The 29-year-old center was proud of the spring breeze a year ago. Today, he has lost his job. Not only that, on October 9, Beijing time, he and his wife both suffered death threats.
"It's tough for me and my wife!" It was Mayers Leonard, a center who played for the Portland Trail Blazers and miami heat.
Leonard, 29, entered the NBA through the draft in 2012, and the Blazers selected a qualified white center with the 11th pick in the first round and quickly signed him to a four-year rookie contract worth $9.74 million.
In 2016, the Blazers and Leonard reached a four-year, $41 million contract extension, and the team is optimistic about his future. Although Leonard has a good bounce and the mood of the game is quite full, his scoring ability is relatively single. In his best season, Leonard averaged just 8.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
In the summer of 2019, Leonard was traded to the Miami Heat. In the first season of the Heat's career, Leonard served as the team's starting center, developed a three-point projection, and also made his debut in the Finals against the Lakers.
On November 21, 2020, the Miami Heat and Leonard reached a two-year, $20 million contract extension (the second-year team option). Two months later, Leonard underwent shoulder surgery and was reimbursed for the season.
The recovering Leonard got into big trouble, and during the game's livestream, he published racist Jewish words, and the Heat announced Leonard's indefinite departure.
Leonard quickly apologized to the public, but it was widely believed that his NBA path had come to an end. Leonard was then traded to the Thunder and quickly cut.
Leonard, who claimed to be deeply aware of his mistakes, embarked on a journey of self-redemption, participating in Jewish public welfare activities many times, begging for forgiveness.
Apparently, judging by the death threats he and his wife received, there were still many people who could not forgive Leonard. Even a few extremists made even more horrific threats against Leonard's wife.
For the 29-year-old Leonard, whether he can return to the league at the moment may not be the top priority, how to protect his own life and his wife's life, is the top priority!