LeBron leads criticism of announcer for reference to NBA player’s dead father
A Washington Wizards announcer has apologised for a questionable reference to a Houston Rockets player’s dead father, who was killed in a shooting, after criticism on social media and calls for his firing.
Over a replay of Kevin Porter jnr making a three-pointer at the buzzer to beat Washington on Wednesday, Wizards broadcaster Glenn Consor remarked that the Rockets’ 21-year-old shooting guard, “like his dad, pulled that trigger right at the right time”.
Kevin Porter jnr of the Houston Rockets.Credit:Getty
LeBron James tweeted about Consor’s comment on Thursday and seemingly called for his job before Consor offered an explanation and apologised for what he said was an honest mistake.
“Oh he thought this was cool huh!!??” James wrote on Twitter. “Nah we ain’t going for this! Sorry but this ain’t going to fly! How insensitive can you be to say something like this. Beat it man! I pray for you but there’s no place in our beautiful game for you!”
In social media posts, Consor apologised, saying he mistook Porter jnr for the son of former NBA player Kevin Porter, who played for the Washington franchise in the 1970s and 1980s.
“Please allow me to take this opportunity to sincerely apologise to Ken Porter jnr, his family and the Rockets organisation for the comments I made during last night’s game,” Consor wrote.
“I mistakenly thought Kevin was the son of former Washington player Kevin Porter and was unaware that the words I choose to describe the game-winning shot would be in any way hurtful or insensitive. I have reached out to Kevin to personally apologise and hope to be able to talk with him soon.”
Porter jnr’s father, Bryan Kevin Porter snr, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in a shooting death of a 14-year-old girl in 1993. He was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison. Porter snr died in 2004 after being shot in a South Seattle bar. The Rockets star was four years old when his father died.
The Washington Post, with McClatchy
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