Doubts have emerged regarding the authorship ‌of an article attributed to US​ basketball superstar LeBron James in China’s Volkszeitung newspaper. Reports⁢ from American media outlets indicate that James ‍did not, in fact, write the piece. According to the Associated Press (AP) and the New York Times, ‌citing sources ‌close to⁣ the Los Angeles Lakers player, ⁣James ​only​ made statements ⁣concerning ⁢basketball during⁣ recent media engagements in China.

The article, published in the newspaper’s sports ⁣section under James’ name, initially sparked​ surprise. Its appearance comes amidst⁢ a period ‍of strained relations between the NBA and ‌china, ⁤stemming from ​a 2019 incident involving then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey.

Turbulent Years ⁤for the NBA in China

Morey’s public⁣ expression of support for pro-democracy protests in Hong‍ Kong in ‌2019 drew strong condemnation from the Chinese government. In⁤ response, China’s state television⁤ ceased broadcasting NBA games until 2022.

This suspension ⁣substantially⁤ impacted the‌ NBA, a ‌major cultural export from the United States to China. ⁤The league experienced substantial‍ financial losses,including the cancellation ⁣of sponsorship‌ deals. Estimates suggest the damage reached hundreds of ​millions of⁣ US dollars.