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6h ago

LeBron James Publishes People’s Daily Op-Ed as NBA’s China Reengagement Accelerates

The unprecedented byline in China’s party newspaper signals a thaw in league ties, with preseason games returning to Macau next month.

Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) brings the ball up court against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images/ File Photo
A pro-Hong Kong activist holds a poster of LeBron James with the words 'King of Chinese Money' before the Los Angeles Lakers season opening game against the LA Clippers outside Staples Center on October 22, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.
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LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a free throw against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter of Game Four of the First Round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center on April 27, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Overview

  • In the essay, James praised the hospitality he received and said he hopes to contribute to the development of Chinese basketball.
  • The publication follows his Forever King Tour stops in Shanghai and Chengdu, marking his 15th trip to China.
  • Reuters and other outlets report he is the first NBA player to author a piece in the Chinese Communist Party’s People’s Daily.
  • The NBA has scheduled Nets–Suns preseason games in Macau on Oct. 10 and 12, alongside an NBA House fan event featuring Shaquille O’Neal and other former players.
  • Coverage presents the move as evidence of a near-complete repair of ties damaged by the 2019 Daryl Morey controversy, while critics highlight James’ past remarks and his silence on human-rights issues.