We Are Not Apologising For Morey Tweet: NBA Chief

The NBA is "not apologising" for a tweet from a Houston Rockets executive supporting Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests, the organisation's commissioner said on Tuesday, despite a backlash on the mainland.

"We are not apologising for Daryl exercising his freedom of expression," NBA chief Adam Silver said, referring to Rockets general manager Daryl Morey.

"I regret, again having communicated directly with many friends in China, that so many people are upset, including millions and millions of our fans," Silver added.

The tweet by Morey supporting pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong has infuriated fans on the mainland, a major market for the NBA.

Silver said the organisation would continue to "support freedom of expression and certainly freedom of expression of the NBA community".

"Morey enjoys that right," he added, speaking at a press conference in Japan where the Rockets are playing two exhibition games this week.

"The NBA will not put itself in a position of regulating what players, employees and team owners say or will not say on these issues. We simply could not operate that way," Silver said in a statement shortly before the press conference.

He reiterated that view to reporters.

"We are not apologising for Daryl exercising his freedom of expression," he added, though he expressed "regret" that "so many people are upset, including millions and millions of our fans."

Silver acknowledged that the controversy was having significant consequences – it has largely overshadowed a trip meant to help boost the brand in Japan and China – but said the organisation would have to "live with those consequences."

"It's not something we expected to happen, it's unfortunate, but if that's the consequence of us adhering to our values, we still feel its critically important we adhere to those values," he added.

Silver said he understood Morey's tweet, which has since been deleted, "hit what I would describe as a third rail issue". (AFP)