Meyers Leonard on work put in with Jewish community: ‘I’m committed to being an ally’ – Miami Herald

Center Meyers Leonard took to Instagram on Thursday night to offer a glimpse at the work he has put in to educate himself about the Jewish community.

While Leonard was with the Miami Heat last season, the NBA fined him $50,000 and suspended him from team activities for one week after he used an anti-Semitic slur while streaming a Call of Duty video-gaming session on Twitch’s live streaming platform in March.

The Heat traded Leonard to the Oklahoma City Thunder just days later to acquire forward Trevor Ariza, and the Thunder then waived Leonard.

Leonard issued an apology on Instagram shortly after the video of his comments surfaced in March, posting in part: “I am deeply sorry for using an anti-Semitic slur during a live stream yesterday. While I didn’t know what the word meant at the time, 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 had not posted anything on Instagram since, but that changed Thursday.

“Over the last five months, I have immersed myself in the process of learning about the Jewish community,” Leonard posted to his Instagram account on Thursday night. “This was not something prescribed or forced upon me. It’s something that I felt and knew in my heart was right to do, which is why, I chose to do it privately.

“Having the ability to learn about one another is not a form of punishment, it is a gift. Our differences aren’t what divide us, it’s our lack of understanding that does.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have had so many real and honest conversations with Jewish friends and leaders about the beliefs, history, and challenges faced and still facing the Jewish community. Listening to the first-hand experiences of how antisemitic views and actions have been weaponized over and over again throughout history and still persist today is troubling. I’m committed to being an ally.

“A true mistake and extreme ignorance is how this all began for me, but growing from this is a part of the journey. Again, I’d like to say how truly sorry I am to those who were hurt by my word. I take full ownership of my ignorance and will continue to do better through my actions.

“I’d also like to say how grateful I am for all of the love, compassion, and forgiveness that the Jewish community has graciously shown me. To the ADL, thank you for working with me over this time and allowing me an opportunity to use my words as part of the solution on your ‘Fighting Hate From Home’ panel today.

“To Rabbi Pinny, Rabbi Goldberg, Steve Stowe, Matthew Hiltzik & Michael Goldberg, MBJCC and the countless others who have spent hours and hours over Shabbat dinners, lunch, phone calls and time in each other’s homes — THANK YOU. It’s with your grace that I know my future actions will always be louder than this one incident.”

Leonard appeared in just three games with the Heat last season before sustaining a season-ending left shoulder injury in January. He averaged 6.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 51 games (49 starts) in his first season with the Heat in 2019-20.

Leonard, 29, remains a free agent after the Thunder waived him in March.