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Global superstar Shaquille O’neal has chimed in on the Daryl Morey/China situation and he’s defending freedom of speech even if it means it may cost him some business in China.
For the past month, the NBA has faced a firestorm from China after Daryl Morey posted a tweet supporting protestors in Hong Kong.
Since then James Harden apologized for Morey, LeBron James threw the Rockets GM under the bus and NBA commissioner Adam Silver has been adamant that the NBA is backing Morey’s freedom of speech.
The Chinese government is still angry with Morey and the NBA and did not air tonight’s NBA opener on TV in the country.
Chinese state TV does not air NBA's opening night slate – via @ESPN App https://t.co/Up69ZRDaa2
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) October 23, 2019
Despite the backlash from the communist country, former NBA player and commentator Shaquille O’neal, who does a lot of business in China, supported Morey’s free speech in a speech during today’s pregame on TNT.
Shaq on Daryl Morey/China "One of our best values here in America is free speech we're allowed to say what we want to say and we are allowed to speak out on injustices and that's just how it goes. and if people don't understand that that's something they have to deal with. pic.twitter.com/vefcHSPlMD
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) October 22, 2019
Shaq on China "China can't tell us what to do and we can't tell them what to do, that's the bottom line" pic.twitter.com/EVUt3ICm2Y
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) October 22, 2019
Here’s Shaq, who spends a lot of time in China, speaking on TNT about the NBA/China situation: pic.twitter.com/L1NscVnlG0
— Henry Bushnell (@HenryBushnell) October 22, 2019
Well said, Shaq.