Twitch.tv
1:45 PM PT — The NBA has released a statement on the video … saying the league is in the process of gathering more info on the incident.
“The NBA unequivocally condemns all forms of hate speech.”
1:32 PM PT — The Miami Heat are reviewing the footage, a team spokesperson told N.Y. Times reporter Marc Stein.
Origin PC — one of Leonard’s gaming sponsors — has severed ties with the NBAer as well.
Meyers Leonard is in some seriously hot water — the Miami Heat center appeared to use an anti-Semitic slur during a recent video game stream this week … and it was all captured on video.
The 29-year-old was playing “Call Of Duty: Warzone” on his Twitch channel — which has nearly 70,000 followers — when he seemingly says the following: “F***ing cowards, don’t f***ing snipe me, you f***ing k*** bitch.”
Yeah … it’s bad.
The comment was met with awkward laughter by other gamers on the stream … but Leonard seemed to brush off the situation and kept playing.
Leonard has yet to address the incident — he was actually still streaming on his channel early Tuesday afternoon — but it’s only a matter of time.
ML could now face punishment from Twitch — the streaming service has a strict policy against hateful conduct and harassment based on race, ethnicity, color, caste, national origin, religion, sexual orientation and more.
Leonard’s alleged comments come just months after NASCAR driver Kyle Larson was suspended after using the n-word during an iRacing event in April.
Fellow NASCAR driver Hailie Deegan also faced criticism after using the r-word during a virtual race in January.
FYI — Leonard was one of the few NBA players who chose not to kneel for the national anthem during the season restart in Orlando.
I STAND.
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I STAND FOR the men and women, like my brother who have served this country.
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I STAND AGAINST the violence and riots in DC.
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I STAND in solidarity with my teammates and brothers.
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I STAND AGAINST bigotry, racism, and hate. pic.twitter.com/cw6CNNbjB9— Meyers Leonard (@MeyersLeonard) January 7, 2021
@MeyersLeonard
He explained his decision to stand in a tweet earlier this year, saying, “I STAND AGAINST bigotry, racism, and hate.”
We’ve reached out to Leonard’s reps, the Heat, the NBA and Twitch for comment … so far, no word back.
Originally Published — 12:52 PM PT