After being slammed by members of the media and other activist for silence on global issues, the face of today’s NBA, LeBron James broke recently broke his silence, speaking out on the genocide in Darfur .
In an interview with ESPN’s investigative reporting show, “Outside the Lines,” James explained his initial silence on the issue, which many thought were due to Nike—the company that markets James’ signature shoe—and the NBA’s economic interests in China. The rising world power has aided armies in the region, and some say the country is partially responsible for the human rights violations in the region.
James drew the ire of many activists after former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Ira Newble wrote an open letter to the Chinese government and lobbied the rest of the ball club to sign [click to read DX’s editorial on James]. To aid his cause, Newble also distributed pamphlets about the numerous crises going on in the region.
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In the end, all but three Cavs players signed the letter. Damon Jones (who according to the ESPN report, had a shoe contract with a Chinese based company), David Wesley (who was on leave at the time), and James, who said he didn’t know enough to speak out or sign anything.
In response to the story, James says he was treated unfairly at the time.
“I didn’t sign the letter right then and there so now it’s blown up,” he said. “No one heard my side of the story, but automatically it’s ‘LeBron didn’t sign the letter, he doesn’t care.’ But for me to try to create awareness of the situation that’s going on in Darfur and other places, for me, in the position I am, I should speak on it and I am gonna speak on it.”
With China being the host country for this year’s Olympics, James’ statements—or non-statements, if he choose to remain silent after this—could be the difference between bringing a more heightened awareness about Darfur or the continued silence on the genocide taking place in the African country.
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“At the end of the day we’re talking about human rights,” he said of the situation. “And people should understand that human rights and people’s lives are in jeopardy. We’re not talking about contracts here. We’re not talking about money. We’re talking about people’s lives being lost and that means a lot more to me than some money or a contract.”
If James continues to speak out on Darfur , he could join the ranks of star athletes such as Muhammad Ali and Jim Brown. Both were known as much for their activism efforts as they were for their athletic prowess.
Or, James could go the way of former NBA player Craig Hodges. Many believe Hodges’ career came to a screeching halt during the Chicago Bulls 1991 visit to the White House to meet the elder George Bush. During the trip, Hodges donned a dashiki and gave Bush a letter condemning the treatment of African Americans in the country.
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Hodges, who was known as an excellent three-point shooter was cut in 1992 and was not given a try out with another NBA team.
