NBA Rumors: Hawks’ GM Danny Ferry May Be Fired Because of ‘Racially Offensive’ Remarks About Heat’s Luol Deng

NBA Rumors: Hawks' GM Danny Ferry May Be Fired Because of 'Racially Offensive' Remarks About Heat's Luol Deng

Atlanta Hawks general manager Danny Ferry should be booted out for his racially charged remarks about former free agent Luol Deng if franchise minority owner Michael Gearon Jr. will have his way according to an ESPN NBA

news report. Gearon has recommended to majority owner Bruce Levenson that Ferry be fired or asked to resign because of the way their general manager described Deng during a conference call with the Hawks' ownership group held in June.

Ferry reportedly said of Deng: "He's a good guy overall, but he's not perfect. He's got some African in him. And I don't say that in a bad way. He's a guy who would have a nice store out front, but sell you counterfeit stuff out of the back."

For his part, Ferry maintained that he was just reading from a third-party scouting report about Deng. In his official statement to the public, he said: "In regards to the insensitive remarks that were used during our due diligence process, I was repeating comments that were gathered from numerous sources during background conversations and scouting about different players. I repeated those comments during a telephone conversation reviewing the draft and free agency process. Those words do not reflect my views, or words that I would use to describe an individual and I certainly regret it. I apologize to those I offended and to Luol, who I reached out to Monday morning."

The following Tuesday, the South Sudan-born Deng issued his own public statement which in part reads: "HE HAS A LITTLE AFRICAN IN HIM.' These words were recently used to describe me...It would ordinarily make any African parent proud to hear their child recognized for their heritage. I'm proud to say I actually have a lot of African in me, not just 'a little.' For my entire life, my identity has been a source of pride and strength....Unfortunately, the comment about my heritage was not made with the same respect and appreciation."

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver doesn't think Ferry should be fired for his remarks. He told USA Today

that "if I'm being asked my view, I'm saying that, based on what I know about the circumstances, I don't think it's a terminable offense." However, he also said "this is a team decision in terms of what the appropriate discipline is for their employee." The Atlanta Hawks team is particularly hard on itself these days for any perceived racial insensitivity. Even Hawks majority owners Bruce Levenson is divesting himself of his share in the franchise because of an email he wrote Ferry two years ago which he says was racially "inappropriate and offensive."

 

 

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