Meyers Leonard claims in apology he did not know what slur meant

“I am deeply sorry for using an anti-Semitic slur during a livestream yesterday,” Leonard said. “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. 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 acknowledge and own my mistake and there’s no running from something like this that is so hurtful to someone else. This is not a proper representation of who I am and I want to apologize to the Arisons, my teammates, coaches, front office, and everyone associated with the Miami Heat organization, to my family, to our loyal fans and to others in the Jewish community who I have hurt. I promise to do better and know that my future actions will be more powerful than my use of this word.”

Several athletes are popular on video game livestreams and made headlines for things they have said, though none have been like this.

Leonard, 29, was the No. 11 pick by Portland in 2012. He was traded to Miami in 2019 and has missed most of the season due to a shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery.