Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James visited Saudi Arabia earlier this month in what appeared to be a business-related trip. Regardless, seeing the four-time NBA champion gave locals quite a treat, although not all were that thrilled.
The visit of the 38-year-old NBA star drew mixed reactions, but one person who stood out was Hatice Cengiz, the fiancée of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. She shared her comments with Douglas Montero of RadarOnline.com.
"Another disappointing development. It is important to remember that athletes are not just athletes," the 41-year-old activist stated. "They have a lot of fans following them. It is very sad to see that these people forget that they are also morally exemplary while making their choices," Cengiz added.
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Khashoggi was assassinated in 2018 on the orders of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Washington Post reported.
LeBron James is no stranger to social issues despite being a staunch supporter of social justice issues in the past.
Beyond that, James' visit included guiding up-and-coming Saudi basketball players so they can be the best players they can be, as posted by @saudiarabia on Twitter.
The visit also comes shortly after LeBron James joked about possibly taking a deal to play in Saudi Arabia. The only problem is that KSA has not been known to invest heavily in basketball but more in soccer, USA Today pointed out.
Saudi Arabia soccer team Al Hilal tried to lure Kylian Mbappe with a record offer of $332 million. However, the 24-year-old forward turned down that offer, opting to remain with Paris Saint-Germain.
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