Philadelphia 76ers guard J.J. Redick is facing heat for allegedly using a racial slur in a video wishing Chinese fans a Happy New Year.
According to SB Nation, the video in question, which was created by the Chinese media company Tencent, showed several current and former NBA stars sending their well wishes to Chinese fans in their new year. In Redick’s clip, the baller appears to say, “I want to wish all the NBA c***k fans in China a Happy New Year.”
However, amid the circulation of the video, the baller quickly took to Twitter to clear his name.
“Just saw a video that is being circulated of me wishing a happy new year to NBA fans in China,” he wrote. “Clearly I was tongue tied, as the word I purportedly said is not in my vocabulary. I’m disappointed that anyone would think I would use that word. I love & respect our friends in China.”
However, the explanation still didn’t sit well with fans, as many continued to question Redick’s statement. As a result, the baller took to Twitter with an additional statement to clarify.
“To all our NBA fans in China and everyone celebrating the Chinese New Year, I want to sincerely apologize to anyone I may have offended,” he wrote. “After a recent 76ers game, I was asked by the NBA and Tencent to record a video wishing our NBA fans in China a Happy New Year. I was glad to do it. I was intended to say “NBA Chinese fans” but it sounded weird in my mind so I changed it mid-sentence to “NBA fans in China”. It came out the wrong way.”
“At the time we recorded it, no one in the room —not Tencent, not the 76ers PR team and certainly not myself—heard the word that I purported to say,” he continued. “Had I known it sounded anything like that, I would have been mortified and recorded the greeting over again. That is not a word in my vocabulary but I now understand how it sounds on the video. That is not who I am as a person, a player, a husband and a father. I have been fortunate to play in two NBA Global Games in China (2007 &2015). I loved the experience, the culture, the history, and most of all, the people. I ask your forgiveness. This should be a time of celebration. I am sorry for upsetting anyone.”
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