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NBA Fines and Suspends Meyers Leonard for Saying Antisemitic Slur

During a livestream while he was playing a video game on Monday March 8, Miami Heat player Meyers Leonard said an antisemitic slur. The NBA has announced that Leonard will be fined $50,000, suspended from team activities for one week, and required to participate in a cultural diversity program. If Leonard had been an active player then he would have forfeited each of his game checks during the suspension, but because he is currently on the injured list he will still be paid by the team; this loophole makes no sense, and hopefully the NBA will close the loophole: a suspended player should not be paid, regardless of his injury status. Per the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement, a $50,000 fine is the maximum amount that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has the authority to issue for "any statement having, or that was designed to have, an effect prejudicial or detrimental to the best interest of basketball."

Here is Commissioner Silver's official statement: "Meyers Leonard's comment was inexcusable and hurtful and such an offensive term has no place in the NBA or in our society. Yesterday, he spoke to representatives of the Anti-Defamation League to better understand the impact of his words and we accept that he is genuinely remorseful. We have further communicated to Meyers that derogatory comments like this will not be tolerated and that he will be expected to uphold the core values of our league--equality, tolerance, inclusion and respect--at all times moving forward."

TNT's "Inside the NBA" did not ignore this story--which is an improvement over how "Inside the NBA" initially ignored antisemitic comments by DeSean Jackson, Ice Cube, and former NBA player Stephen Jackson last summer. "Inside the NBA" positions itself as more than just a basketball highlights show, and after staking out that position they have assumed the responsibility to speak out about all relevant issues, as opposed to picking and choosing certain issues.

Ernie Johnson opened the segment about Leonard by reading Commissioner Silver's statement, and then each panelist commented. Charles Barkley condemned what Leonard said, and stated that everyone has a responsibility to become better educated. Barkley also noted that Julian Edelman--the New England Patriots wide receiver, who happens to be Jewish--wrote a social media post both criticizing Leonard but also expressing compassion and offering to meet with Leonard to help educate him about this topic. Barkley pointed out that Edelman extended a similar invitation to DeSean Jackson last year after Jackson made his ignorant and offensive comments about Jews, and Barkley said that he agrees with Edelman's approach of "constructive criticism and compassion." Barkley stated that he prefers Edelman's approach to the "cancel culture."

Prior to Edelman's social media post, Leonard posted online, "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." Leonard added, "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 will not speculate about what Leonard knew or did not know, or about what is in Leonard's heart. The simple fact is that what he said is unacceptable, and it is important that the NBA is emphasizing how unacceptable it is.

Shaquille O'Neal, who helped the Heat win the 2006 NBA title, mentioned that the franchise has a Jewish owner and that the franchise will not tolerate what Leonard did. O'Neal also pointed out that Miami has a large Jewish community that will want to be assured "that he is really sorry." O'Neal noted that athletes are highly scrutinized for what they say and what they do, and they have a responsibility to act accordingly.

Barkley added that comments and words that he and other players used to say to each other in locker rooms and other private situations would get someone fined, suspended, or fired today, so all people must be careful about what they say because you never know who is watching or listening.

Kenny Smith disagreed with Barkley: "You don't have to 'be careful.' You just have to educate yourself...I don't want him to 'be careful.' I want him to realize what he is saying or what he is trying to be careful of saying is not tolerated." That is an excellent point, but then Smith attempted to link Leonard's antisemitic slur to Leonard not kneeling during the National Anthem. There is no valid connection between hate speech and standing for the National Anthem; to suggest otherwise is to assert that anyone who stands for the National Anthem is a racist, which would be an absurd and offensive position (perhaps that is not what Smith means, and hopefully he will clarify that at some point). Also, standing for the National Anthem is a job requirement for NBA employees, though the league provided leeway regarding this requirement during the "bubble" portion of last season. People have a right to kneel or not kneel, and employers also have a right to determine conditions of employment, as I explained in a recent article: 

I am not deeply offended by people who kneel for the National Anthem, but I am puzzled by what they think they are accomplishing. The National Anthem is not the Confederate flag; it is not a symbol of oppression, unless you believe that this country is fundamentally evil. I believe that this country has done wrong and must do better, but that this country is also, in President Abraham Lincoln's heartfelt, eloquent words, "the last best hope of Earth." I believe that there are other, better ways to protest injustice, and/or call attention to specific situations than not standing for the National Anthem. The playing of the National Anthem is a moment when all of us can stand together in gratitude for what this country has accomplished, and in hope for what this country will accomplish in terms of righting past wrongs/doing better in the future.

Although I stand for the National Anthem, I can respect someone who peacefully decides to kneel--but only if that person is also willing to accept the potential consequences of that action. If the National Anthem is that offensive to one's ears, then the political and economic systems that enable the NBA to exist and thrive are also offensive. 

It really is simple. The NBA, as a private employer, has a right to play the National Anthem before games with the expectation that its employees will stand respectfully while the National Anthem is played. Each person has a right to decide what terms of employment are acceptable financially, morally, and otherwise--and each person has a right to decide to seek employment from an employer whose rules and policies align with behaviors that are are palatable to that person.

It is good that the "Inside the NBA" crew commented about what Leonard said and why it is wrong. "Inside the NBA" is one of the most respected and influential studio shows, so people pay attention to what is discussed and what is not discussed. However, I find it interesting that the Leonard situation was not mentioned at all until near the end of TNT's coverage last night. Usually, when the "Inside the NBA" crew has something to say about a social or political issue that takes place during the first segment of the pregame show.

Labels: Adam Silver, Ice Cube, Inside the NBA, Meyers Leonard, Miami Heat, NBA, Stephen Jackson

posted by David Friedman @ 6:06 PM

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