In the 1990s, Michael Jordan undoubtedly and unequivocally ruled the world. From Gatorade’s “Be Like Mike” campaign to the iconic “Space Jam,” Jordan was an almost universally beloved icon in the cultural zeitgeist that the world had never really seen before. To be sure, Jordan transcended sports in a way that no other athlete really ever had.
However, there was still criticism to be found at the heart of his universal appeal. In a certain sense, Jordan was universally celebrated because he refused to criticize anyone or take any stance on any meaningful issue outside the realm of basketball.
“Republicans buy sneakers too” is an apocryphal mantra that is often attributed to Jordan during this time. But whether he said it or not, it is reflective of his mentality in approaching social issues and other divisive topics during that time – there was no approach.
And why should Jordan have taken public political stances? Any type of divisive opinion from Jordan could have affected what he, among many others in the sports world, view as the most important issue of all – the bottom line. From their perspective, protecting financial interests and their own personal brand is far more consequential than any conviction they might have ever will be.
A Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan would never be.
On the opposite end of the spectrum – or at least, that’s what many would have you believe – is LeBron James. To many, both in and outside the sports world, James is seen as the antithesis to Jordan. While they are comparable in their greatness as basketball players, James has shown almost none of the reluctance that Jordan had in wading into social issues and politics.
Because of James’ insistence in not “sticking to sports,” Laura Ingraham, a Fox News host and commentator, infamously told James to “shut up and dribble.” As gross as that might seem, it really shouldn’t be surprising that a right-wing Fox News host would express disdain for James – he has been overtly critical of President Trump and Republican policies over the last few years.
Now seems like a great time to revisit perhaps the best #Cavs #Warriors #NBAFinals moment of all time. @KingJames @StephenCurry30 #UBum pic.twitter.com/hgbHT3ZRFK
— Jackie Pepper ✊🏽☮️🌊 (@Jackie_Pepper) May 29, 2018
But James hasn’t been willing to just simply talk about social action. He has been very active in charity work and philanthropy over the course of his NBA career. The LeBron James Foundation and his work with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America are only two examples of his philanthropic efforts.
Perhaps James’ greatest achievement in charitable work has been his I Promise school, a new public school in his hometown of Akron, Ohio that he has funded through his own foundation for at-risk children.
And with all of his charitable efforts and willingness to dive into our society’s issues, James has become a celebrated figure. He is held up as the shining example of moral courage and conviction in our polarized society.
If only that were actually true.
Now make no mistake: there is absolutely nothing negative that can be construed from all the good that James has done through his charitable and philanthropic work. By all accounts, he seems to be a genuinely good person who seeks to make a difference in the world.
Yet is he an arbiter of courage and conviction in our society? Of course not. And he’s far more “like Mike” than many would have you believe.
When Jordan was at his peak in the NBA, it would have been highly controversial and polarizing for an athlete to speak out in the manner that James has, which is why Jordan never really did so. However, not only are athletes encouraged to speak out on politics and social issues in 2019, they are almost expected to do so – as long as their politics are left-leaning.
In this current cultural moment that definitely leans left politically, there is not much at stake when criticizing the President or Republican politics. After all, is it really brave to do something that people will celebrate you for doing? HBO did not give James a show called “The Shop” in which he discusses societal issues and social justice with other celebrities because his opinions are considered divisive.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that James is inherently wrong for speaking out about his convictions. But it does put the apparent distinction between the approaches of Jordan and James into perspective.
LeBron James is incredibly vocal about politics and social issues. In the environment we’re in, it happens to be convenient and advantageous for his brand to do so. And if that were not the case, then perhaps he would be as silent as Jordan.
If you doubt that reality, then look no further than the ongoing NBA-China situation.
Nearly a month ago, Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey sent out a simple screenshot in a tweet with an equally simple message: “Fight For Freedom, Stand With Hong Kong.” For those unfamiliar with the current China-Hong Kong situation, it can essentially be summed up as the people of Hong Kong revolting against the regime and policies of China. It’s a worthy cause that any American or champion of freedom and democracy would potentially support.
It’s obviously a very sensitive issue in that part of the world. But Morey underestimated how sensitive the issue could be back in the States because he endured hell within the day after he sent the tweet. China almost immediately threatened to sever its business relationship with the NBA and began pressuring the league to oust Morey.
With less revenue from China – or perhaps, even none at all – teams will have considerably less money to fill out their rosters, and players will in turn not be able to make as much money on their next contracts. Damage has already been done as nearly all of the NBA’s Chinese partners have announced that they are at least suspending their relationship with the league.
All for a tweet.
And when the league is on fire, journalists and fans will look to its greatest player to help put out the flames. LeBron James, one of the most outspoken and thoughtful athletes of our time, would surely condemn the Chinese for their practices and meddling in perhaps America’s most cherished tenet in freedom of speech. He who has had so much to criticize about the United States’ duly elected leaders would surely be able to speak out when it came to one of the most evil regimes on the planet.
In an ideal world, he probably would have. But since LeBron would only further jeopardize the league’s – and by extension, his own – financial interests if he criticized China, he chose not to do so. To put it bluntly, he refused to stand for democracy, justice and truth, perhaps because of the personal inconvenience it could cause him to do so – an inconvenience that he has never risked suffering by speaking out on social issues in America.
“When you’re misinformed or you’re not educated about something, and I’m just talking about the tweet itself, you never know the ramifications that can happen,” said James in reference to Morey. “So many people could have been harmed — not only financially, but physically, emotionally, spiritually. Just be careful about what we tweet, what we say and what we do. Yes, we do have freedom of speech, but there can be a lot of negative that comes with that, too.”
It certainly isn’t Morey that is misinformed.
If there’s a truth to be found in this conflict, it’s probably the fact that it’s easy to take a stand when almost no one is telling you to sit. It’s easy to criticize when your criticism is celebrated.
But I believe that people will eventually encounter situations in their lives in which they discover whether they will stand on their principles and convictions when true adversity strikes. And LeBron James, as well as other NBA figures like Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr, who both responded to questions about the China situation with lukewarm non-answers, have simply not exhibited the courage of their convictions.
“Stand for something, even if it means sacrificing everything,” was Colin Kaepernick’s Nike campaign and rallying cry this past year. But the players of the NBA like James have not followed Kaepernick’s example. They will only stand for something as long as it doesn’t cost them anything too significant.
At least Michael Jordan was honest about it.
