Do you all remember Ted Cruz? Well, the Texas Senator is back and this time it is because he is involving himself in a feud with NBA superstar LeBron James. TMZ Sports recently caught up with Cruz and the Congressman had some harsh words for the Los Angeles Lakers star.
Cruz was asked about the NBA-China controversy when he blasted LeBron for “kissing up to Chinese communists and tyrants and apologizing for murderers.”
The comments came after LeBron shared his thoughts on the controversy between the league and China which was sparked by a tweet in support of Hong Kong protestors by Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey.
“Kissing up to Chinese communists and tyrants and apologizing for murderers, it’s not a good look for the NBA,” the Republican politician told TMZ. “I would encourage LeBron, learn a little bit about the people of Tibet, learn a little bit about Falun Gong, the religious persecution and the torture and the horrific human rights abuses that occur in China.
“If you want to engage on an issue, actually engage on the substance and know what you’re talking about and defend basic principles — freedom is good, democracy is good, human rights are good. And, those principles are eternal and you shouldn’t be willing to sell out freedom because you want to make a few bucks on sneaker sales.”
As for whether we will be getting a response from LeBron anytime soon, we wouldn’t count on it.
After receiving backlash from American NBA fans and watching those in Hong Kong burning his jersey, the Los Angeles Lakers star said that he would no longer be commenting on the controversy between the league and China.
So while you may not like Ted Cruz, it’s hard to argue that he isn’t correct when he says that LeBron is simply protecting the bottom line.
