James Harden on China: We All Have Freedom of Speech

The NBA’s standoff with China continues, with Houston Rockets star James Harden becoming the first player to get involved.

Earlier in the week, the NBA’s actions and public comments appeared to be borne out of pure fear. Everybody knew the gravity of Daryl Morey’s mistake. As a result, everyone from his team owner, the NBA press office and Adam Silver were scrabbling to make amends.

On Tuesday, the commissioner said that the league are apologetic over Morey’s tweet. However, he added that “we are not apologizing for Daryl exercising his freedom of expression.”

It’s a comment that is both brave and risky, and it has rallied some support for the league amidst its blunder.

Want $250 to bet on NBA futures?

On Monday, James Harden was on cleanup duty for the Rockets.

“We apologize. You know, we love China. We love playing there. For both of us individually, we go there once or twice a year. They show us the most important love,” said James Harden.

“We appreciate them as a fan base. We love everything there about them, and we appreciate the support that they give us individually and as [an] organization.”

The following Wednesday, Harden echoed Silver’s sentiment that free speech is vital. Given how badly freedom of speech arguments are likely to go down in Beijing, it’s an admirable stance for Harden to take.

“We all have freedom of speech; that is the world we live in. Everyone should [say] how they feel and their thought process, be able to speak it. Obviously some people are going to feel some type of ways, others are going to agree. That is just the world we live in. I am here for Adam Silver.”

Read: Zion Williamson Favored to Win Rookie of The Year

The NBA’s commercial entanglement with China means that apologizing while advocating free speech is a balancing act akin to playing with fire. On the one hand, you have a journalist being shut down from asking a China question at a Thursday Rockets press conference. On the other, you have all and sundry waving the flag for free speech.

Adam Silver set the tone, and the Western world will admire the NBA for making that point. However, that doesn’t mean it still couldn’t blow up in everyone’s face.