The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) threw a temper tantrum on Thursday following revelations that the Orlando Magic donated money to a super PAC supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign.
“A political contribution from the Orlando Magic is alarming given recent comments and policies of its beneficiary,” the NBPA statement reads.
Earlier this week, it was reported that the Orlando franchise gave $50,000 to Never Back Down, a political action committee backing DeSantis’ campaign in the 2024 GOP presidential primary. According to a Magic representative, the donation was given before DeSantis launched his presidential bid and was “given as a Florida business in support of a Florida governor for the continued prosperity of Central Florida.”
While family members of Magic owner Dan DeVos are reportedly “longtime Republican donors [who] have given millions to the party and GOP candidates,” the franchise has promoted its share of left-wing causes in recent years, according to the Orlando Sentinel. In March, for instance, the Magic hosted a “pride night” purportedly featuring “a halftime performance by Orlando Gay Chorus” and a ceremony honoring the chair of one of the locality’s LGBT organizations.
Apparently, that wasn’t enough for the NBPA, which attempted to distance itself from the Magic by claiming the franchise’s donation to Never Back Down “does not represent player support for the recipient.”
“NBA governors, players and personnel have the right to express their personal political views, including through donations and statements,” the group’s statement reads. “However, if contributions are made on behalf of an entire team, using money earned through the labor of its employees, it is incumbent upon the team governors to consider the diverse values and perspectives of staff and players.”
DeSantis responded to the league on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying, “It appears the NBA took a break from protesting our anthem and bending the knee to Communist China to chirp about my policies.”
A History of Left-wing Activism and Bowing to Red China
The notion the NBA is suddenly concerned about teams wading into political issues is laughable, considering the league’s track record of left-wing political activism.
Following the death of George Floyd, the association went out of its way to accommodate the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, painting the organization’s name on the court for the restart of its 2020 season. The league announced not long after that it and the NBPA had established the NBA Foundation, an organization aimed at “economically empowering black communities, primarily through education and youth employment.” Every NBA team committed to collectively spend $300 million over the next 10 years on the initiative, according to Forbes.
The league also didn’t appear to have an issue when teams like the Philidelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks were donating buckets of money to “social justice causes” and pro-abortion groups, respectively.
Yet, for all their grandiose statements about supporting people’s well-being, the NBA could care less about the human rights violations committed by China, with whom the league enjoys a multibillion-dollar relationship. When then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted support for protestors in Hong Kong nearly four years ago, the NBA released a statement condemning Morey following an outcry from China’s communist government.
[RELATED: NBA Bans Custom Jerseys With ‘FreeHongKong,’ But Allows ‘Burn Jews’ And ‘KillCops’]
The NBA also allegedly attempted to silence players and league officials from speaking out against the Chinese government’s crackdown on Hong Kong.
A League of Leftist Frauds
It’s fairly obvious the leftists running the NBA and its affiliated organizations are angry at what the Magic did. But understanding the why is critical.
For the neo-Marxists running the NBA, the idea that someone would dare violate their leftist beliefs is what’s driving their decision to lash out. Politics is the leftist’s pagan religion, and therefore, any action or thought found to violate such beliefs must be destroyed.
It isn’t hypocrisy; it’s hierarchy. Leftists simply believe their worldview, corrupted as it may be, is superior to any that may contradict it.
The NBPA’s attacks against the Magic for supporting DeSantis is just a warning to other teams considering similar actions: Step out of line and be publicly scorned.
Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood
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