Miami Heat big man Meyers Leonard has made headlines but for all the wrong reasons after he used an anti-Semitic slur during a livestream.
It’s been a rough 24 hours for Miami Heat big man Meyers Leonard and rightfully so. Earlier this week, Leonard went viral on social media after he was caught using an anti-Semitic slur while participating in a live stream of Call of Duty.
In case you missed it, Leonard, inexcusably, said, “F**king cowards, don’t f**king snipe me, you f**king … k*ke b*tch.”
As you can probably understand, countless folks out there are furious with Leonard and what he had to say. On Tuesday, the Heat standout decided to release a statement, apologizing for his language to fans.
Meyers Leonard has taken to social media to apologize for his anti-Semitic slur
“I am deeply sorry for using an anti-Semitic slur during a livestream yesterday,” Leonard said in his statement. “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.”
As you can tell from his statement, Leonard was clearly apologetic for his actions and he wanted to make it clear that he understands how offensive his language was toward the Jewish community.
As of now, the Miami Heat has placed Leonard on leave as the NBA conducts an investigation.
Only time will tell if the NBA or Heat decide to punish Leonard for his inappropriate conduct. There are many fans who are calling for a suspension here, though.