NBA star LeBron James piled on Drew Brees for his comments against disrespecting the national anthem. Yet James has remained silent as Hong Kong criminalized disrespect for the Chinese national anthem, to the benefit of his benefactors in Beijing.

On Wednesday, James pummeled the New Orleans Saints quarterback as being insensitive to Black Lives Matter, Colin Kaepernick, and African Americans.

James’s attack came after Brees had told Yahoo Finance that he still does not support Colin Kaepernick’s protests during the national anthem. Brees supported Kaepernick’s right to protest, but he said he just felt that the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner was the wrong place and time to protest against the country.

James railed against Brees, saying, “WOW MAN!! Is it still surprising at this point. Sure isn’t! You literally still don’t understand why Kap was kneeling on one knee?? Has absolute nothing to do with the disrespect of [the flag] and our soldiers (men and women) who keep our land free. My father-in-law was one of those men who fought as well for this country. I asked him question about it and thank him all the time for his commitment. He never found Kap peaceful protest offensive because he and I both know what’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong!”

Yet, even as James rails against Brees and those who would rather see people respect our American national anthem, the L.A. Lakers star has been utterly silent as Hong Kong residents are made to face fines and imprisonment if they dare to disrespect the anthem of LeBron’s sponsors in China.

The Chinese-controlled Hong Kong Legislature passed a law this week that imposed a three-year prison term on anyone daring to mount a protest or even show “disrespect” during the Chinese national anthem.

Meanwhile, LeBron James has business deals with the Chinese government that could be worth millions in the future. Clearly his silence on the criminalization of taking a knee during the Chinese national anthem is a case of “follow the money.”

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