The NBA shut down CNN’s Christina Macfarlane after she attempted to question Houston Rockets stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook if this week’s events make them feel differently about speaking out in the future:

Journalist gets quickly shut down when she asked James Harden, Russell Westbrook if they would refrain from speaking out on politics/social justice after China debacle… pic.twitter.com/VkXSWo0N0s — gifdsports (@gifdsports) October 10, 2019

You can’t really hear it in that video, but the spokesman told her the players would answer basketball questions only:

James Harden and Russell Westbrook were asked if they would “feel differently” about speaking on political and societal affairs because of the events with the NBA/China. A spokesperson interrupted and informed the reporter that the players would answer basketball questions only. pic.twitter.com/zMe8uWz2hY — Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) October 10, 2019

Why is this reporter for The Athletic defending the NBA here?

As the spokesperson said in the video, both James Harden and Russell Westbrook have answered questions this week about this topic. This was not the first time they were asked. https://t.co/PQOaTgrdiE — Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) October 10, 2019

She never did get an answer:

@chrissymacCNN did you ever get an answer for the question you asked about whether harden and Westbrook would feel differently talking about politics? — Andres Acosta (@Dre_23king) October 10, 2019

No I did not. — Christina Macfarlane (@chrissymacCNN) October 10, 2019

Cowards:

This is downright Orwellian — and shame on @russwest44 & @JHarden13 for sitting there like cowards as this reporter is shut down. #NBA https://t.co/uyyZuEAQLw — Andrew Wagner (@andrewwagner) October 10, 2019

We’ve gone from “Shut up and dribble!” being a slur to “Shut up and report on how we’re dribbling” as standard operating procedure.

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