Recent Rasicm Part 2

Homophobia controversy

On February 14, 2007, Hardaway made a series of remarks that were widely criticised as homophobic. During an interview on Dan Le Batard's radio show on Miami's 790 the Ticket concerning the recent coming out of retired basketball player John Amaechi, Hardaway was asked by Le Batard how he would deal with a gay teammate. Hardaway said he "wouldn’t want him on my team." He added that he would shun a gay teammate and wouldn't want him in the locker room. In response to a question from Le Batard, Hardaway said that he might request that he or a gay teammate be traded to another team.

When Le Batard asked Hardaway if he realized that his remarks were homophobic and bigoted, Hardaway responded, "Well, you know I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it." Later that day, Hardaway stood by his views in an interview with Miami CBS station WFOR-TV.

Later in the day, Hardaway apologized for the remarks during a telephone interview with Fox affiliate WSVN in Miami. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said I hate gay people or anything like that." He further apologized on February 15 in a statement released by his agent.

On February 15, the NBA responded to Hardaway's comments by removing him from its All-Star Weekend activities later that week. Commissioner David Stern released a statement saying that "It is inappropriate for him to be representing us given the disparity between his views and ours." Hardaway's employer, Trinity Sports, owner of the Anderson-based CBA Indiana Alley Cats, dismissed him from his position as Chief Basketball Operations Advisor and the CBA issued a statement distancing itself from Hardaway's remarks.