‘I hate gay people,’ former Heat star Tim Hardaway declares
A week after retired center John Amaechi became the first active or former NBA player to publicly acknowledge he was gay, one of the most popular players in Heat franchise history offered a blunt view on homosexuality Wednesday during a radio interview.
Former Heat guard Tim Hardaway, who had been making public appearances for the NBA, said on Miami-based 790 The Ticket he would not have tolerated a gay player on his team and would have asked to have been traded in such a situation or would have asked to have the gay teammate be traded.
“Well, you know, I hate gay people,” Hardaway said near the close of an interview that mostly focused on his tenure with the Heat and the team’s current state. “I let it be known, I don’t like gay people. I don’t like to be around gay people.
“Yeah, I’m homophobic. I don’t like it. It shouldn’t be in the world for that or in the United States for that. So, yeah, I don’t like it.”
After the NBA learned of Hardaway’s comments, a league spokesman said Hardaway had been removed from further league-related appearances.
