Amar’e Stoudemire says he would avoid a gay teammate

MANILA, Philippines – “I’m going to shower across the street,” was ex-NBA star Amar’e Stoudemire’s response to a hypothetical question of having a gay teammate. 

The former Phoenix Suns star, who is currently playing for Hapoel Jerusalem in the Israeli Premier League, mentioned that he would steer clear of a gay teammate, in an interview with local website Walla Sport.

While the other Israeli League players included in the segments expressed that it was a non-issue, Stoudemire was vocal about the specific steps he would take to avoid a gay teammate. 

“I’m going to make sure my change of clothes are around the corner, and I’m going to take a different route to the gym.” 

Asked if he was joking, the NBA All-Star replied “I mean, there’s always a truth within a joke.” 

Meanwhile, former NBA players John Amaechi and Jason Collins, who have both opened up about their sexuality, slammed Stoudemire’s remarks in social media on Wednesday, March 1 (Thursday in Manila):

THIS is what I think of Amar’e Stoudemire.#RoleModelFail @espn @LeBatardShow pic.twitter.com/43KuuJ27WL

— John Amaechi OBE (@JohnAmaechi) March 1, 2017

Very sad & troubling to think that @Amareisreal was just given this award. His homophobic comments have no place in sport or in our society. https://t.co/A81sTzItOi

— Jason Collins (@jasoncollins98) March 1, 2017

In his post, Amaechi urged Stoudemire to “stop flattering himself” while Collins, the league’s first active player to announce he was gay, said the comments “have no place in sport or in our society.” 

Stoudemire was fined $50,000 by the NBA in 2012 after tweeting a homophobic slur to a fan. He issued an apology later on, saying he’s a huge supporter of civil rights, and that “there was no excuse” for his earlier statement. – Rappler.com