Donald Trump jokes about Daryl Morey’s Hong Kong protest China tweet with Houston Rockets at White House

White House restaurant panel turns to basketball as president asks ‘whatever happened to’ general manager at centre of NBA controversy

‘I should’ve realised that it was going to be a bad year for China,’ says Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta

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Hong Kong basketball fans mocking basketball star LeBron James during a protest in support of Daryl Morey, general manager of Houston Rockets last year. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 2:30pm, 19 May 2020Updated: 2:59pm, 19 May 2020

US President Donald Trump joked with Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta over the NBA team’s general manager Daryl Morey at a White House meeting on Monday.

Morey’s tweet in support of Hong Kong’s anti-government protesters last October resulted in censure from China with calls for him to be sacked and the league dropped from state television.

Trump, who had invited Fertitta to a round table on the restaurant industry, turned the conversation to basketball and the Rockets owner referenced Morey’s tweet, which has impacted the NBA’s billion-dollar industry in China.

“You know, it’s funny you brought up China. I should’ve realised that it was going to be a bad year for China when my general manager tweeted out, you know, ‘Freedom for Hong Kong’,” Fertitta said. “That started my year. I’m still trying to work that out.”

Trump asked if Morey still worked for the Rockets, saying he “did cause you a little ruckus” with the swiftly deleted tweet.

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