- Heat center Meyers Leonard used an anti-Semitic slur while gaming on Twitch.
- Leonard later apologized in a statement, saying he was unaware of the meaning of the word.
- The
NBA is investigating the incident, while the Heat said Leonard is away from the team indefinitely.
Miami Heat center Meyers Leonard on Tuesday used an anti-Semitic slur while gaming on Twitch.
Leonard appeared to be playing "Call of Duty" on a livestream with another user when he responded to being shot at by saying, "Don't f---ing snipe me, you f---ing k--- b----."
The Heat announced that Leonard is away from the team indefinitely. The NBA is investigating the incident.
Video of the incident can be seen below. Warning: explicit language:
-Mark Travis (@Mark_Travis) March 9, 2021
Shortly after, Leonard told the person he was gaming with that he had to step away to take a phone call. Moments later, he said he had to go because his wife needed him.
Leonard on Wednesday released a statement saying he was unaware of the meaning of the slur, but apologized for using it and vowed to learn more about fighting
"I am deeply sorry for using an anti-Semitic slur during a livestream yesterday," Leonard's statement said. "While I didn't know what the word meant at the time, my ignorance about its history and how offensive it is to the Jewish community is absolutely not an excuse and I was just wrong. I am now more aware of its meaning and I am committed to properly seeking out people who can help educate me about this type of hate and how we can fight it.
"I acknowledge and own my mistake and there's no running from something like this that is so hurtful to someone else. This is not a proper representation of who I am and I want to apologize to the Arisons, my teammates, coaches, front office, and everyone associated with the Miami Heat organization, to my family, to our loyal fans and to others in the Jewish community who I have hurt. I promise to do better and know that my future actions will be more powerful than my use of this word."
Leonard has appeared in just three games this season for a total of 29 minutes. He is out for the season after having surgery on his shoulder.
Leonard made headlines over the summer when he was the lone member of the Heat who chose not to kneel during the national anthem, as was commonly seen in the NBA bubble. Leonard cited his family's military history for his decision.
The NBA has faced questions about veins of anti-Semitism among players. In July, former NBA player Stephen Jackson expressed support for NFL wide receiver DeSean Jackson after DeSean shared a quote misattributed to Adolf Hitler on Instagram. Players including J.R. Smith and Kevin Durant had "liked" Stephen Jackson's Instagram post defending DeSean Jackson.
Additionally, both Stephen Jackson and former NBA player Allen Iverson expressed support for Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, who has been deemed anti-Semitic by the Anti-Defamation League.