The NBA crisis with China has also reached the White House where President Donald Trump, in his first public comments, strongly criticized coaches Gregg Popovich of San Antonio Spurs and Steve Kerr of the Warriors for the position they had taken on the matter. Trump touched the matter and said that it was something that the NBA itself would have to solve since it is an issue that affects its organization, but at the same time strongly criticized Popovich and Kerr when considering them "complacent" with China.

Kerr, who has publicly criticized Trump and has expressed his opinion on several social issues in the United States, said he had no comments when asked about the consequences of Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey's who passed. week showed support for anti-government protesters in Hong Kong.

Trump shattered Kerr two days later, saying that the coach three times the winner of the championship "was like a little boy, he was so scared that he was not even able to answer the question," Trump said. "He couldn't answer the question, he was shaking 'Oh, oh, oh, I don't know. I don't know." The Republican president immediately recalled how "easy" criticism both Kerr and Popovich have when it comes to speaking badly about the United States. "I didn't know how to answer the question, and yet it will speak very badly about the United States," Trump denounced.

Popovich also avoided directly discussing the specific issue regarding protests in Hong Kong, although he praised the NBA commissioner, Adam Silver , for his position of support for freedom of expression. "I saw Popovich, more or less the same, but he didn't really seem so scared," Trump said. "But they speak badly about the United States, but when they talk about China, they don't mean anything bad. I thought it was pretty sad, actually. It will be very interesting."

For his part, the Warriors star, the base Stephen Curry , said that "in this matter of the relationship and the business that has been established with China is a very interesting situation and with a history that must be known." In this regard, Curry added that "I don't know that story well enough to talk about it or to form an opinion yet, so I think it is best to keep in tune with what is happening."

Meanwhile, many NBA coaches have remained silent about the current situation with China, including Mike D'Antoni of the Rockets himself, who declined to answer questions about the issue after the game the team played in Tokyo. Nor did Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers , another critic of President Trump, who declined to elaborate on the crisis the NBA faces in China.

"Keep doing normal things"

Stephen Curry said he wasn't sure how this situation would affect his future plans, since he traveled to China for the past six years. But his best advice to Kerr would be to keep his principles and continue his work as usual. "At this time, I don't know how the coach, or another person who is involved in the matter, will react, but it is best to continue doing normal things, as always," said Curry.

Silver said he and the league "apologize" for the result and the reaction that followed Morey's tweet, but said "we are not apologizing for the fact that Daryl exercises his freedom of expression."

Meanwhile, an NBA amateur event in Shanghai that involved Los Angeles Lakers was canceled, just a few hours before its scheduled start time and Chinese television already reported that it canceled the broadcast of the two preseason games that are going to Dispute in their territory.

In addition, all official Chinese NBA partners have suspended ties with the league as a result of Morey's controversial tweet about supporting Hong Kong protesters. The Chinese NBA lists 11 fully-owned Chinese companies as its official partners in the country on its website, which now say they have suspended business with the league.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • sports
  • NBA
  • basketball

Basketball World Cup 2019 Argentina's eternal Scola meets Spain

Basketball World Cup 2019 On D-Day, Gasol was finally Gasol

Basketball World Cup 2019 Spain will play the fourteenth final of its history and second in a World Cup