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1. 00:00 SOUNDBITE (English) Meyers Leonard, Milwaukee Bucks Center (on being able to wear an NBA uniform once more):
"It's a mixed bag of emotions, for sure. It's certainly the hardest two-year stretch I've ever had in my life, as an adult, as a man. The truth is – let's just cut to it – I made a really big mistake, the biggest mistake of my life. And it was an extremely difficult time because, first of all, just let me say to anybody who's listening, I'm incredibly sorry. It was an ignorant mistake. If anyone's followed what I've been up to off the floor in the Jewish community, I think they'll see pretty clearly that I've tried to go just even above and beyond to show my heart and who I am, and that I'm very remorseful and I wanted to make it right day after day, week after week, coming up on two years."
SOURCE: Associated Press
DURATION: 2:28
STORYLINE:
During the two years that have passed since he made an antisemitic comment while playing a video game, Meyers Leonard often wondered if he’d ever suit up for an NBA team again.
The 7-footer’s gratitude was evident Wednesday after signing a 10-day contract with the Milwaukee Bucks. Leonard said it felt “almost euphoric” to practice for the first time with his new team.
“To take a chance on me like this, it takes a lot of courage,” Leonard said.
Leonard hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since January 2021, when he injured his shoulder while playing for the Miami Heat. Two months later, he used a slur while playing a video game online that others watched on a livestream.
The Heat told him to stay away indefinitely and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver fined him $50,000. Miami eventually traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who released him shortly afterward.
Shortly after the video came out showing him making a slur, Leonard issued a statement saying he didn’t know the meaning of the word he’d said but adding that “my ignorance about its history and how offensive it is to the Jewish community is absolutely not an excuse and I was just wrong.”
Leonard has since spoken and worked with several Jewish groups, conducted a number of basketball camps for Jewish children and apologized numerous times for what he said and his ignorance about what the term meant.
He briefly choked up while speaking to reporters Wednesday about everything that had transpired in his life over the last two years and how he had grown from it.
“I always try to look at life glass half full, but obviously there were times when it was very, very, very dark,” Leonard said.
Leonard, who turns 31 on Feb. 27, has career averages of 5.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 16 minutes in 447 games with the Portland Trail Blazers and Heat.
His arrival in Milwaukee could help the Bucks deal with their lack of frontcourt depth as two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis recover from injuries.
The Bucks will put a 12-game winning streak at stake Friday when they return from the All-Star break to host the Miami Heat.

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