Hot Takes: Gavin Newsom Dunked Into Next Week After Basketball Game With Chinese Kids Goes Way Wrong

Well, the bizarre video of California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) plowing shoulder-first into a Chinese child during what was supposed to be a friendly basketball pick-up game is out there, as brought to our attention by our own Jennifer Van Laar. And for those of us who have watched it, the clip unfortunately cannot be unseen.

Amazingly, there are leftists on social media trying to paint this clip as a "public relations win" for wannabe-president Newsom because it allegedly shows his "human/fatherly side" or whatever:

California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom plows through a small child during a game of basketball in communist China pic.twitter.com/Kb9839BNq1
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 29, 2023

While I suspect the parents of the young boy who Newsom toppled might have other thoughts about his "fatherly side," there were others whose reactions, which included memes and fake play-by-plays of the moment, were absolutely hilarious.

Here are some of them:

pic.twitter.com/E1LQ9Dgptl
— David McCune, MD, MPH (@davidemccune) October 29, 2023

look at my Governor dawg he got entrapped in a 2-3 zone defense run by 6 year olds https://t.co/H9y2yxKJrV
— sick public transit, gloria (@seungylee14) October 29, 2023

Gavin telling folks how great he is, and how great he has made California…then facts and Community Notes hit… https://t.co/trlkPqrpeY
— Joel Gackle (@JoelGackle) October 29, 2023

The great fall https://t.co/wnuvL1XGbj pic.twitter.com/NlWopbltth
— Dr. Richard Harambe (@Richard_Harambe) October 29, 2023

Not shocking, but clearly an offensive foul on Newsom. Kids feet were planted. https://t.co/OlpAu744un
— Travis Shirkman (@t_shirkman) October 29, 2023

Some thought Newsom didn't take the brutality far enough, and suggested a WWE/D-Generation X-style ownership move (language warning) :

What a pussy. He should have stood up and did the "SUCK IT" move to the child. https://t.co/eNUxvzTwR9 pic.twitter.com/DjOpn4EtDF
— Dave Wright (@DaveWTheThinker) October 29, 2023

Then, there were the quips.

"Why parks in California have 'masters' pickup games for the over 50 crowd," observed one Californian. "These people trip over their own feet a lot."

Newsom is 56.

"Could a single video better capture Gavin Newsom's upcoming presidential run? Starts with him trying to be so cool followed by him tripping and falling on his a**. It's perfect!" opined another.

And then came the Trump/Newsom basketball comparisons:

President Donald Trump
Vs.
Gavin Newsom

Basketball Edition pic.twitter.com/sq8QhTCLFy
— Lucky (@TheMagaHulk) October 29, 2023

The video reminded some folks of the time in 2015 when Boris Johnson, who at the time was the Mayor of London, ran into a Japanese child during a touch rugby match.

Here's how the Guardian covered it at the time:

Johnson was taking part in what was billed as an informal game of street rugby with adults and children on the final day of his three-day trade mission to Japan when he took possession of the ball and raced for the line.
Standing in his way on the mini-pitch was Toki Sekiguchi, a Tokyo schoolboy, who hit the turf after Johnson opted for a shoulder barge rather than a change in direction. After both players had picked themselves up, Johnson went over to Toki and asked if he was all right, before shaking his hand. “I’m so sorry,” he told the somewhat shocked boy.
The pair later posed for photographs and Johnson gave Toki a 2015 rugby World Cup ball.

Here’s Boris Johnson smashing a child to the floor during a game of rugby. #WearTheRose pic.twitter.com/mdCZJD14A2
— Dave Jones (@WelshGasDoc) October 15, 2015

What is the moral of the story? Maybe elected officials should stick to playing games with people their own size, and leave the kids alone?