Try GOLD - Free
LeBron Essay Dispute Tests NBA-China Ties
The Straits Times
|September 13, 2025
China's state-run People's Daily newspaper on Sept. 8 published an essay about Chinese basketball that it said was written by LeBron James, but a representative for the NBA star said on Sept. 11 that the article was based on a series of interviews.
-
BEIJING —
The paper, better known as the mouthpiece of China's ruling Communist Party, had said that James authored the Sept. 8 essay "Basketball is a Bridge that Connects Us," a tribute to Chinese players and fans of the sport written in the first-person perspective.
"LeBron James Pens an Article in the People's Daily," read a post published on the newspaper's official WeChat account of the Los Angeles Lakers star.
But on Sept. 11, a representative for the four-time NBA champion said that James did not write the article and that it was instead based on a "series of interviews" the 40-year-old did in China that were "transcribed and put on the People's Daily website."
This story is from the September 13, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM The Straits Times
The Straits Times
Bank of S'pore's new Al tool cuts time taken to draft wealth source reports
Bank of Singapore, OCBC Bank's private banking arm, has launched an agentic artificial intelligence (AI) tool to shorten the time it takes to generate source-of-wealth reports.
2 mins
October 11, 2025
The Straits Times
TWISTED STEEL BIDS FOR THIRD IN A ROW
RACE 4 (6) TEXAN DREAM looks like a jump-and-run sort and when you consider that Luke Fernie won this race in 2024 with Capitola off the same preparation (Belmont Park 400m jump-out two weeks before Opening Day), then he becomes increasingly attractive.
5 mins
October 11, 2025
The Straits Times
Weaving new magic through old buildings
Adaptive reuse has been a breath of fresh air for the architecture of Temasek Shophouse and Weave at RWS
8 mins
October 11, 2025
The Straits Times
US could fire air traffic controllers who fail to work during shutdown
Spike in absences is causing significant air disruptions, says Transportation Secretary
2 mins
October 11, 2025
The Straits Times
Old-school charm meets fanciful tech in IM 5
New Chinese brand mixes warm personality ofa Jaguar with cool efficiency of a Tesla
3 mins
October 11, 2025
The Straits Times
Singapore shares close lower in tandem with Wall Street retreat
STI dips 0.3%; ThaiBev tops index with Seatrium at bottom
1 min
October 11, 2025
The Straits Times
HK-based actress Jacquelin Ch’ng weds senior police inspector in Bali
Hong Kong-based actress Jacquelin Ch’ng has confirmed on social media that she has remarried three years after her divorce.
2 mins
October 11, 2025
The Straits Times
Similar long-term mindset and pragmatism make S'pore, China good partners: Chee Hong Tat
Minister lists ways that the two countries' strong ties can be taken to a higher level
4 mins
October 11, 2025
The Straits Times
Upgrading Asean-New Zealand ties a priority
Zealand believe that their partnership can model the standards they want to see affirmed in the world.
2 mins
October 11, 2025
The Straits Times
Rethinking talent: Lessons beyond the grading curve
As exam season returns, the writer wonders if Singapore’s definition of talent is too narrow for the challenges ahead.
7 mins
October 11, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size