ESPN analyst Jalen Rose apologized Sunday after he argued that Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love made USA Basketball’s Olympic roster as a token White man on what should have been an all-Black team.
The former NBA player made headlines last week after he said on his podcast that Mr. Love didn’t deserve to play on the team because he didn’t have a “stellar” season, and that he was chosen anyway because of “tokenism.” Mr. Love is the only White player on the 12-man roster that is seeking a fourth straight gold medal in this summer’s Olympics in Tokyo.
“I got a word for it,” Mr. Rose said. “Kevin Love is on the team because of tokenism. Don’t be scared to make an all-Black team representing the United States of America.”
In a 42-minute video posted on his Instagram Sunday, Mr. Love apologized for his comments, not to Mr. Love but to “the game” itself and the basketball legends who “raised” him, such as Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
“You know why I’m apologizing right now?” he said. “To the game. Because I’m what the game made me, not what the fame made me.”
“I was raised by all-time greats, as I mentioned, and you know what I would never want to do? Disappoint Jeanie Rose or disappoint the all-time greats that raised me,” he said, referring to his late mother. “If I feel like Kevin Love didn’t deserve to make the team, and I feel like it may be something racially motivated that caused him to make the team … I shouldn’t say it.”
“You can hate or love my opinion, but it ain’t personal,” he added. “Never was, never will be. So salute to the game.”
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