EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) LeBron James has stepped into the spotlight of the now-strained relationship between the NBA and China with his comments about the league executive who started the ongoing fallout with what James derided as a "misinformed" tweet. Politicians, human rights groups and ordinary fans on social media have criticized the outspoken superstar, questioning the motivation of James' comments.

James spoke out Monday, his seven-minute session with reporters putting him squarely in the center of the ongoing international schism. Houston general manager Daryl Morey was "not really educated on the situation," James asserted, when he sent out that since-deleted Oct. 4 tweet showing support for Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests.

On Tuesday, James acknowledged the criticism - and said he expected that it would be coming.