Brooklyn Nets guard Jeremy Lin issued a statement on Twitter regarding a video in which Philadelphia 76ers guard J.J. Redick now claims to have unintentionally used a racial slur when speaking to NBA fans from China.
wanted to address this… pic.twitter.com/3oB2mUvQpc
— Jeremy Lin (@JLin7) February 19, 2018
In Lin’s statement, he states that he genuinely believes Redick didn’t say a racial slur and has great respect for Chinese people. He says he also reached out to NBA commissioner Adam Silver and current CEO of NBA China David Shoemaker.
The video features various NBA players wishing the NBA’s Chinese fans the best for their new year, but Redick’s wishes go horribly wrong.
Redick did not apologize in an initial tweet a bit past noon on Sunday, instead choosing to express his disappointment in others who thought he would do such a thing.
Just saw a video that is being circulated of me wishing a happy new year to NBA fans in China.Clearly I was tongue tied, as the word I purportedly said is not in my vocabulary. I’m disappointed that anyone would think I would use that word. I love & respect our friends in China.
— JJ Redick (@JJRedick) February 18, 2018
“Clearly I was tongue tied, as the word I purportedly said is not in my vocabulary,” Redick said. “I’m disappointed that anyone would think I would use that word.”
This only made matters worse, as even if it was a genuine mistake, it was ultimately a mistake and there was no apology to be found. Shortly before midnight, he finally issued an apology with an explanation of how the mishap occurred.
Please read. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/phL6v7Voeb
— JJ Redick (@JJRedick) February 19, 2018
“Had I known it sounded anything like that, I would have been mortified and recorded the greeting over again,” Redick said. “That is not who I am – as a person, a player, a husband and a father.”
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