How long can the league maintain its juggling act of embracing progressive causes in the U.S. while turning a blind eye in China?
Illustration by Chris Koehler
On Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, the official Weibo account of the Los Angeles Lakers posted a message teasing the team’s upcoming preseason games in Shanghai and Shenzhen, along with photos of the two cities’ skylines. “Welcome to China, Old James!” one Weibo user responded, using an affectionate name for Lakers star LeBron James. Others scrounged for tickets, which, given the wild popularity of the NBA and one of its most beloved teams in China, were selling for as much as $2,675.
That same
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