Twelve days after calling NBA referee a "mother-f**king-faggot" on court during a game, Sacramento Kings Rajon Rondo has issued a formal apology to referee Bill Kennedy.
“You’re a mother———- faggot," Rondo had said earlier this month. "You’re a f——— faggot, Billy."
Via the Sacramento Kings, Rondo had this to say last night:
“Yesterday, I said that my words toward Bill Kennedy were unacceptable and did not reflect my feelings toward the LGBT community," Rondo said in a statement released by his team.
"Some have interpreted my comments as a non-apology. I want to be clear, from the bottom of my heart that I am truly sorry for what I said to Bill. There is no place on or off the court for language that disrespects anyone's sexual orientation. That is not who I am or what I believe and I will strive every day to be a better person."
In the wake of the ugly incident, Kennedy came out as an openly gay man.
In the aftermath of an ugly altercation between NBA referee Bill Kennedy and Sacramento Kings guard Rajon Rondo, two moments emerged.
First, the backstory - the on-court altercation happened when referee Bill Kennedy called a technical foul on Rondo. Rondo began stalking the referee on the court, eventually getting in Kennedy's face telling him “You’re a mother———- faggot. … You’re a f——— faggot, Billy.”
"I am proud to be an NBA referee and I am proud to be a gay man," Kennedy told Yahoo Sports on Sunday night. "I am following in the footsteps of others who have self-identified in the hopes that will send a message to young men and women in sports that you must allow no one to make you feel ashamed of who you are."
And yesterday, Rondo issued a non-apology via Twitter:
My actions during the game were out of frustration and emotion, period!
Because nothing says "respect" more than calling someone a "mother-f**king-faggot."
Rondo initially denied using the slur until video taped evidence was examined by two independent experts, and the other officials were interviewed privately and all accounts confirmed the report.
Rondo will make $9.5 million this season, and his one game suspension for tonight's game against the Houston Rockets will cost him $86,300.
You can watch the aggressive behavior that led to Rondo's ejection below.
UPDATE: Rondo has issued a statement via the Sacramento Kings to clarify his tweets and make it clear he is, indeed, apologizing.
“Yesterday, I said that my words toward Bill Kennedy were unacceptable and did not reflect my feelings toward the LGBT community. Some have interpreted my comments as a non-apology. I want to be clear, from the bottom of my heart that I am truly sorry for what I said to Bill. There is no place on or off the court for language that disrespects anyone’s sexual orientation. That is not who I am or what I believe and I will strive every day to be a better person.”
