Breaking the silence, Meyers Leonard, who was forced to leave the NBA using racist language, is now interviewed for the first time by TMZSports, revealing that he and his wife have suffered online violence and even death threats, and that he is eager to return to the NBA and hopes to be able to play for the Heat again.
"It's hard to explain," Leonard said, "the most caring, the most compassionate, the most graceful, too many of them from the Jewish community." ”
Keep in mind that Leonard, 29, the 11th pick in the first round of the 2012 draft, made racist remarks during a live social media broadcast in March this year. Shortly after the incident, he was traded to the Thunder by the Miami Heat and subsequently cut away from the NBA.
Leonard has been very active in the Jewish community since he was laid off, including meeting a group of children at a synagogue in Boca Raton... There he was emotional as he discussed events with his students.
This is just one of the many things Leonard has done to educate himself... In the process, he forged close ties with Jews of all ages. "Honestly, I could sit down and talk for an hour. All the different experiences of children and teenagers in the Jewish community, all the way up to the rabbi, they are very generous with their time and understanding. ”
Leonard said that after the incident, he and his family had to deal with horrific cyber violence online, including threats of assault and murder of his spouse. "It's a very, very long and difficult process, and when death threatens my wife, we are told 'don't leave your house, we'll XX you.'" ”
"These things are hard, so a lot of these things are hard to share, but over time I've been able to heal." As for Leonard's basketball career, he's struggling to get back into the league... And expressed hope to return to Patreli's team, that would be a dream come true.
"If I can play for the Miami Heat again, I'll be ecstatic. I fell in love with that place, I really fell in love with it, and my wife and I both loved it there. ”
Whether it's returning to South Florida for the Heat or playing for another NBA team, Leonard, a 9-year NBA veteran, simply hopes to have the opportunity to return to the game he loves.
"I can only hope that people will let me come back from my mistakes, which is a mistake of extreme ignorance, and I hope that everyone will forgive me."