Professional sports has been the last bastion of free speech, where players and coaches can say what they want. But according to a report from ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver repeatedly used the N-word during meetings with African American players on his team This is said to be one reason why head coach Earl Watson was fired by Sarver earlier this year.
The “suns nba” is a report that was released by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The report states that Phoenix Suns’ owner Robert Sarver repeatedly used the N word when talking to his players.
The charges against Robert Sarver, the owner of the Phoenix Suns, aren’t going away any time soon. The NBA was reportedly preparing a huge report on Sarver’s practices throughout his 17-year stint as the Suns’ owner only a few weeks ago.
Current and former workers have accused the 60-year-old of racism and sexism, citing unsettling remarks made by Sarver and other franchise leaders.
ESPN’s Baxter Holmes begins his story with as much controversy as possible. The owner reportedly stormed into the coaches dressing room after a defeat to the Golden State Warriors in 2016 and used the n-word repeatedly to discuss Draymond Green’s attitude on the court.
Suns majority owner Robert Sarver approached the coaches locker room after the defeat, according to Watson of ESPN.
“You know, why does Draymond Green get to go up the court and yell [N-word]?” Sarver, who is white, is accused of saying.
Watson, who is Black and Hispanic, informed Sarver, “You can’t say that.”
“Why?” Sarver was the one who responded. “[N-word] says Draymond Green.”
Watson said, “You can’t f—ing say that.”
People watching the conversation were not pleased with Sarver’s admission that he had used the phrase merely to advise someone not to use it.
He went on to say, “On one occasion, a player used the n-word to illustrate the necessity of having each other’s back.” “In response, I said, ‘I wouldn’t say n***a; I’d say we’re in the foxhole together.’” He said that an assistant coach contacted him after the incident and instructed him not to speak the term. “I apologized right away and haven’t uttered anything since.”
He had a rocky connection with Watson, labeling him “toxic” before dismissing him due to a disagreement with Rich Paul, the founder of Klutch Sports, Watson’s agent at the time.
Watson’s description of the October 2016 encounter was flatly disputed by Sarver. “This is just false,” he said. “I uttered the ‘N-word’ without speaking the whole word throughout this chat.” The term itself had never entered my mind. On that night (or anytime), I never proposed that I should be allowed to use the N-word because a player or a Black person did.”
According to sources at the time, Bledsoe’s Klutch Sports agent, Rich Paul, communicated directly with Sarver because the Suns owner didn’t want to extend Bledsoe’s contract in part because of concerns about Bledsoe’s durability, as well as concerns that the team had performed poorly with him as the starting point guard. Sarver’s words elicited a response from Paul, who said that he was familiar with basketball and that they “weren’t talking about tennis,” Sarver’s boyhood sport.
According to two individuals familiar with the situation, Sarver stormed the dig, saying Paul he was going to remove Watson as the team’s head coach if Watson didn’t cut relations with Klutch, the firm that had been representing Watson, within 10 days – just before the season began.
Sarver’s ultimatum reached Watson soon, according to Watson. He questioned Sarver’s sincerity.
Sarver told Watson, “Yeah, I’ll f—-ing fire you.” “You have ten days to consider it. Don’t put it off any longer.”
Watson said he conveyed to Sarver the ramifications of a white owner requesting a Black coach to terminate a Black agent, Paul.
According to Watson, Sarver said, “Yeah, I realize what race you two are.” “So, how much do you want your job?” I inquire.
Watson said that he informed Sarver that he would not terminate Klutch.
“You may do anything you want,” Watson told Sarver, according to Watson. “This squad is yours, but my culture isn’t for sale. I’m also not for sale.”
Other individuals accused him of being sexist for making jokes about using ‘extra-large’ and magnum condoms. Sarver established a poisonous work atmosphere in Phoenix, and some female employees were unhappy there.
Sarver made inappropriate statements in all-staff meetings, according to more than a dozen colleagues, including mentioning instances when his wife would perform oral sex on him. Sarver said he required Magnum or extra-large condoms in many all-staff meetings, according to four former workers. Former workers said he interrogated players about their sex life and the sexual skills of their partners.
One female former worker expressed her opinion that “women have very little value.” “Women are objects to be possessed. And I don’t believe we’re anywhere near where he believes men are.”
Sarver denied discussing his sex life with colleagues and stated he had “absolutely not” discussed condoms, according to his legal team.
Sarver warned a pregnant Suns staffer who was helping plan the 2009 NBA All-Star Game in Phoenix that she wouldn’t be able to continue in that job before the 2008-09 season, according to two workers with knowledge of his statements. Sarver explained to the two workers that the lady would be nursing and would need to stay at home with her baby.
Sarver is blamed for the Suns’ disaster by not just former workers but also minority shareholders. They know that if the league digs far enough into what’s going on in Phoenix, they’ll uncover a lot of dirty laundry.
“If the commissioner comes in and looks into what the f—- is going on in Phoenix,” one current business operations staffer told ESPN, “he would be disgusted.”
These are grave and troubling accusations. The league has previously dealt with similar issues when it went after Donald Sterling and forced him to sell the Los Angeles Clippers.
If these allegations are confirmed to be genuine, the association will most likely handle Sarver the same way. Those practices are wrong, and based on how some employees felt after leaving that atmosphere, it’s evident they were dissatisfied with their time with the Suns.
While the team is having a fantastic time right now, winning games and making it to the NBA Finals, the backstage is completely disorganized, in stark contrast to what we see on the field.
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