Following Rajon Rondo's suspension after a derogatory gay slur towards NBA referee Bill Kennedy during an NBA game in Mexico City on Dec. 3, the ref announced that he's gay.
Yahoo Sports shared Kennedy stated that he is proud of his sexual orientation as well as being a referee on a premiere basketball league, the NBA.
"I am following in the footsteps of others who have self-identified in the hopes that will send a message to young men and women in sports that you must allow no one to make you feel ashamed of who you are," the 49-year-old said on Sunday night.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver immediately requested for an investigation on the incident involving Sacramento King's guard Rondo and the referee. According to general counsel Lee Seham of the National Basketball Referee's Association, Kennedy, Ben Taylor and other officials involved in that game filed a report and mentioned that Rondo definitely made an anti-gay slur after being ejected.
Allegedly, Rondo said "You're a motherf--king f----t. ... You're a f--king f----t, Billy," as gathered by Bleacher Report.
On his part, Rondo immediately denied the accusations when asked by league officials. He also failed to provide any comment after the referee announced that he is gay.
The Sacramento King's coach, George Karl, said that it is not in the character of his player to make any offensive remarks towards a person with a different sexual orientation and added that he is disappointed by Rondo's action.
Meanwhile, Doc Rivers, Rondo's former coach, denied ever making any anti-gay slur towards Kennedy. According to reports, during a 2009 playoff game, the then-Celtics coach allegedly called the referee a homophobic slur as recalled by another referees officiating that game, Haralabos Voulgaris and Tim Donaghy. However, NBC Sports reported that Kennedy himself said that Rivers never said such remark.
Rivers added that he has a great relationship with the referee. Although, he believes that there should not been an issue like this that involves him, he knew that it's going to keep coming up.
"That's been out there forever, and I would say this: It's funny that it's out there any nobody really asked me the question, because they knew. Not saying you shouldn't ask the question, but it's amazing nowadays that all you have to do is blog something or write something, and then it takes on its own life," the now-Los Angeles Clipper's coach stated.
