This is not the first time the NBA has faced Chinese blowback over comments made about the countries human rights record. In 2019, Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey voiced support for Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters. The fallout was swift and severe.
Sponsors in the country cut ties and the state-run broadcaster stopped airing games. The financial fallout cost the NBA hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Celtics have yet to comment on the situation publicly. The team was supposed to hold practice followed by media availability on Thursday but practice was cancelled and no one from the team – at this point – is being publicly made available to the media.
By John Zannis
