Miami Heat pivot Meyers Leonard will be separated from the team indefinitely, the organization said in a statement Tuesday night as the NBA conducts an investigation into its anti-Semitic insult during a broadcast on recent live from a video game.
In the video that came to light on Tuesday, Leonard can be heard saying, “Damn cowards, don’t shoot me, damn it.”
“We just found out about the video and are in the process of gathering more information,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement. “The NBA unequivocally condemns all forms of hate speech.”
Leonard did not immediately respond to ESPN’s request for comment but later apologized and noted that the mistake “is not a proper representation of who I am,” while promising to do better.
“I deeply regret having used an anti-Semitic insult during a live broadcast yesterday,” Leonard wrote in a statement posted on Instagram. “While I didn’t know what the word meant at the time, my ignorance of its history and how offensive it is to the Jewish community is not an excuse and I was wrong. Now I am more aware of its meaning and I am committed to properly seek out people who can help me educate myself about this type of hatred and how we can combat it.
“I acknowledge and own my mistake and don’t have to run away from something like this that is so painful for someone else. This is not a proper representation of who I am and I want to apologize to the Arisons, my teammates. the team, the coaches, the head office, and all the associates with the Miami Heat organization, my family, our loyal followers, and other members of the Jewish community that I have injured. I promise to do better and I know that my future actions will be more powerful than the use of this word.
An avid gamer, Leonard has repeatedly argued over the years how much he enjoys having exchanges with fans on his Twitch feed.
Leonard has been out since Jan. 9 after suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery and ended the season for him.