Rob Parker: “Can LeBron really be thought of a GLOBAL icon when he won’t say anything about China? I think it’s weird that LeBron has nothing to say.”
Chris Broussard: “He’s a national icon because of things he’s done off the court, but he’s not a global icon. Early in LeBron’s career he made a comment where he said ‘I want to be a global icon like Muhammad Ali'. I think LeBron missed an opportunity to become Ali. I’m not saying he had to do it but he had the chance to become a global icon and could have become even bigger than Ali. This could have led to some people even making changes in China.” (Full Audio at Bottom of Page)
Listen to Rob Parker and Chris Broussard discuss the NBA’s epic mess in China that began with Rockets GM Daryl Morey’s ‘FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, STAND WITH HONG KONG’ tweet that triggered one of the most wild geopolitical barn burners in the history of the Twitter, and put the NBA at the mercy of one of the world’s most intolerant superpowers.
After Morey’s tweet sent the entire country of China into code red, NBA players and coaches went into a state of hypnosis on the matter, with league personnel seemingly terrified to comment on issues within the country that were delivering catastrophic financial consequences.
Domestically, however, many fans of the NBA were disappointed in players and coaches for punting on the topic altogether, when it was the type of human rights infringement that they would have been all over if it was going on in America.
Even though Rob and Chris understand why LeBron kept quiet, both radio hosts think LeBron blew a chance at becoming a GLOBAL icon, as Chris mentioned something LeBron said earlier in his career, when he said he wants to go down as a global icon like Muhammad Ali.
Check out the audio below as the guys explain why LeBron botched that opportunity, as Chris thinks LeBron could have even surpassed Ali in the annals of history had he called out China.