HONG KONG -- NBA great LeBron James wrote a rare op-ed in Chinese state media this week, pointing to basketball as an avenue for diplomacy amid tensions with the U.S.
Writing in Monday's edition of the People's Daily newspaper, the 40-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star said "basketball is not only a sport, but also a bridge that connects us."
The piece was published as James was in China ahead of two NBA preseason games next month in Macao between the Phoenix Suns and the Brooklyn Nets. And it comes as leaders in China and the U.