Rumors

China has its own reasons for welcoming back the N.B.A. The Chinese government has been struggling to breathe life into an economy where people have been holding back on spending. Beijing wants to use sports and international events to “boost overall consumption,” said Crystal Wang, an expert on Chinese sports with the consultancy Deloitte in Shanghai. “That is from the top.” According to state media, the Chinese leader Xi Jinping has a soft spot for basketball, having played pickup games while working as a local official in Hebei Province.

New York Times

LeBron James has become the first NBA player to author a piece in China's state-run People's Daily newspaper, an unusual move suggesting the top-flight North American basketball league's years-long row with Beijing could be coming to an end.

Reuters

James' essay in the newspaper, known for signalling Beijing's views on a variety of issues, follows his visits to Chinese megacities Shanghai and Chengdu as part of the Forever King Tour, marking the 20th anniversary of his first Nike tour of Asia. "The enthusiasm and kindness of Chinese friends deeply touch me, and all I can do is give my all in every game to express my gratitude," wrote James, who has visited China 15 times and is about to start a record-breaking 23rd season in the NBA. "I hope I can contribute to the development of Chinese basketball."

Reuters

“I was already sitting in front of the TV at 14, when Dirk Nowitzki carried the flag at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. Back then I thought: how cool, there’s no greater recognition,” said the current captain of the national basketball team in an interview with Stern. “Today, however, I know: it’s a great honor, but it will never be the same for me as it was for Dirk. I will never receive the same love in this country, because I am dark-skinned.”

Stern

D’Angelo Russell spent his Tuesday in Beijing, part of a four-city, seven-day tour of China to promote his brand and specifcally his new signature shoe, the DL0 1, from Li Ning’s “Way of Wade” line.

NetsDaily

Speaking in Beijing during a panel discussion on sports in the context of US-China relations, Yao Ming was asked about politics in reference to a 2019 incident when then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted support for the anti-government protests in Hong Kong. Yao, a former Rockets centre, said “there’s no way we can hide” from politics. But “as people who were in this industry, we should understand better what is ‘in’ the game, and what is ‘out’ and we will do our best and try to avoid [politics]”, Yao said.

SCMP

Nets owner Joe Tsai said the NBA is "in a very good place" in its relationship with China, four years after Beijing took games off air following remarks about the 2019 Hong Kong protests by Daryl Morey, who at the time was GM of the Rockets.

Sports Business Journal

Making dumplings, trying paper cutting, tasting sugar-coated snacks, playing basketball games with Chinese children and watching traditional Chinese music performances - on Tuesday, French basketball star and four-time NBA champion Tony Parker attended the 13th NBA Chinese New Year Celebration in Beijing.

GlobalTimes.cn

ClutchPoints: “It’s always the same expectation. I have to be able to get us over the hump to win a championship… A championship is coming to the future of Miami.” Jimmy Butler predicts a ring for the Heat while being interviewed in Beijing 🏆 (via @CGTNSportsScene )

Twitter

Qin Gang, who had earlier served as Beijing's ambassador to the US, addressed tens of thousands of basketball fans on Saturday in a pre-recorded video during a National Basketball Association (NBA) game between the Washington Wizards and the Orlando Magic. "I wish the Chinese and American peoples a prosperous Year of the Rabbit and a bright future," Qin said in the 40-second video played during the game's intermission.

rfi.fr

Netflix: Netflix and the International Olympic Committee have collaborated with executive producers Dwyane Wade and LeBron James for The Redeem Team, a new documentary about the US Olympic Men's Basketball Team’s quest for gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing!

Twitter

Former basketball star Yao Ming on Monday invited staunch Beijing critic Enes Kanter Freedom to visit China after the Boston Celtics player urged athletes to boycott the Winter Olympics in the capital. Kanter has emerged as one of China's most vocal critics in the sporting world, a rare athlete willing to forgo lucrative endorsements to speak on issues such as Beijing's treatment of its Uyghur Muslim and Tibetan minorities.

Yahoo!

Yao, China's most famous basketball star and one of its Olympic bid ambassadors, was asked about Kanter's politics at a press gathering in Beijing on Monday. "I've heard of him, but I can't really judge him because I don't know him," the retired Houston Rockets player and current president of the China Basketball Association said. "If there is an opportunity, I would like to invite him to visit China... Then he may have a more comprehensive understanding of us."

Yahoo!

The best story of the week involved the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, where Bryant joined in a game of spades with several players from the women’s national team. “There was a little wine involved and he got very competitive in drinking the wine,” recalled Sue Bird, a four-time gold medalist. “And it was like he didn’t want to be behind anybody on these glasses.” “And we were, like, ‘Kobe, we’ve got practice tomorrow. We’re just sipping,’” she said. “No. He was into this wine. ‘I’ve had three glasses. You’ve only had one.’”

Los Angeles Times