Meyers coach Leonard and Miami Heat teammates offered no excuse this Wednesday for Leonard’s use of an anti-Semitic insult during a real-time video game broadcast, nor did they make any effort to hide his disappointment in his first public comments about the incident.
“He said something that was extremely nasty and hurt,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And we’re left with the aftermath of that.”
In a video that appeared on social media on Tuesday, Leonard can be heard saying, “F — ing cowards; don’t f — ing snipe me, you f — ing k — b – Leonard apologized in an Instagram post and will move away from the Heat indefinitely, according to the organization, while the NBA conducts an investigation.
Leonard’s season had already ended due to a shoulder injury.
“Words have consequences,” Spoelstra said. “And they were extremely painful words.”
The Heat returned to work on Wednesday to end their All-Star break. The team opens its second-half schedule Thursday against Orlando. Spoelstra has spoken with Leonard, as have other team leaders.
“We can’t tolerate it here,” Udonis Haslem, Heat captain and 18-year veteran, said of the use of the bar. “The right thing is right and the wrong thing is wrong. And since I’ve been here in this organization, until the day I leave this organization and beyond, we’ll try to be on the right side of everything, especially on issues like this.”
Haslem was asked if Leonard ever used offensive language around him.
“No, sir,” Haslem said. “I’ve never heard him use any language that made me uncomfortable.”
Spoelstra has offered much praise for Leonard’s work ethic and hard work many times over the year and a half from the 7-foot center with the team.
Those days seem like a long time ago now.
“It doesn’t matter the intent,” Spoelstra said. “It’s just not okay.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.