Overview

• China’s People’s Daily published a piece under LeBron James’ name that framed basketball as a bridge and praised Chinese fans’ enthusiasm.
• James’ entourage told AP and the New York Times he did not author the article and had only made remarks during media sessions.
• The Associated Press withdrew its initial report on the piece after the authorship clarification was shared.
• The publication came at the conclusion of James’ 15th tour of China and is being read as part of a broader thaw in NBA–China engagement.
• The outreach follows years of strained ties after Daryl Morey’s 2019 Hong Kong comments led to a broadcast freeze until 2022 and sponsorship losses, with the NBA also set to stage preseason games in Macau this year.