Rajon Rondo reportedly used anti-gay slurs in a tirade against referee Bill Kennedy, who came out yesterday.
Rondo has yet to address the issue publicly other than a couple tweets.
Beyond the lack of apology, there’s another problem.
Rondo’s language is remarkably similar to a statement by Kobe Bryant when the Lakers star committed a similar offense in an argument with a referee in 2011 (hat tip: Sam Amick of USA Today).
Here’s Kobe’s statement from the time:
And Rondo now:
My actions during the game were out of frustration and emotion, period!
— Rajon Rondo (@RajonRondo) December 14, 2015
They absolutely do not reflect my feelings toward the LGBT community. I did not mean to offend or disrespect anyone.
— Rajon Rondo (@RajonRondo) December 14, 2015
The language is too similar to believe this is mere coincidence.
Did Rondo just slightly alter Kobe’s statement? Or did someone else do it for him?
Either scenario would mean we have yet to see any genuine response from the Kings point guard.
Kobe also drew criticism for not apologizing, but to his credit, he has since led through example on gay rights.
He told a fan not to use “gay” as an insult. He supported Magic Johnson’s son coming out. He applauded Jason Collins’ courage.
Rondo needs to address this issue himself in his own words. Then, he should copy Kobe.
