Because the CCP is a totalitarian government whose dictator banned Winnie the Pooh [1] after he was offended by a couple of memes. If people started wearing “freehongkong” jerseys it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility that the NBA gets banned in China. Clearly the NBA does not want this.
Critics are right to hold the NBA’s feet to the fire for this kowtowing behaviour. A lot of people are unaware of the degree to which China is extending its influence into Western countries.
That's the wrong point, you misunderstand the situation.
The article was about caricatures and the movie, which both were definitely and verifiably censored and suppressed. (As usual, the bans are unevenly and arbitrarily enforced.)
You talk about toys and books, which are not a problem.
Presumably there was some risk assessment done by the NBA and they felt that allowing you to customize your jersey in such a way would risk shareholder value.
> Why should that dictate what letters I can or cannot put o the custom jersey I buy myself and pay with my own money?
Because the PRC will cut them off if they allow this, and the USA won't if they don't. And, so, serving the interest of capital says “knuckle under to the PRC”.
This is also why Hollywood movie studios do the same thing, and all kinds of other industries.
A neoliberal international order where major players are totalitarian corporatist states is a disaster for liberty, even beyond the ways a neoliberal international order is with all “democratic” capitalist participants.
Só what? Why should that dictate what letters I can or cannot put o the custom jersey I buy myself and pay with my own money?