Online Gay Club News
Hardaway apologizes again
for anti-gay comments
Former NBA All-Star says he 'didn't mean' to say what he said
Feb 18, 8:51 PM
Former NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway apologized again Sunday for his anti-gay remarks, telling a Miami television station that he "didn't mean" to say what he said in a South Florida radio interview last week.
Hardaway, in an interview at his home with CBS affiliate WFOR, acknowledged he made a major mistake by saying "I hate gay people" when asked how he would react to having a gay teammate.
"I don't hate gay people," Hardaway said. "I'm a good-hearted person. I interact with people all the time. ... I respect people. For me to say 'hate' was a bad word, and I didn't mean to use it."
Hardaway made the anti-gay comments Wednesday, a week after John Amaechi became the first former NBA player to reveal his homosexuality. Hardaway said he didn't believe gay players should share a locker room with heterosexual players, then added, "I don't like gay people, and I don't like to be around gay people."
His remarks quickly drew criticism from both the NBA and several gay and lesbian groups.
Hardaway was banished from some NBA-sanctioned appearances he was scheduled to make in Las Vegas as part of the league's All-Star weekend over his comments. He also lost at least one of his endorsement deals, plus had his name dropped from advertising at a car wash he owns in Miami.
Hardaway played parts of 13 NBA seasons with Golden State, Miami, Dallas, Denver and Indiana, and played in five All-Star games.