The week that doesn’t seem to be getting any better for the Atlanta Hawks continues on.
Atlanta Hawks GM Danny Ferry continues to be under fire for comments he made in regards to Miami Heat forward Luol Deng. Earlier in the week it was reported that he made racially offensive remarks about the veteran NBA players ethnicity, and now there is recorded proof.
Per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the audio of the tape simply serves as a reminder of the insensitive words made by Ferry.
“He’s a good guy overall… but he’s not perfect. He’s got a little African in him. And I don’t mean that in a bad way,”
The Hawks have said that Danny Ferry was reading off a report, but with the audio of him reciting the words out one is able to draw their own conclusions. Prior to the release of the audio there has been speculation on whether it was a report being read, as well as the initial reaction after the comments were said. Listening to the audio, the tone in the meeting would indicate that Ferry was not reprimanded or held accountable for the offensive wording.
News of Ferry’s comments initially came to attention after Hawks owner Bruce Levenson announced that he would be selling his interest in the team.
Toronto Raptors GM Masai Ujiri weighed in with his thoughts on Ferry’s comments. Ujiri, who is originally from Nigeria, crafted an essay that details his feelings on the matter for The Globe and Mail.
When I first heard it, I wondered, “What does that mean?” I am an African from Nigeria. Luol is an African from South Sudan. We’ve worked together across our home continent, holding our own basketball camps, as well as in those organized by the NBA.
I remember an instance, in Kigali, Rwanda, when Luol honoured a commitment to show up despite being seriously ill. He didn’t want to disappoint any of the children who were expecting him.
Is that “a little bit of African”?
His fellow NBA players have named him the NBA’s top sportsman. Last year, his work for charity earned him the league’s J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship award.
Is that the “African” he means?
The essay is highly worth your time, and should be read in full. Ujiri offers an honest perspective on the issue without condemning Ferry. Instead the Raptors GM offers a chance for Ferry and others to learn from the experience, while being mindful of how to correctly assess future players of African descent.
You discover a person’s true character in their ability to learn from and then move on from those mistakes. One of the truly important things we must learn is how to forgive.
Danny’s mistake will remain tied to him for a long time. What he’s said can’t be unsaid, but we must measure his heart. If he has made an honest, isolated error, we should forgive and move on.
What remains to be seen is how commissioner Adam Silver will react to these latest details, after publicly saying that Ferry shouldn’t be fired prior to the audio being released.
Paul George Apologizes For Comments On Ray Rice Incident
Indiana Pacers star Paul George received heat for some ill advised comments on the topic of Ray Rice. Rice was recently suspended indefinitely by the NFL after being cut by the Baltimore Ravens from assaulting his wife earlier this year. As reported by the Associated Press, George chose to weigh in on the subject.
Due to the handling of the matter and the backlash that has been directed at the NFL because of it, the topic has been a very hot and controversial one throughout the week.
Per the Associated Press:
George tweeted that although he didn’t condone hitting women, he believed Rice should to be allowed to play in the NFL. In another post George wrote: ”If you in a relationship and a woman hit you first and attacking YOU.. Then you obviously ain’t beatin HER. Homie made A bad choice!”
After the posts created a stir in media circles, George pulled down all of those posts and replaced them with an apology that read in part: ”My intent was not to downplay the situation.”
Despite deleting all of the original tweets, the damage had already been done. George created quite an uproar which called for an immediate explanation as well as an apology from him on Twitter. The matter has been too sensitive for someone in his position to take lightly, given the facts of the incident. George has since apologized in an official statement released by the Indiana Pacers.
Statement from Paul George:
“I want to apologize to all victims of domestic abuse for my insensitive tweets. They were obviously without proper understanding of the seriousness of the situation and I sincerely regret my poor choice of words.”
Indiana’s president of basketball operations Larry Bird also issued a statement on the matter.
Statement from Pacers President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird:
“Paul George’s tweets from earlier were thoughtless and without regard to the subject of domestic violence and its seriousness in society. We have talked to Paul to strongly express our displeasure and made it clear that the NBA and the Pacers’ organization will not condone or tolerate remarks of this nature. Paul understands that he was wrong and why his tweets were so inappropriate and is very apologetic.”
George is expected to miss the entire 2014-15 NBA season as he recovers from a compound fracture earlier this summer while participating in a scrimmage for the United States Men’s National team.
Other News Around The NBA:
- According to the New York Times, Chicago Bulls forward Pau Gasol is uncertain of his future playing for Spain after being eliminated from the World Cup by France: “You never know when it is your last game or your last tournament,” Gasol told reporters after the 65-52 loss. The Chicago Bulls player has been the talisman for the side but he, like several others in the squad, are approaching the end of their illustrious careers. “I would like to play until I am 50 but I doubt I will. It is an honour to play for my country but you never know…We have great young players coming through and I am sure that we will have a strong side for the future,” said the 34-year-old.
- During Team USA’s day off prior to their semi-final matchup against Lithuania, Stephen Curry and Kenneth Faried engaged in a friendly three-point shootout. The two conducted the shooting contest while sitting on the bench. You can check out the lighthearted display here.
Esau Howard is a regular contributor to Sheridan Hoops. You can follow him on Twitter at @EsauTheFirst.
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