Stephen Wade, Author at Valley News

A man walks past statues of NBA players Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, left, and Lebron James of the Los Angeles Lakers holding Chinese flags in the entrance of an NBA merchandise store in Beijing, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV announced Tuesday it will no longer air two NBA preseason games set to be played in the country. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

With China rift ongoing, NBA’s Silver says free speech remains vital

by Stephen Wade AP Sports Writers, and Tim Reynolds AP Sports WritersOctober 8, 2019

TOKYO — NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the league is not apologizing for Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey’s since-deleted tweet showing support for anti-government protesters in Hong Kong, even after China’s state broadcaster canceled…

In this photo provided by China's Xinhua News Agency, Joe Ingles, left, of Australia competes with Lamine Sambe of Senegal during the group H match between Australia and Senegal at the 2019 FIBA World Cup in Dongguan, south China's Guangdong province, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019. (Zhu Zheng/Xinhua News Agency via AP)

Ingles 1 assist short of triple-double as Australia advances

by Stephen Wade AP Sports WriterSeptember 3, 2019

In this Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019 photo, Poland's head coach Mike Taylor celebrates during their group phase basketball game against Venezuela in the FIBA Basketball World Cup at the Cadillac Arena in Beijing. American coach Mike Taylor led Poland to its first World Cup victory in 52 years in the first game against Venezuela. Now he'll try to upset host China in the second game on Monday. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

American coach Mike Taylor: From Pennsylvania to Poland

by Stephen Wade AP Sports WriterSeptember 1, 2019

FILE - In this July 3, 2019, file photo, media tour the New National Stadium in Tokyo. Scandals and rising costs have not deterred interest in Japan in the Tokyo Olympic. They open in a year with unprecedented ticket demand. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

Year to go to Tokyo Games, with costs, ticket demand rising

by Stephen Wade The Associated PressJuly 22, 2019

Seattle Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, third from right, is applauded by teammates while leaving the field for defensive substitution in the eighth inning of Game 2 of the Major League baseball opening series against the Oakland Athletics at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Thursday, March 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Ichiro says farewell to baseball

by Stephen Wade AP Sports Writers, and Tim Booth AP Sports WritersMarch 21, 2019

Seattle Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki wipes his sweat during the team's batting practice prior to Game 1 of a Major League opening series baseball game against the Oakland Athletics at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Wednesday, March 20, 2019. (AP Photo/Toru Takahashi)

At A’s-Mariners’ opener, it’s all about Ichiro

by Stephen Wade AP Sports WriterMarch 20, 2019

A robot passes a basket containing drinks to a woman in wheelchair during an unveiling event in Tokyo Friday, March 15, 2019. Organizers on Friday showed off robots that will be used at the new National Stadium to provide assistance for fans using wheelchairs. (Kyodo News via AP)

Mechanical helpers may brand Tokyo’s Olympics the ‘Robot Games’

by Stephen Wade AP Sports WriterMarch 15, 2019

FILE - In this Sept. 2, 2018 file photo, Olympic Council of Asia President Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah gestures as he addresses the closing ceremony for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. A corruption case involving a powerful International Olympic Committee member promises to overshadow meetings this week in Tokyo with local Olympic organizers, IOC officials, and the heads of 206 national Olympic committees. Under pressure, Sheikh Ahmad al Fahad al Sabah stepped down temporarily last week as an IOC member amid a pending criminal trial in Switzerland. He denies any wrongdoing and has said the charges against him are "politically motivated." (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara, File)

Olympic-Related Meetings Overshadowed By Corruption Charges

by Stephen Wade The Associated PressNovember 26, 2018

In this Nov. 3, 2018, photo, Taiwan ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Taipei city mayor candidate Yao Wen-chih greets supporters during a rally for a referendum asking if national teams, including ones for the Olympics, should go by the name "Taiwan Taipei" instead of "Chinese Taipei" in Taipei, Taiwan. Taiwan will vote on a referendum this month asking if the self-ruled island should compete as “Taiwan” instead of the present “Chinese Taipei.” This would include the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The controversial referendum has angered China, which sees Taiwan as a breakaway province. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Olympic Referendum: Shall it be ‘Taiwan’ or ‘Chinese Taipei’

by Stephen Wade The Associated PressNovember 22, 2018

Argentina's Lionel Messi reacts after the third goal of Croatia during the group D match between Argentina and Croatia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, Thursday, June 21, 2018. Croatia won 3-0. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Croatia Puts Argentina on Brink

by Stephen Wade AP Sports WriterJune 22, 2018