depopulated a vast swath of territory extending from Morocco all the way to Pakistan? Will Irving ever speak out about the Arab/Muslim persecution of indigenous African, Mideast, and Asian communities?
Irving cannot have it both ways: he cannot insist on being judged only as a basketball player but then also tout himself as some kind of humanitarian philosopher while he is promoting antisemitism and profiting off of human rights abuses.
Former NBA player Etan Thomas spoke out against the Brooklyn Nets suspending Kyrie Irving for promoting a film containing antisemitic tropes. Thomas has been very critical--in a baseless and uninformed way--of Israel for alleged human rights violations. When will Thomas speak out against Irving and all of the other NBA players who are profiting from China's human rights abuses? Former NBA players Craig Hodges and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf say a lot about Israel and Gaza; have they ever spoken out against Chinese persecution of Muslims? Thomas, Hodges, Abdul-Rauf, Irving, and others are making it clear, based on what they speak about and what they are silent about, who and what they actually represent; what they actually represent has little to do with fighting oppression. They are advancing an anti-democracy/anti-capitalism/pro-Marxist agenda; anything that they believe advances that agenda will be mentioned, and anything that they believe does not advance than agenda will be ignored. China is a communist country, so Chinese oppression does not advance an anti-democracy/anti-capitalism/pro-Marxist agenda. That is why Irving wears a keffiyeh while profiting from Chinese persecution of Muslims, and that is why Thomas, Hodges, Abdul-Rauf, and others are so pro-Irving and so silent about China.
ESPN knows about and has covered the fact that Chinese shoe companies with NBA player representatives use slave labor and commit human rights abuses--but will Mike Wilbon, Stephen A. Smith, Brian Windhorst, Dave McMenamin, or anyone from ESPN's wall to wall NBA Finals coverage have the courage to call out Irving's hypocrisy? Irving is using his status as an NBA star to profit off of Chinese oppression, and he has used his huge social media presence to promote antisemitism; media members have an obligation to question Irving about these topics.
Labels: ANTA, antisemitism, China, Etan Thomas, Kyrie Irving
posted by David Friedman @ 11:39 AM
The NBA Tries to Figure Out How to Best Monetize the National Anthem
The NBA requires teams to play the National Anthem before each game, and the NBA requires team employees to stand respectfully while the National Anthem is played. These rules are not new. Over 20 years ago, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (formerly known as Chris Jackson) found those rules objectionable and he decided to remain in the locker room while the National Anthem was played. The NBA did not ban him, but the league suspended him without pay for one game before he and the league agreed to a compromise stipulating that Abdul-Rauf would stand with his eyes closed during the playing of the National Anthem. After fulfilling his part of the compromise for a few seasons, Abdul-Rauf ultimately pursued career options other than being an NBA player, though he did return to the NBA for the 2000-01 season.
During the COVID-19 "bubble" last season, the league permitted players and team employees to kneel during the National Anthem, but that was more about granting some leeway during unusual circumstances than actually changing the rules. This season, everything was supposed to return to normal. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban apparently did not get that memo. His team did not play the National Anthem before home games this season, and this supposedly went unnoticed by the league until Cuban made some public statements drawing attention to how he flouted the league's rules, whereupon the league informed him that the rules have not been changed. The Mavericks have resumed playing the National Anthem prior to games, with some commentators praising Cuban's initial actions and other commentators praising the league for enforcing its longstanding rules.
It is difficult to believe that the NBA did not know about Cuban's National Anthem policy until he publicly spoke about it. No, the league was willing to let things go if no one complained--but as soon as this became a public issue, the NBA did some back of the envelope math and figured out that the NBA's declining ratings would decline further if other teams followed Cuban's example. So, Cuban issued some weak statement about his new policy not really being a policy but rather just some kind of experiment, the NBA stated that its rules had not been changed, and everything has returned to normal.
The NBA's hypocrisy would be laughable were it not so self-righteous and absurd. The league breaks its collective arms patting itself on the back for being progressive: "The NBA Cares," we have been told ad nauseam.
What a farce. The NBA cares primarily about profits. If the NBA thought that it could make more money by having someone read excerpts from The Communist Manifesto before each game then the NBA would do it in a heartbeat; if the NBA thought that paying customers did not care about the National Anthem then the NBA would drop the National Anthem in a heartbeat.
For now, playing the National Anthem is a better financial decision than not playing the National Anthem.
There is no principle at work here other than maximizing profits. There is nothing inherently wrong with maximizing profits--provided that no laws are broken and no people are harmed--but it is obnoxious when a multi-billion dollar business repeatedly makes money-centered decisions while at the same time touting how progressive it is.
The NBA does not care about genocide in China, because doing business with China is a significant revenue source that the NBA is determined to maintain and grow.
The NBA does not care about the health and safety of its players, as demonstrated last week with the ludicrous scene of Kevin Durant being told that he could not play, then being permitted to play, and then being told that he could not play and that he would have to isolate for a week. If he has to isolate due to contact tracing and "an abundance of caution" then why doesn't every player--every NBA employee-who came in contact with him also have to isolate? Follow the money: if the NBA did that, then the season would collapse, and the league would lose hundreds of millions--if not billions--of dollars. So, instead we have a charade that is less about health and safety, and much more about acting like the league cares about health and safety.
The NBA dragged its feet for decades while players who retired prior to 1965 struggled in their old age without having an NBA pension. After many of those players passed away, the NBA finally threw a small amount of cash to the survivors. The ABA-NBA merger stipulated that the combined league would honor the pensions of ABA players, but the NBA is apparently waiting for a few more of those guys to pass away before helping out the survivors. The total amount of money that it would take to help the remaining ABA players who do not have pensions has been estimated at less than $2 million. That is pocket change for the NBA. The NBA loudly proclaims "Black Lives Matter" but is unwilling to commit even a relatively small amount of money to help the players--most of whom are Black--who helped build the league into the multi-billion dollar business it is today.
Commissioner Adam Silver gets a lot of credit for how he dealt with racist owner Donald Sterling. Sterling was a racist owner for decades, but the league never did anything until it was clear that Sterling's racism had become a public scandal that could cost the league money (and possibly lead to a player boycott).
A 43 page report detailed an institutional culture of sexual harassment that lasted for over 20 years in the Dallas Mavericks' organization. Cuban was not directly implicated in any improper conduct, but the report stated that "significant errors in judgment" and "institutional failures" had happened on his watch. Cuban and the Mavericks received no discipline from the NBA. Media members who cover the NBA regularly praise Cuban for being a
progressive and innovative thinker. Remember all of this the next time
you hear about how much the NBA is doing to empower women and girls.
The NBA should be ashamed of all of this, but as long as the cash keeps coming in the league's attitude is, in the vernacular, "Money talks and BS walks." Murdered people in China, destitute basketball pioneers, a racist owner, female employees enduring sexual harassment while Cuban looked the other way--it is all BS to the NBA.
Do not take this to mean that other leagues are better. MLB is a joke, and I have written about that before; it is ridiculous that Bud Selig is in the Baseball Hall of Fame, and that the PED cheater Alex Rodriguez is a celebrated baseball commentator. The NFL, like the NBA, has also not done right for many of its retired players, and the league is trying to figure out how much crowd-pleasing violence it can get away with allowing while giving lip service to being concerned about brain injuries. How many NFL Hall of Famers have died as a result of brain injuries? How many ex-NFL players have ended up homeless due at least in part to their brain injuries severely impacting their ability to function? How many ex-NFL players have committed suicide by shooting themselves in the torso so that their brains can be preserved for study?
I know more about the NBA than I do about the other leagues, and I have covered the NBA in person, so it is only natural that I write more about the NBA both in terms of the greatness of its athletes and the hypocrisy of its organizational policies.
The National Anthem "controversy" stems in part from non-lawyers and non-scholars struggling to understand what the Constitutional right to free speech entails. The right to free speech means that the government cannot restrict your right to free speech; the right to free speech does not mean that you can say whatever you want whenever and wherever you want without facing any consequences. A private employer has the legal right to restrict its employees' speech in many ways: it can contractually prevent employees from revealing proprietary information, it can determine what employees may or may not do with company-owned computers/internet access, and so forth, provided that such restrictions are spelled out as terms of employment and do not violate federal or state laws. Thus, the NBA can set as a condition of employment that its teams play the National Anthem prior to each game, and that each team employee shall stand respectfully while the National Anthem is played. Anyone who does not accept that condition of employment is subject to discipline, up to and possibly including termination of employment.
The United States' history and flaws are well-documented, and seemingly discussed in the media on a daily basis now. There is a tendency to forget that this country was founded by people who fled tyranny, and that this country's significant efforts in World War I and World War II (to cite just two examples) did much to preserve and extend freedom around the world. This country, for all of its shortcomings, is a place where a person who has no college education can accumulate generational wealth--tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of dollars--on the basis of athletic skill. Anyone who does not want to stand for the National Anthem has plenty of other employment options: there are basketball leagues all over the world that do not play the U.S.National Anthem before their games, and players have the opportunity to offer their services to the highest bidder in any of those leagues.
I am not deeply offended by people who kneel for the National Anthem, but I am puzzled by what they think they are accomplishing. The National Anthem is not the Confederate flag; it is not a symbol of oppression, unless you believe that this country is fundamentally evil. I believe that this country has done wrong and must do better, but that this country is also, in President Abraham Lincoln's heartfelt, eloquent words, "the last best hope of Earth." I believe that there are other, better ways to protest injustice, and/or call attention to specific situations than not standing for the National Anthem. The playing of the National Anthem is a moment when all of us can stand together in gratitude for what this country has accomplished, and in hope for what this country will accomplish in terms of righting past wrongs/doing better in the future.
Although I stand for the National Anthem, I can respect someone who peacefully decides to kneel--but only if that person is also willing to accept the potential consequences of that action. If the National Anthem is that offensive to one's ears, then the political and economic systems that enable the NBA to exist and thrive are also offensive.
It really is simple. The NBA, as a private employer, has a right to play the National Anthem before games with the expectation that its employees will stand respectfully while the National Anthem is played. Each person has a right to decide what terms of employment are acceptable financially, morally, and otherwise--and each person has a right to decide to seek employment from an employer whose rules and policies align with behaviors that are are palatable to that person.
Labels: ABA, Adam Silver, China, Dallas Mavericks, Donald Sterling, Mark Cuban, National Anthem, NBA, Pre-1965ers
posted by David Friedman @ 10:00 PM
NBA Cares About Profits
"NBA Cares" is a clever marketing slogan, but some people are just now figuring out what all of us should have always understood: the NBA is a multi-billion dollar business that "cares" first and foremost about profits. Any public stance that the NBA and/or its players or coaches have taken on a social or political issue has rarely involved sacrifice of money or freedom for a larger principle (see below for one notable exception, involving Enes Kanter).
In 1967, when Muhammad Ali refused to participate in the military draft, he sacrificed his heavyweight world championship title, a significant amount of money and the prime years of his boxing career. Whether or not you agreed then or agree now with the stance that he took, there is no denying that Ali placed his beliefs and his principles above profit. In marked contrast, the NBA with its slogans, and its individual players sporting t-shirts and spouting comments, have rarely displayed the kind of courage that Ali did.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has a fiduciary responsibility to his bosses--the owners of the league's 30 franchises--to maximize the NBA's profitability. That is Silver's primary job, and the owners can fire him if he does that job poorly, or if they determine that someone else could do a better job. Understand that, and you understand why Silver is doing everything in his power to appease a totalitarian Chinese regime that does not approve of Daryl Morey's tweet regarding Hong Kong.
On October 4, 2019, Darryl Morey, the Houston Rockets' General Manager, tweeted "Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong." After a major backlash from China's Communist government--including economic reprisals against the NBA--Morey deleted his Hong Kong tweet. Hong Kong dealt with many anti-government demonstrations this past summer regarding a proposed bill that would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited from Hong Kong to mainland China, whose judicial system's fairness is questionable, to say the least. China's
long, awful history of oppression and government-sanctioned violence is well-documented--including the
ongoing persecution of Uighur Muslims--so it is understandable why Hong Kong 's citizens would prefer to maintain as much autonomy as possible.
On Sirius XM Radio's NBA channel, former NBA player Brendan Haywood summarized the NBA's policy considerations succinctly and accurately. Haywood said that the NBA is primarily focused on profits, which explains why the NBA took a pro-LGBT position regarding the All-Star Game in North Carolina, and also explains why the NBA will continue to bow to Chinese pressure regarding Morey's tweet: the LGBT community and the Chinese government both represent constituencies that are significant income sources for the league. Haywood concluded that if the LGBT community did not have purchasing and lobbying power, and if China did not provide a significant portion of the league's Basketball Related Income (BRI) then the NBA would have had different policies in both situations.
The NBA's policies are not based on "caring" or being "woke" or any other high-sounding principles. The NBA's policies are based on generating income and increasing profits--period.
One could argue whether or not that is the way the NBA
should run its business, but there is no disputing how the NBA
is running its business, and therefore the NBA should stop publicly emphasizing how socially conscious the league is. The NBA should admit that it does not want to lose billions of dollars of revenue from the Chinese market, and therefore the league is willing to turn a blind eye to the Chinese government's oppressive policies, even though some of those policies adversely affect the very same groups and people who the NBA purportedly "cares" about in other circumstances.
Regarding NBA coaches like Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich who have been very outspoken about selected topics but are following the company line regarding China, we understand that China is paying a significant portion of their salaries and thus they may find it imprudent to offend their master, but it is disingenuous for them to act like they take high-minded, thoughtful positions on social and political issues if they are unwilling to speak out about China. Think back to any previous public policy pronouncement made by Kerr or Popovich; have they ever risked or sacrificed their money or freedom to uphold a principled belief the way that Muhammad Ali did?
Kerr's specific statement that he does not feel well informed enough about China to comment does not pass muster; Kerr, Popovich and other world famous NBA figures have made numerous personal appearances in China, and those appearances lend comfort and support to that country's regime. When you do that, and when China is paying part of your salary, you have an obligation to be informed. Further, Kerr's comment that all countries, including the United States, have issues to address is, to put it mildly, an ignorant comparison/moral equivalency. China is a dictatorship whose citizens do not have the most basic rights: no right to vote, no right to due process, no right to free speech. Chinese citizens can be arrested or even killed without consequence.
In the United States, citizens have the right to elect government officials, the right to due process and the right to publicly speak out--including the right to criticize government officials, a right that Kerr and Popovich regularly exercise. The American Experiment--the American Dream--of a multi-ethnic, multi-religious community living together in peace and freedom is not perfect, but it is unprecedented in human history and it is a beacon of hope for many people around the world; that is why people tend to flee China and countries like China, and why people flock to America. If you cannot understand the differences between the challenges of holding together a fragile, free and open multicultural society versus the systematic evils committed by a totalitarian regime then you are a fool. If you understand those differences but decline to speak truth to power because it might cost you money, then you are something far worse than a fool. I respect Kerr and Popovich as coaches, as leaders, and as generally intelligent individuals, and that is why I expect a lot more from them on this issue than they have provided thus far.
This is not meant to suggest that players should "shut up and
dribble" or that coaches should "shut up and coach." The point is that
there is a vast difference between speaking out publicly only when it
benefits you financially--or, at the very least, is unlikely to cause
you any financial harm--as opposed to speaking out publicly in a way
that could potentially cause you financial harm. Many years ago, Michael Jordan was
heavily criticized for allegedly saying, "Republicans buy sneakers,
too" to justify not endorsing a Democrat, but at least
Jordan was honest and not hypocritical: he did not want to make any political statements that
might cost him money.
LeBron James' recent comments criticizing Morey's
tweet are the height of hypocrisy; however you think or feel about
Jordan, he was honest: he was not trying to be Muhammad Ali or Curt
Flood or Oscar Robertson. James strives to be perceived as "woke," but chides Morey for a tweet because "so many people could have been harmed, not only financially but physically, emotionally, spiritually." Translation: "Shut up and be a GM, Mr. Morey, because you are potentially costing me a lot of Chinese money."
James added, "I believe he wasn't educated on the situation at hand and he spoke," and James later tweeted about Morey, "Could have waited a week to send it." So, was Morey truly not "educated" or should he have just "waited a week" to save the NBA's money? How would James respond if someone suggested that he is not "educated" about the issues that he addresses publicly, or that James should wait before commenting because his comments might affect others on his team or in the league? Has James ever considered how anyone but himself is affected by his statements and actions? Let's take a poll of his teammates from last season--or his Cleveland teammates circa 2010--on that point.
In contrast to James, Enes Kanter has publicly spoken out against the repressive policies of Turkey, Kanter's native land. Responding to James' reaction to Morey, Kanter tweeted the consequences of his public statements about Turkey:
"-Haven't seen or talked to my family 5 years
-Jailed my dad
-My siblings can't find jobs
-Revoked my passport
-International arrest warrant
-My family can't leave the country
-Got Death Threats everyday
-Got attacked, harassed
-Tried to kidnap me in Indonesia
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE"
Kanter has made many sacrifices as a result of his public stance. If he wants to call himself "woke," he has earned that right (but most, if not all, people who are truly "woke" would never describe themselves that way). Most of the other members of the NBA community are more interested in counting dollars than making sense.
In today's globally interconnected economy, it is probably difficult it not impossible for most of us to have no economic connection to China or Chinese products (It could also be debated whether it is better to boycott, or to engage with the hope of changing policies over time; a detailed discussion of that topic is beyond the scope of this article, but as a starting point to that conversation I would suggest boycotting authoritarian regimes, while working with countries that have free elections and free speech even if we disagree with some policy decisions made by those countries). However, the NBA has chosen to actively participate in China's economy to a significant extent, and to reap billions of dollars in income from that participation. The NBA could decide to participate to a much lesser extent, or to make any participation at all contingent on policy changes that enhance personal freedom for China's citizens. The NBA has chosen otherwise, and it is weak for Kerr, Popovich or anyone else to ignore that choice or to plead ignorance about it. To put it in the vernacular phrasing, regarding China, I would suggest, "If you don't know, ask somebody"--and ask somebody outside of the NBA cocoon, somebody who understands the issues. To borrow a phrase, this is more than a game--this is a life and death situation for the Chinese people.
It would be unfortunate if Daryl Morey loses his job as a result of his tweet, but Haywood made a good point about this as well: the Constitutional right to free speech means that the U.S. government cannot prevent you from voicing your opinion, but it does not protect you from being fired by your private employer. It is interesting that, for all of Morey's self-professed analytical
acumen, he could not figure out that tweaking the totalitarian source of
billions of NBA dollars would not go over well with the league. However if Morey is fired, it should not be because of his tweet, but because he is a flawed talent evaluator who
ranks James Harden ahead of Michael Jordan as a scorer and because the advantages that he self-promotes as a "stat guru" have failed to translate into a single NBA Finals appearance after more than a decade of wheeling and dealing.
Labels: Adam Silver, Brendan Haywood, China, Daryl Morey, Enes Kanter, Gregg Popovich, Hong Kong, LeBron James, NBA, Steve Kerr
posted by David Friedman @ 6:25 PM
Team USA Routs China 119-62 in Olympics Opener
China took a 2-0 lead versus Team USA in the first game of Group A play but that was China's highlight moment before Team USA rolled to a 119-62 victory. Kevin Durant scored a game-high 25 points on 10-14 field goal shooting and he also had a game-high six assists. Yi Jianlian led China with 25 points but he shot just 8-19 from the field.
Team USA started Durant, Klay Thompson, Carmelo Anthony, DeMarcus Cousins and Kyrie Irving. Doug Collins deemed this Team USA's "best offensive lineup," while he described the second unit featuring Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Paul George, DeMar DeRozan and DeAndre Jordan as the "pitbull unit" that is very defensive-minded.
Team USA's first unit looked just a little sluggish during the first few possessions but they soon held a 17-6 lead after Durant opened the game with six points on 3-3 field goal shooting. Team USA never looked back after that, pushing the margin to 30-10 by the end of the first quarter and 59-30 at halftime. Durant scored 17 points in the first half on 7-9 field goal shooting, including 3-4 from three point range. Team USA forced 15 turnovers in the first half as China struggled to run any kind of halfcourt offense.
China matched Team USA basket for basket early in the third quarter but then Team USA went on another huge run to extend the lead to 91-47 by the end of the quarter.
This game is not much of a measuring stick for Team USA but it is a good sign that Team USA is committed to strong defense and unselfish offensive play. It is sometimes suggested that Team USA needs to have good three point shooters in order to win in FIBA play but the reality is that there are four keys for Team USA that
Doug Collins mentioned during the 2012 Olympics and that I had previously noted in my
analysis of Team USA's losses in FIBA play between 2002 and 2006:
1) Pressure defense converted into points off of turnovers
2) Defend the three point line
3) Defensive rebounding
4) Depth
Team USA excelled in all four areas versus China, forcing 24 turnovers, holding China to 5-17 three point shooting, grabbing 33 defensive rebounds while allowing only seven offensive rebounds and using their depth to wear China down, resulting in big runs that blew the game open. Team USA's depth, athleticism and versatility are overwhelming.
Durant was the best player on the court but a good case could be made that the second best player was DeMarcus Cousins, who finished with 17 points on 6-8 field goal shooting plus five rebounds in just 15 minutes. No one in this tournament can guard Cousins in the post and that consistent inside scoring threat could be important if Team USA faces a squad that does not turn the ball over and that defends well on the perimeter.
The Chinese team was overmatched but their one bright spot was Yi Jianlian, a former NBA player who Collins repeatedly stated still belongs in the NBA based on his talent. Collins noted that the only reason Jianlian is not in the NBA is that Jianlian lacks sufficient work ethic and drive to succeed at that level. Collins contrasted Jianlian's attitude with the superb work ethic displayed by Yao Ming. Jianlian justified Collins' assessment of his raw talent by displaying some nice offensive moves and he also tied for team-high honors with six rebounds.
Team USA will next face Venezuela on Monday night.
Labels: 2016 Olympics, 2016 Team USA, China, DeMarcus Cousins, Kevin Durant, Yi Jianlian
posted by David Friedman @ 11:36 PM
