This is a controversy that the Houston Rockets would have gone well. The NBA franchise, which has many fans in China, tried Sunday, October 7, to distance itself from the tweet of his manager Daryl Morey supporting the pro-democracy protest movement in Hong Kong.

Coach Mike D'Antoni responded that he felt "not very comfortable" commenting on his manager's tweet, posted on Friday and then removed, which included an image with the message "Fight for Freedom." Support to Hong Kong. "

"We are here to focus on our matches in Japan, to make beautiful matches and enjoy the culture," said the coach, who is preparing two exhibitions against the NBA champions, the Toronto Raptors, in Saitama.

Same story on the side of the star of the franchise James Harden, who made amends in the wake, in front of the press. "We apologize, we love China, we like to play there," he said.

The organizers of the China Basketball Championship (CBA) reacted strongly, saying "suspend exchanges and cooperation with the club" on social networks. Several sponsors are also studying the possibility of terminating their contract with the club.

Morey, repented but not threatened

Friday, the owner of Houston Rockets Tilman Fertitta had already distanced himself on Twitter: "@dmorey does not speak on behalf of @HoustonRockets (...) we are NOT a political organization", while affirming then on ESPN not want to separate from his manager. "I have the best general manager in the league," he said.

A general manager who has also retropedaled, again on Twitter: "I did not intend to offend the Rockets fans nor my friends in China with my tweet, wrote the leader. have just expressed a thought, based on an interpretation of a complicated situation, I have had many opportunities since this tweet to hear other points of view. "

The Rockets have enjoyed high popularity in China since the draft in 2002 of Chinese pivot Yao Ming, who remained until the end of his career in 2011 in Houston.

A semi-autonomous region in southern China, Hong Kong has been experiencing its worst political crisis for four months, with almost daily demonstrations denouncing the decline in freedoms and the Chinese government's growing control over its management.

With AFP