"It's my obligation to make sure he knows that I have his back" - LeBron James extends support to Kevin Porter Jr.
LA Lakers star LeBron James has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the controversial comments Wizards TV broadcast analyst Glenn Consor made about Rockets' star Kevin Porter Jr. on air.
LeBron James was asked about his opinion on this by reporters after the Wizards broadcaster issued his apology to Porter Jr. on Thursday. The LA Lakers star made sure he let the Rockets guard know that he had his support. Here's what James told reporters during post-practice media availability on Thursday (via Spectrum SportsNet):
"The kid Kevin Porter Jr. has already been placed with a label in this league already. And we don't know what triggers him, we don't know what triggers can happen, at all! So if you're doing your homework, on any one of these kids in the league, that word that he (Consor) used for that kid to make that game winning shot, that sentence that he used, no matter if he knew if it was his dad or not, should've never been used in the first place."
"I can't let that ride on the behalf of a kid that looks up to me. Kevin Porter Jr. looks up to me, it's my obligation to make sure he knows that I have his back."
Here's a clip of James' comments regarding this matter:
"It's my obligation to make sure @Kevinporterjr knows that I have his back." @KingJames talks about the controversial comments made following Kevin Porter Jr.'s game-winner against the Wizards. https://t.co/jLabtu134m
The series of events that took place before LeBron James spoke to reporters about the controversy surrounding Consor's commentary on Kevin Porter Jr.
Wizards play-by-play announcer Glenn Consor made a questionable reference to Porter Jr.'s late father, Bryan Kevin Porter Sr. The unsavory moment came after the player hit a game-winning 3-pointer to lead Houston to a narrow 114-111 win over the Wizards on Wednesday.
Here's what Consor said while commentating on that play:
"You've got to give credit. Kevin Porter Jr., like his dad, pulled that trigger right at the right time."
Porter Jr.'s father pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in the shooting death of a 14-year-old girl in 1993, for which he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison. Bryan Kevin Porter Sr. died in 2004 after he was shot in a bar in South Seattle. His son Porter Jr. was four years old at the time.
Like many others, LeBron James expressed his disappointment regarding Consor's objectionable reference via his Twitter. Here's what he tweeted:
Oh he thought this was cool huh!!?? Nah we ain’t going for this! Sorry but this ain’t going to fly! How insensitive can you be to say something like this. Beat it man! I pray for you but there’s no place in our beautiful game for you! twitter.com/braddeauxnba/s…
The Wizards' TV broadcast analyst, Consor, issued an apology for his comments on Thursday morning via his Twitter account. He said he had mistaken Porter Jr.'s father for former NBA player Kevin Porter.
I want to sincerely apologize to Kevin Porter Jr and clarify last night’s call. https://t.co/UweFhFnkbt
Porter Jr. recently hailed LeBron James as the best player ever. The two went head-to-head in a matchup between the Houston Rockets and LA Lakers on December 28th.