intense heat center Meyer’s Leonard apologized Tuesday night for using an anti-Semitic arc during a recent video game livestream, noting that the bug “is not an accurate representation of who I am” while promising to do better.
In a video that surfaced on social media on Tuesday, Leonard can be heard saying, “Cowardly cowards; don’t sniff me, you fuck k — b — -.”
“I am very sorry I used an anti-Semitic bow during a live stream yesterday,” Leonard wrote in a statement posted on Instagram. “Although I didn’t know then what the word meant, my ignorance of its history and how offensive it is to the Jewish community is absolutely no excuse and I was just wrong. I am more aware of its meaning now and I am determined To find people who can help me educate me about this type of hatred and how we can counter it.
“I acknowledge and own my mistake and there is no way out of something like this that hurts someone else so much. This is not an adequate representation of who I am and I want to thank the Arisons, my teammates, coaches, sorry to the Front Office, and everyone involved with the Miami Heat organization, my family, our loyal fans, and others in the Jewish community that I have hurt. I promise to do better and know that my future actions will be more powerful than my use of that word. “
It is possible that Leonard will face sanctions from the NBA who said it was “in the process of gathering more information”.
“The NBA clearly condemns all forms of hate speech,” said league spokesman Mike Bass.
The Heat, who were on the final day of their All-Star hiatus and won’t officially return to training until Wednesday, had no immediate comment.
As an avid gamer, Leonard has spoken repeatedly over the years about how much he enjoys having a back and forth with fans on his Twitch feed.
Leonard, a 7-foot center in its ninth NBA season, sustained a shoulder injury at the end of the season in January and appeared for the Heat in just three games that year. He could become a free agent this summer; The Heat holds a team option for the next season worth about $ 10 million.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
