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The NBA fined Meyers Leonard $ 50,000 and suspended him from all Miami Heat facilities and activities for a week in response to his use of an anti-Semitic slur.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the sanctions Thursday, two days after the video began circulating on social media.
“Meyers Leonard’s comment was unforgivable and hurtful and such an offensive term has no place in the NBA or in our society,” Silver said.
Leonard apologized for using the term, insisting he didn’t know what it meant when he used it on Monday. The Heat learned of the matter Tuesday and Leonard’s future with the team is now in serious doubt. He will not play again this season due to a shoulder injury.
Silver said Leonard spoke Wednesday “with representatives of the Anti-Defamation League to better understand the impact of his words and we accept that he is genuinely sorry.”
“Additionally, we have communicated to Meyers that derogatory comments like this will not be tolerated and that he is expected to uphold the core values of equality, tolerance, inclusion and respect for our league at all times in the future,” Silver said.
The Heat returned to work Wednesday to end their All-Star break. The team opens its second-half schedule on Thursday against Orlando. Spoelstra has spoken with Leonard, as have other team officials.
“Meyers has been a very good teammate,” Spoelstra said. “He’s a good human being.”
The video elicited reactions from league officials, members of other teams, celebrities, and even athletes from other sports.
New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, who is Jewish, posted a letter to Leonard on social media and said he did it to offer perspective. Edelman also said that he is in Miami often and invited Leonard to meet for a Shabbat dinner with friends.
“I have the feeling you didn’t use that word out of hatred, more out of ignorance,” Edelman wrote. “Most likely, you weren’t trying to hurt anyone or even profile Jews in your comment. That is what makes it so destructive. When someone intends to be obnoxious, they usually meet great resistance. Casual ignorance is more difficult to combat and more far-reaching, especially when you have a great influence. “
Spoelstra has praised Leonard’s work ethic and effort many times during the center’s year and a half with the team. Those days seem far away now.
“The intention doesn’t matter,” Spoelstra said. “It’s just not right.”
An avid gamer, Leonard had around 58,000 followers on Twitch as of Tuesday afternoon. The nine-year NBA veteran announced his investment in esports organization FaZe Clan in 2019.
Later Tuesday, FaZe Clan said in a statement that it was “severing ties” with Leonard.
“We are incredibly disappointed to hear the Meyers broadcast today,” the statement said. read. “FaZe does not tolerate hate speech or discriminatory language of any kind. While Meyers is not a FaZe member, we are severing ties with him. “
Gaming companies Astro Gaming, Origin PC, and Scuf Gaming also announced that they were ending their relationships with the player.
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