In the wake of ex-NBA player John Amaechi’s coming out, former NBA star Tim Hardaway said some things that he shouldn’t have. His comments were hateful, ignorant and biting. For those of you who aren’t familiar, here’s an excerpt:
“First of all, I wouldn’t want [Amaechi] on my team. You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don’t like gay people and I don’t like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don’t like it. It shouldn’t be in the world or in the United States.”
The punishment came swiftly and decisively for one of the great point guards in the game. Hardaway was fired from his job as an NBA analyst, banned from the All-Star Game in Vegas, and suddenly found himself in everybody’s bad books. Hardaway’s reputation is forever tarnished. Decades and decades of hard work, of being an outstanding player and teammate, earning respect for his work as an NBA analyst after his playing career-all of this was thrown away in a two-minute homophobic rant.
NBA players have always censored their words. They are often afraid to speak what is truly in their hearts and minds, afraid of making controversial comments that will create a public backlash with severe consequences. What happened to Tim Hardaway will only heighten that fear.
Just like politicians and celebrities, athletes feel a lot of pressure to watch what they say. In this new technological age, gossip can spread faster than ever before. In the same way that politicians will always “say the right thing,” spouting safe sound bites to clamour for votes, and in the same way celebrities will rarely say anything controversial so as not to jeopardize future movie roles, athletes must also bite their tongues in the interest of self-preservation.
Instead of votes or movie roles, athletes struggle to stay on the good side of the media, of the fans, of the coaching and management staff, and, last but not least, on contracts and endorsement deals. I am definitely not insinuating that the bulk of NBA athletes agree with Tim Hardaway’s comments-though there are probably a few. I am just saying that one has to take the comments of NBA players with a grain of salt, because you can never be sure what is driving and motivating them.
Tiger Woods is a good example. He is Nike’s dream spokesman. A recognizable face, an astonishing game, intensity and charisma on the golf course-and interviews that will make you fall asleep. If you watch him talk to the media, you will hear him say a variation on the same thing every single time. Even when faced with tough, controversial questions, he will cleverly sidestep in order to not take a side.
Controversial comments such as Hardaway’s alienate large segments of the public. Nike wants Tiger not to alienate anybody, thus selling more products. Tiger knows that if he stays neutral, helping Nike sell more products with his bland attitude, they will keep the endorsement cheques coming. See how it works?
This is why, for all of the politically correct, seemingly tolerant, and accepting comments by NBA players in the wake of Amaechi’s surprise announcement-one has to wonder if some of these players are only thinking about the bottom line.
Let me make myself clear. In no way am I saying that all of the lovey-dovey talk is a hoax. I truly believe that many NBA players, especially those from large, diverse cosmopolitan cities, would openly accept a gay teammate. Amaechi has been quoted as saying that he thinks Toronto would accept a gay NBA player. I read a very touching story about Andrei Kirilenko (still playing for the Jazz), who was teammates with Amaechi when this story happened.
It was New Year’s Eve, and Kirilenko was hosting a party. Sensing something in Amaechi that others may not have, he sent him a text message that Amaechi later said “brought tears to my eye.” The message read “Please come, John. You are welcome to bring your partner, if you have one, someone special to you. Who it is makes no difference to me.” Amaechi already had plans and couldn’t make it, but he still sent Andrei a $500 bottle of champagne for his kind gesture. I truly believe that there are many other current NBA players whose reaction would mirror Andrei’s. Conversely, I also feel that there would be many NBA players whose reactions would be more like Hardaway’s than Kirilenko’s. The U.S. and Canada still have a lot to work on in terms of accepting people who are different. Racism and homophobia continue to be chronic problems in many parts of both countries. Moreover, the NBA locker room (not that I’ve ever been in one) is probably a den of alpha-male machismo. Not exactly the ideal, accepting environment.
Amaechi was not a superstar. He never won a ring, and he was never the top player on his team. But he taught us something. He taught us that all types of people play this game. And even in modern society, there still exists some pressure among NBA players to hide any sort of gay or effeminate behaviour, otherwise Amaechi would have come out while still in the league.
And Hardaway’s words have also taught us something. They have taught us that we have a long way to go in our society towards respect and tolerance. They also present a conundrum. If NBA players were hesitant to appear homophobic in the public eye before Hardaway’s comments, then they must be scared out of their minds in the post-Hardaway world. So it is nearly impossible to gauge how an openly gay NBA player would really be accepted in the locker room.
To be honest, I don’t see a current NBA player coming out of the closet in the near future. But there is no doubt in my mind that a gay man should not have to conceal his sexual orientation, in any company. Therefore, I would sincerely hope that a gay NBA player would have the courage and conviction to come out while still in the league. And while I’m hoping, let’s hope to see him accepted by his teammates for who he is.
