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The NBA and the Miami Heat are looking into an online incident involving former Portland Trail Blazers F/C Meyers Leonard, who uttered an anti-Semitic slur during a Twitch stream. Leonard was streaming Call of Duty when he broadcast the slur. Blazer’s Edge will not repost the video, which was initially tweeted by MainTeamSports this morning.
Condemnation of Leonard gained steam throughout the afternoon, coming to the attention of the league and of the Heat, Leonard’s current team.
NBA spokesman Mike Bass statement on Meyers Leonard, who said an anti-Semitic slur on a video game stream: “We just became aware of the video and are in the process of gathering more information. The NBA unequivocally condemns all forms of hate speech.”
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 9, 2021
The Heat are reviewing video of center Meyers Leonard using an anti-Semitic slur earlier today while live-streaming his video-game play via Twitch, according to a team spokesman.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 9, 2021
The Blazers drafted Leonard in 2012. He played for the team from 2012-2019 before being traded to the Heat, where he has played for the last season and a half.
Blazer’s Edge condemns anti-Semitism and the use of defamatory language. We are saddened by this event. We support those who were hurt by this incident.
Update:
Leonard offered the following apology:
Miami Heat center Meyers Leonard releases statement apologizing for saying anti-Semitic slur on a livestream: pic.twitter.com/AOi7ZE6nCy
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 10, 2021
Update:
The Heat have announced that Leonard will be away from the team indefinitely and that the team will cooperate with the NBA’s investigation.
Statement from the Miami Heat on center Meyers Leonard: pic.twitter.com/RmRaLZ1bxR
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 10, 2021