The NBA is at a crossroads with free speech and a growing audience overseas. Billions of dollars are at stake after controversy sparked from a tweet by Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey that China did not approve of. Dan digs deep with Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix.
Go deeper: The NBA's Daryl Morey debacle spotlights China's vise grip on corporate America
Photo: Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)
The House unanimously passed a bill by voice vote on Tuesday condemning Chinese interference in Hong Kong's affairs and supporting the rights of pro-democracy protestors to demonstrate.
Why it matters: It's a bipartisan rebuke of China at a time when both the Trump administration and private businesses — namely, the NBA — are grappling with how to address Beijing's human rights abuses while also maintaining a positive economic relationship.
A Chinese flag is seen placed on merchandise in the NBA flagship retail store this week in Beijing, China. Photo: Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
Merchandise from the NBA's Houston Rockets has been pulled from several Nike stores in China in the wake of a controversy over a tweet by Rockets general manager Daryl Morey in support of anti-government protests in Hong Kong, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: China is Nike's top source of revenue growth, per Reuters. The Houston Rockets have an especially large following in China thanks to the success of Yao Ming, a former Rockets player who now heads the China Basketball Association.
Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images
President Trump criticized the NBA on Wednesday for "pandering to China" after the league issued an apology to Chinese fans over a controversial tweet from Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey supporting pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, CNBC reports.
Between the lines: Trump has made similar concessions with China before, including in June when he reportedly told Chinese President Xi Jinping that the U.S. would remain silent on Hong Kong protests while trade talks continued, according to CNN.