The Chicago Bulls have parted ways with their guard Jaden Ivey after he spoke negatively about the LGBTQ movement during a livestream. “The Chicago Bulls today announced that the team has released guard Jaden Ivey due to conduct detrimental to the team,” read a brief statement from the NBA club, the strongest and most popular basketball league in the world.
Hours after the decision, Ivey went live again and spoke in another stream about his faith. The championship rings of Michael Jordan and LeBron James were worthless “on the day of judgment,” he said, according to US media. He said it wasn’t his fault that he was fired.
“They announce Pride Month in the NBA,” Ivey had said according to several US media outlets in the stream originally published on his Instagram channel. “They announce it. They show it to the world. They say: Come to us for Pride, for Pride Month, to celebrate injustice. They announce it. They announce it on the billboards. They announce it on the streets. Injustice. How can it be that someone can’t talk about justice? How can they say that this man is crazy?”
The English term “unrighteousness” used by Ivey can also be translated in biblical contexts as “sinfulness” or “misdeed.” In the 75-minute stream he had also described Catholicism as a “false religion” that would not lead to “salvation in Jesus Christ.”
The Pride Month is observed in June, drawing on the anniversary of the Stonewall uprising at the end of June 1969. The NBA season is then already in the Finals and only two teams are active. Many teams therefore host Pride Nights earlier in the season and carry out actions on individual game days to show solidarity and support for LGBTQ people.
Bulls coach Billy Donovan commented before the 114-129 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Ivey’s departure. At the Bulls, people “from all areas” worked there, he said. “Everyone has their own personal experiences. But we all must be professional. There must be a high level of respect for one another, we must help each other and meet these expectations.” Donovan said he did not want to comment explicitly on the statements of his former player. “But I hope he is doing well.”
Ivey is currently sidelined with an injury and would not have played again this season. The Bulls had acquired him on February 3 through a trade with the Detroit Pistons. Due to a leg injury, he had not played since February 11. He has appeared in only four games for Chicago.
