NBA star Anthony Edwards issues grovelling apology after ‘immature’ homophobic comment
NBA athlete Anthony Edwards has apologised after posting an anti-LGBTQ+ story on his Instagram.
The 22-year-old Minnesota Timberwolves player shared a story to his 1.2 million followers where he described a group of men as “queer-ass n****s” according to The Guardian, before adding: “Look at the world I came to.”
After a blistering backlash, Edwards posted an apology on Sunday (11 September).
“What I said was immature, hurtful, and disrespectful, and I’m incredibly sorry,” he tweeted.
“It’s unacceptable for me or anyone to use that language in such a hurtful way, there’s no excuse for it, at all. I was raised better than that!”
What I said was immature, hurtful, and disrespectful, and I’m incredibly sorry. It’s unacceptable for me or anyone to use that language in such a hurtful way, there’s no excuse for it, at all. I was raised better than that!
— Anthony Edwards (@theantedwards_) September 11, 2022
However, many remained unconvinced.
“I just don’t understand how who I am as a person would be so concerning to you and why you have such disdain for us,” read one reply to the apology.
“I’ve never heard of you until this tweet, and I still won’t put you down, and wish you nothing but continued success. See how simple that is?”
Others were more inclined to accept his quick and succinct apology, with one saying: “You’re good king, you’re young, everyone makes mistakes.”
It’s likely that Anthony Edwards will be fined for the post, as the NBA has a significant history of reprimanding homophobic, misogynistic, or otherwise bigoted behaviour.
In 2021, the NBA fined Kevin Durant $50,000 after a heated back-and-forth with actor Michael Rapaport was thrust into public view.
Roy Hibbert was fined $75,000 in 2013 after he called the media “motherf***ers” and said NBA icon LeBron James “was scoring in the post or getting to the paint cause he was stretching me out so much – no homo” during a press conference
Jason Collins – who played for the Timberwolves in 2008 and 2009, was the first active NBA player to come out as gay. John Amaechi was the first former player to come out, in 2007.
Since Collins, no other player has come out as gay. In 2020, Collins shared his view on why that is.
“There is that fear of stepping forward,” he told Yahoo! Sports.
“I think it’s up to the rest of us to try to create that environment where those closeted athletes out there know that when they do choose to step forward, that they will be supported and championed, and continue to play the sport, continue to evolve, and not feel that they have to hide who they are.”
