ESPN NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski allegedly lashed out at Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, over Hawley’s criticism of the NBA and China.
“F**** you,” Wojnarowski told Hawley, according to a screenshot posted to the senator’s Twitter feed Friday. (RELATED: Josh Hawley Calls For International Investigation Into China Over Alleged Coronavirus Cover-Up)
Don’t criticize #China or express support for law enforcement to @espn. It makes them real mad @Outkick pic.twitter.com/WJDxrotUBD
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 10, 2020
The NBA has faced criticism over its relationship with China, after stars around the league condemned Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey last year over his support for human rights protesters in Hong Kong. The NBA will allow players to wear pre-approved, social-justice themed slogans on the back of their jerseys when the season resumes in Orlando. Hawley noted Friday in a letter to Adam Silver that none of the league’s pre-approved slogans reference human rights in China or Hong Kong.
“No amount of profit can justify collaborating with a regime for which violent suppression and enslavement are routing tools of governance,” Hawley wrote.
Silver said in June that he hopes the league can find “mutual respect” with the Chinese government.
“You know, as I’ve said before, you know, we come to China with a certain set of core American values and principles,” Silver said. “And I understand also they have a different form of government. And they have a different view of how things have been done, how things should be done. And hopefully, we can find mutual respect for each other.”
An ESPN official told the Daily Caller that they were looking into Wojnarowski’s email.