Looking back at Kobe Bryant's altercation with referee that prompted a $100,000 fine and widespread criticism from gay-rights groups
In a 2011 game against the San Antonio Spurs, Kobe Bryant courted controversy when he uttered an anti-gay slur towards official Bennie Adams. The late Lakers great was caught on live TV as the game was being televised by TNT.
The incident occurred after Bryant was hit with a technical foul and stormed back to his bench. He later issued a statement apologizing for his comments. He also made an appearance on 710 ESPN's "Mason and Ireland", where he said his comments shouldn't be taken literally.
"The concern that I have is for those that follow what I say, and are inspired by how I play, or look to me as a role model … they’re not to take what was said as something that is a message of hate or a license to degrade or embarrass or tease. That’s something I don’t want to see happen."
NBA Commissioner David Stern fined Bryant $100,000, a move that drew praise from gay rights groups. Bryant also ensured he apologized to Joe Solmonese, the president of the Human Rights Campaign.
TNT analyst and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley also gave his thoughts on the situation involving the late Lakers star.
"I’m a big pro-gay-marriage person; I have a bunch of gay friends who I hope can get married some day, so I’m a little bit sensitive,” Barkley said. “But I’m not going to go overboard. You have to just be careful what you say with stuff like that."
Like Kobe Bryant, Anthony Edwards was fined for anti-gay comments on social media
The league does not pick favorites when it comes to NBA players. Similar to what happened with Kobe Bryant in 2011, Anthony Edwards was fined $40,000 by the NBA for the use of derogatory language in a video posted on his Instagram story in September 2022.
In the video, the Timberwolves forward was observing pedestrians positioned on the sidewalk when he uttered an offensive slur at them.
The footage has since been deleted, with Edwards owning up to his actions and issuing an apology on Twitter.
"What I said was immature, hurtful and disrespectful and I'm incredibly sorry," Edwards tweeted. "It's unacceptable for me to anyone to use that language in such a hurtful way, there's no excuse for it, at all. I was raised better than that."
Since then, Edwards has remained focused on his craft and playing basketball.
The NBA has made it clear that they will not take such comments lightly, with offensive and derogatory language hacing no place in the league.