Posted on 01/26/2026 11:19:12 AM PST by Mr. Mojo
The National Basketball Players’ Association (NBPA) is siding with the anti-ICE protesters in Minneapolis, saying their players “can no longer remain silent,” accusing the efforts by law enforcement to apprehend illegal and violent criminals of sowing “division.”
The statement comes one day after the league postponed the scheduled Saturday matchup of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors after a shooting involving federal agents and an armed protester.
The player’s association’s characterization of Minneapolis as a city “at the forefront of the fight against injustices” seems to be a reference to the 2020 death of George Floyd. This incident set off months of rioting across the country.
While the NBPA characterizes the illegal immigrants being pursued by immigration, customs, and enforcement officers (ICE) as “global citizens” who only “enrich” our country, earlier this week Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials released a list showing the apprehension of a large number of illegal aliens wanted for violent sexual assaults on children in addition to drug trafficking and several other felonious offenses in just 24 hours.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Just move to China.
Just move to China.
Good ol’ Jaylen Brown’s no doubt a leader in this.
JUSTICE is removing ILLEGAL ALIENS from any country.
“The National Basketball Players’ Association (NBPA) is siding with the anti-ICE protesters in Minneapolis, saying their players “can no longer remain silent,” accusing the efforts by law enforcement to apprehend illegal and violent criminals of sowing “division.””
Thought this was the Bee.
What about justice for people trying to immigrate legally?
“””saying their players “can no longer remain silent,” accusing the efforts by law enforcement to apprehend illegal and violent criminals of sowing “division.” “””
I was in favor of ICE but if an NBA guy says this then it must be right. They are the most smartest.
See ya, Kunta Kinte.
LOL the same NBA that has NO problem with China and Iran killing its own people for that they stay silent since China is where all their moolah is made but God forbid we try to get rid of illegals here who slaughter people and fracture skulls of 8 year old little kids, nah cant have that, must have open borders
I suspect the nfl will do something similar at the SB.
Picking that sad bunny lowlife for halftime was no coincidence.
Didn’t really need another reason to ignore the NBA or, for that matter, any other pro sports.
Next year they may be whining about not getting paid as much as the WNBA.
LeBron James is a mouth breathing knuckle dragger.
Can hardly string a sentence together.
This should stop a number of fans from supporting basketball.
But, conservative fans may not care.
EXACTLY HOW MANY SOMALI’S ARE PLAYING FOR THE NBA????????
ARE THE NBA PLAYERS TRYING TO MATCH THE IQ OF SOMALI’S AT AROUND 68???
But, conservative fans may not care.
About 55–65% of NBA fans lean left, 20–25% are moderate, and 15–20% lean right, making the fan base noticeably more liberal than the general U.S. population.
The NBA is the most popular sports league in China, with an estimated 300 million people playing basketball and nearly 500 million tuning in to NBA content, according to Tencent, the league’s digital rights holder. The league’s popularity surged after Yao Ming, the first Chinese player drafted No. 1 overall in 2002, became a global icon, helping establish the NBA as a cultural touchstone in China.
The NBA has four offices in China, including in Shanghai and Hong Kong, with 100 employees and access to $250 million in funds. It runs grassroots programs like clinics, camps, and school initiatives, and publishes a Chinese-language version of its magazine Hoops. The league’s digital footprint is massive—its NBA.com/China website averages 12 million daily hits, and Weibo and Douyin (TikTok’s Chinese counterpart) are key platforms for fan engagement.
After a six-year hiatus due to a 2019 controversy involving Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey’s tweet supporting Hong Kong protests, the NBA made a high-profile return to China in October 2025 with preseason games in Macau between the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets. The games were met with overwhelming demand, with tickets selling for up to $3,000 and fans paying $980 for a single seat.
The return is seen as a strategic economic and cultural move, with the NBA’s China market valued at $5 billion. The league has renewed partnerships with major Chinese brands like Alibaba, Anta, Li-Ning, and Torras, and has leveraged livestreaming e-commerce—such as James Harden’s Douyin livestream, which sold 10,000 bottles of wine in five seconds.
Despite the comeback, the NBA operates with caution due to geopolitical sensitivities. Experts warn that a single misstep—like a player’s offhand comment—could reignite tensions. As Dartmouth professor Paul Argenti noted, the NBA is now “walking on eggshells” in a market where commercial success is tightly linked to political alignment.
The NBA’s resurgence in China reflects its enduring global appeal and the deep emotional and cultural connection Chinese fans have with the league—proving that basketball remains one of the few shared cultural bridges between the U.S. and China.
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