Shaquille O'Neal Says 'Daryl Morey Was Right' in Hong Kong Comment

Shaquille O'Neal addressed the rift between the NBA and China on Tuesday. The TNT analyst and NBA Hall of Famer also defended Rockets general manager Daryl Morey. 

"One of our best values here in America is free speech, we're allowed to say what we want to say and we are allowed to speak out on injustices and that's just how it goes," O'Neal said on TNT's pregame show before NBA Opening Night on Tuesday. "Daryl Morey was right. Whenever you see something wrong going on anywhere in the world, you should have the right to say 'that's not right' and that's what [Morey] did."

Morey created an international incident on Oct. 4 when he tweeted an image with the phrase, "Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong." Houston's GM quickly deleted the tweet, and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta then distanced the organization from Morey's tweet.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed the controversy on Oct. 17. He also lent support to Morey. 

"We were being asked to fire [Morey], by the Chinese government, by the parties we dealt with in government and business," Silver said at the TIME 100 Health Summit on Thursday. "We said there's no chance that's happening. There's no chance we'll even discipline him."

The NBA season begins on Tuesday with a doubleheader on TNT. The Raptors host the Pelicans at 7 p.m. ET, and the Clippers face the Lakers at 9:30 p.m. ET.