Michele Tafoya rips LeBron James over essay in Chinese state newspaper: 'American malpractice'

Ex-NFL reporter Michele Tafoya appeared on OutKick's "Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich" to talk about LeBron James' essay in Chinese state-run media

Former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya slammed LeBron James after the Los Angeles Lakers wrote a glowing essay about China in a state-run outlet on Monday.

Tafoya appeared on OutKick’s "Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich" and gave her thoughts on James’ column. She said she was unsure if it was even real at first.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts to a foul called against him during the first half at Crypto.com Arena on Jan. 3, 2025. (Gary A. Vasquez/Imagn Images)

"The first (thought) was, ‘OK, is this real? Is this A.I.? Is this legit? Is he this ill-informed?’… This is like American malpractice," Tafoya said. "This is the guy who is defending China to the hills. Why? Because all of his sneakers are made there."

Tafoya pointed out that James, like a majority of NBA players, has been silent on the plight of Uyghur Muslims in China. The U.S. Department of Labor released a report in 2024 about Uyghur Muslims being forced to undergo "ideological indoctrination" as well as being forced to learn Mandarin.

China has consistently rejected claims of human rights violations when it came to Uyghurs.

"And he is ignorant of the human rights (issues) – the absolute atrocities going on in China, and the fact that China would like to destroy most of the Western world and own the globe, or else LeBron loves that idea," Tafoya added. "Maybe he’s all in. Maybe that’s what he wants too. For a guy who is very vocal about the slave history of the United States of America. 

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the