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NBA fines Meyers Leonard $50,000 for anti-Semitic slur

Commissioner calls Leonard's comment 'inexcusable and hurtful'
Miami Heat forward Meyers Leonard in December 2020
Posted at 4:58 PM, Mar 11, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-11 17:04:12-05

MIAMI — The NBA has fined Meyers Leonard $50,000 and suspended him from all Miami Heat facilities and activities for one week, in response to his use of an anti-Semitic term.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the sanctions Thursday, two days after the video began circulating on social media.

"Meyers Leonard's comment was inexcusable and hurtful and such an offensive term has no place in the NBA or in our society," Silver said.

The Heat, within hours of the video coming out, said Leonard would be away from the team indefinitely.

Leonard apologized Tuesday for using the term, insisting he did not know what it meant when he used it. The video drew sharp rebukes from league officials, members of other teams, celebrities and even athletes from other sports.