FILE–Anthony Edwards #1 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts against the Memphis Grizzlies during Game Five of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at FedExForum on April 26, 2022 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
The NBA fined Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards $40,000 on Tuesday for “offensive and derogatory language” he used in a social media rant last week.
Edwards used homophobic language in a video he posted to social media.
The video captured Edwards discussing a group of men he saw on the street. He used derogatory terms about them in the video, which was seen on Instagram Live and later deleted before it found its way to other social media sites.
Edwards, who turned 21 last month, apologized.
“What I said was immature, hurtful and disrespectful, and I’m incredibly sorry,” Edwards wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. “It’s unacceptable for me or anyone to use that language in such a hurtful way, there’s no excuse for it at all. I was raised better than that!”
Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, for one, said Monday that Edwards’ apology wasn’t enough.
What I said was immature, hurtful, and disrespectful, and I’m incredibly sorry. It’s unacceptable for me or anyone to use that language in such a hurtful way, there’s no excuse for it, at all. I was raised better than that!
— Anthony Edwards (@theantedwards_) September 11, 2022
“I don’t think an apology — however heartfelt — is enough,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote on substack. “Edwards needs to repair the damage with some voluntary community service with LGBTQ+ organizations, particularly youth groups, to show his support. If he can’t do that much to undo the harm he’s caused, then his apology is meaningless.”
The Timberwolves selected Edwards with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. In two seasons, he has career averages of 20.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 144 games (127 starts).