The Rockets are not engaging in the conversation on LeBron James's criticism of Houston general manager Daryl Morey's tweet in support of Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests.
Before practice in Houston on Tuesday coach Mike D'Antoni and three players, including James Harden, all avoided getting involved in the fracas when asked about James' comments. James said Monday night in the Los Angeles Lakers' return home from a weeklong tour of China that Morey's tweet on the sitatuion "was either misinformed or not really educated on the situation."
Harden said he hadn't heard about James' comments. When asked if he feels the need to take up for Morey amid growing criticism and if the general manager should face league sanctioning for his long-deleted tweet, Harden sidestepped the issue entirely.
Houston Rockets' James Harden spins the ball during warmups for the team's NBA preseason basketball game against the Toronto Raptors Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019, in Saitama, near Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
Rockets forward Thabo Sefolosha, who was born in Switzerland and is in his first year with the Rockets, says he briefly followed James' comments. Sefolosha says, "Everybody is entitled to their opinion, entitled to what they want to say. That's the beauty about this country."
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A demonstrator holds a U.S. flag during a rally at the Southorn Playground in Hong Kong, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019. Protesters in Hong Kong have thrown basketballs at a photo of LeBron James and chanted their anger about comments the Los Angeles Lakers star made about free speech during a rally in support of NBA commissioner Adam Silver and Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, whose tweet in support of the Hong Kong protests touched off a firestorm of controversy in China. (AP PhotoMark Schiefelbein)