When Nerlens Noel went down with a scary injury, everyone in the arena was concerned. Thunder point guard Dennis Schroder said he saw some Timberwolves players talking and laughing under their breath, and he called them out on it at the time. After that, Schroder got chippy and it led to Jeff Teague losing his cool enough to get ejected.
Replay Review (Game Crew): player altercation in Q3 of #MINatOKC. Ruling: Schroder assessed one technical foul, Teague assessed two technical fouls for two separate hostile acts during the altercation, Teague ejected. pic.twitter.com/nSKlk9XCxL
— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) January 9, 2019
After the game, Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins was asked about Schroder and it sounds like he says “I don’t know what’s wrong with him. Uh, he was just gay. He was acting crazy for no reason.” Wiggins denies that, saying he said” “I don’t know what’s wrong with him he was just getting...”
Decide for yourself.
Id like to clarify what I said tonight during my post game media session. I said: “I don’t know what’s wrong with him he was just getting... acting crazy for no reason”.
— andrew wiggins (@22wiggins) January 9, 2019
I have the utmost love and respect for the LGBTQIA community and I would never use any term to disrespect them in anyway.
— andrew wiggins (@22wiggins) January 9, 2019
Using the term “gay” as a slur and/or as a substitute for crazy is simply unacceptable. That kind of use of sexual — or racial, or a host of other — slur simply should not be tolerated in society.
If Wiggins used that phrase — to me it sounds like he did — he should be fined. Good on Wiggins for not letting this become a massive story before responding, but he’s still responsible for his words. We’ll see what the league office decides.
