Meyers Leonard's long road back to NBA after antisemitic 'slur'

Adolf Goebbels
Published on Feb 24, 2023
During the two years that have passed since he made an antisemitic comment while playing a video game, Meyers Leonard often wondered if heâ€™d ever suit up for an NBA team again.

The 7-footerâ€™s gratitude was evident Wednesday after signing a 10-day contract with the Milwaukee Bucks. Leonard said it felt â€œalmost euphoricâ€ to practice for the first time with his new team.

â€œTo take a chance on me like this, it takes a lot of courage,â€ Leonard said.

Leonard hasnâ€™t appeared in an NBA game since January 2021, when he injured his shoulder while playing for the Miami Heat. Two months later, he used a slur while playing a video game online that others watched on a livestream.

The Heat told him to stay away indefinitely and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver fined him $50,000. Miami eventually traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who released him shortly afterward.

Shortly after the video came out showing him making a slur, Leonard issued a statement saying he didnâ€™t know the meaning of the word heâ€™d said but adding that â€œmy ignorance about its history and how offensive it is to the Jewish community is absolutely not an excuse and I was just wrong.â€

Leonard has since spoken and worked with several Jewish groups, conducted a number of basketball camps for Jewish children and apologized numerous times for what he said and his ignorance about what the term meant.

He briefly choked up while speaking to reporters Wednesday about everything that had transpired in his life over the last two years and how he had grown from it.

â€œI always try to look at life glass half full, but obviously there were times when it was very, very, very dark,â€ Leonard said.

Leonard, who turns 31 on Feb. 27, has career averages of 5.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 16 minutes in 447 games with the Portland Trail Blazers and Heat.

His arrival in Milwaukee could help the Bucks deal with their lack of frontcourt depth as two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis recover from injuries.

The Bucks will put a 12-game winning streak at stake Friday when they return from the All-Star break to host the Miami Heat.