LeBron James has a few business interests in China. Hey, Chinese people buy shoes too.
There was a myth years ago that Michael Jordan did not speak out on endorsing Harvey Gantt when he ran for the U.S. Senate against the incumbent Jesse Helms in North Carolina.
The infamous phrase “Republicans buy sneakers too” became the reported reason for Jordan’s silence. That mythical stain has been attached to Jordan to this day. (For the record, he never said it.)
Well, it seems the context of that phrase will be referenced as time goes on. LeBron James has two major interests in China that will bring him potential billions of dollars.
One interest is Nike, who is already waiting for the other shoe (No pun intended) to drop on how much revenue will be lost from Rockets paraphernalia that was pulled off shelves in stores all over China. LeBron’s shoe line is one of the most popular at Nike behind Jordan’s, who’s shoes just print money.
The other is his movie Space Jam 2, which will be in your movie theaters in 2020. If the Chinese government bans the movie and the shoes, LeBron James gets hurt where it hurts him the most.
Max Kellerman can say off the wall things at times, but what he says here on ESPN’s First Take makes a lot of sense.
Selling out is a strong term here that is unfair. When someone works for an organization that pays them a salary, there are policies and clauses that have to be honored when contracts are involved.
What will be interesting going forward is how LeBron’s intentions will be interpreted based on the financial part of the statement on Monday. Some will look at this as LeBron being a hypocrite.
Jason Whitlock will definitely be at the top of the list.
But there’s one question LeBron James has to ask himself.