Meyers coach Leonard and Miami Heat teammates offered no excuse Wednesday for Leonard’s use of an anti-Semitic insult during a recent live video game stream, nor did they make any effort to hide their disappointment in him in their early days. public comments about the incident.
“He said something extremely disgusting and painful,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. “And I was left with the consequences of that.”
In a video that appeared on social media on Tuesday, Leonard can be heard saying: “F — ing cowards; not f — ing snipe me, you f — ing k — b — “Leonard apologized in an Instagram post and will be away from the Heat indefinitely, according to the organization, while the NBA conducts an investigation.
Leonard’s season was over because of a shoulder injury.
“There are consequences in words,” Spoelstra said. “And those were extremely painful words.”
The Heat returned to work on Wednesday to end the All-Star break. The team opens its program for the second half against Orlando on Thursday. Spoelstra spoke with Leonard, as did other team officials.
“We can’t tolerate this here,” Heat captain and 18-year veteran Udonis Haslem said of using the cord. “Right is right and wrong is wrong. And since we’ve been here in this organization, until the day I leave this organization and beyond, we’ll try to be on everyone’s right – especially issues like this. “
Haslem was asked if Leonard had ever used offensive language around him.
“No, sir,” said Haslem. “I’ve never heard him use any language that would make me uncomfortable at all.”
Spoelstra has often praised Leonard’s ethics and hard work many times during the year and a half of the 7-meter center with the team.
These days seem long ago.
“It doesn’t matter what the intention is,” Spoelstra said. – It’s just not right.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.