Gillespie on the NBA: Sports Has Always Been the ‘Great Uniter,’ Politics the ‘Great Divider’; Two Shouldn’t ‘Intersect’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT clip starts ░░░░░░░░ It s not something ░░░░░░░░ expected to happen I ░░░░░░░░ it s unfortunate But ░░░░░░░░ that s the consequences ░░░░░░░░ us adhering to our ░░░░░░░░ we still feel it ░░░░░░░░ critically important we adhere ░░░░░░░░ those values clip ends ░░░░░░░░ NBA commissioner you see ░░░░░░░░ there this was last ░░░░░░░░ Adam Silver spoke out ░░░░░░░░ China is announcing a ░░░░░░░░ on broadcasting all NBA ░░░░░░░░ games DOOCY The backlash ░░░░░░░░ over a now deleted ░░░░░░░░ posted by Houston Rockets ░░░░░░░░ M in support of ░░░░░░░░ Hong Kong pro democracy ░░░░░░░░ Former pro basketball player ░░░░░░░░ Gillespie has a home ░░░░░░░░ Beijing and owns a ░░░░░░░░ business in China He ░░░░░░░░ us right now from ░░░░░░░░ Texas to discuss Brock ░░░░░░░░ morning to you GILLESPIE ░░░░░░░░ morning guys DOOCY This ░░░░░░░░ turned into a public ░░░░░░░░ disaster for the NBA ░░░░░░░░ say that the coach ░░░░░░░░ have known better What ░░░░░░░░ you mean GILLESPIE Well ░░░░░░░░ Morey represents the Houston ░░░░░░░░ They re the darling ░░░░░░░░ of China because that ░░░░░░░░ the team Yao Ming ░░░░░░░░ for But more over ░░░░░░░░ I think the bigger ░░░░░░░░ here is that sports ░░░░░░░░ always been the great ░░░░░░░░ and politics has always ░░░░░░░░ a great divider I ░░░░░░░░ t think the two ░░░░░░░░ intersect the way that ░░░░░░░░ have Having said that ░░░░░░░░ know the NBA is ░░░░░░░░ global brand and it ░░░░░░░░ not their job to ░░░░░░░░ playing geopolitical police chief ░░░░░░░░ the global stage It ░░░░░░░░ a business But also ░░░░░░░░ than that they provide ░░░░░░░░ and inspiration for 500 ░░░░░░░░ youth in China so ░░░░░░░░ s not just a ░░░░░░░░ issue EARHARDT What do ░░░░░░░░ say to your critics ░░░░░░░░ some people would agree ░░░░░░░░ him and say look ░░░░░░░░ s happening over there ░░░░░░░░ wrong he is just ░░░░░░░░ up for the right ░░░░░░░░ and you are still ░░░░░░░░ business with China GILLESPIER ░░░░░░░░ I think everyone is ░░░░░░░░ to their free speech ░░░░░░░░ if you look he ░░░░░░░░ since issued a correction ░░░░░░░░ a follow up on ░░░░░░░░ stance Like I said ░░░░░░░░ s his job working ░░░░░░░░ the Houston Rockets and ░░░░░░░░ think that again I ░░░░░░░░ Darryl I know him ░░░░░░░░ be a good guy ░░░░░░░░ know Adam Silver I ░░░░░░░░ Yao Ming I m ░░░░░░░░ close to those guys ░░░░░░░░ won t find any ░░░░░░░░ that are more charitable ░░░░░░░░ bigger humanitarians than those ░░░░░░░░ So I think that ░░░░░░░░ is in the right ░░░░░░░░ we all just need ░░░░░░░░ have some calamity and ░░░░░░░░ down.”