By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Meyers Leonard is getting another chance at the NBA, nearly two years after he used an anti-Semitic slur while playing a video game that was being live-streamed.
Leonard and the Milwaukee Bucks have agreed on a 10-day contract, opening the door for the 7-foot center to play in an NBA game for the first time since January 2021. ESPN first reported the agreement between Leonard and the Bucks.
Leonard’s career was jeopardized and his reputation was seriously damaged on March 8, 2021, when it was discovered that he used a slur while playing an online game as others watched on a live stream. The Heat told him to stay away from the team indefinitely, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver fined him $50,000 and Miami eventually traded him to Oklahoma City.
Leonard said then that he knew he’d used a bad term, but was unaware of the term’s meaning. In an apology, he said, “my ignorance about its history and how offensive it is to the Jewish community is absolutely not an excuse and I was just wrong.” He immediately began scheduling meetings with Holocaust survivors, rabbis in South Florida, and other community leaders.
For his career, Leonard has averaged 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds on 48% shooting, 39% from 3-point range.