A thorough breakdown of Gavin Newsom’s basketball tumble in China

California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently completed a weeklong trip to China, where he met with President Xi Jinping and other high-ranking Chinese officials. The ostensible purpose of the trip was to discuss climate change, and specifically, more cooperation between California and China on climate-related matters.

But as with all things involving Newsom, it’s fair to wonder whether there may have been ulterior (presidential) motives to his diplomatic visit.

On Friday, Newsom tried to play basketball at an elementary school in Beijing. “Tried” being the operative word, because, due to a deadly combination of slippery dress shoes, elite paint-clogging defense from a pair of children and what seems to be a severe case of Hooper Hubris, Newsom was unable to make it past the top of the key.

Let’s go frame by frame. In the first five seconds of the clip, Newsom twice spins a basketball on his finger. He’s not bad at it, but that in itself is a red flag. Real hoopers don’t have time to learn how to twirl basketballs. They’re too busy hooping.

Newsom then transitions out of basketball twirling with a fairly seamless behind-the-back dribble. Given that he’s 56 years old and, again, is in dress shoes, it’s hard not to be a little impressed. At the eight-second mark, he launches into a spin move, a combo that has taken out lesser defenders in NBA 2K online. 

It’s here that the hubris takes over. Newsom can’t shake one of the literal children with the spin move, so he segues into a right-to-left behind-the-back dribble. Here, the Basketball Gods punish Newsom for taking one too many attempts at an ankle-breaker. At the nine-second mark, the governor trips on himself. He takes an unintentional power dribble; sensing weakness, one of the boys makes a valiant steal attempt. 

At the 11-second mark, Newsom eats s—t. There is no other way to describe it. And not only does he eat s—t, but he takes the would-be stat-stuffing little boy down with him.

It’s an unusually vulnerable, embarrassing moment for a politician who, if you’re grading him on the American politician public gaffes scale that includes the likes of George W. Bush, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, is relatively public gaffes-proof. Newsom went to that Beijing basketball court for a photo-op, to show that he, the 6-foot-3 former college athlete, has Still Got It. Those little kids were supposed to fall over like bowling pins, except via a Newsom crossover, not because he became the bowling ball. 

In fairness, Newsom’s recovery at the end of the clip deserves a nod. He exhibits some decent athleticism and coordination on the way down. Watch the replay: Mid-fall, he properly secures the kid he’s mowing over. Newsom takes the brunt of the fall, which is good, because otherwise, he would’ve squished a child.

And then, at the 14-second mark, after gleaning that the child is fine and an international incident has been avoided, Newsom seamlessly transitions back into a politician doing a photo-op. Immediate big ol’ grin. Back slaps for the kiddo. A hug for the kiddo. Look how much fun we’re having here! Just a tiny little whoopsie!