HONG KONG (AP) — 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.”

LeBron James smiles while attending the 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Springfield, Mass. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

The piece was published as James was in China ahead of two NBA pre-season games next month in Macao between the Phoenix Suns and the Brooklyn Nets. And it comes as leaders in China and the U.S. seek options to avert a potential trade showdown between the world’s two biggest economies

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