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Heat's Spoelstra: Leonard should be held accountable for anti-Semitic slur

Nathaniel S. Butler / National Basketball Association / Getty

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Wednesday that he spoke with Meyers Leonard in the wake of the center recently using an anti-Semitic slur and said Leonard needs to face consequences for his actions.

"He feels really bad about it," Spoelstra said, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman. "And it doesn't matter the intent. It's just not right. You can’t brush it under the rug, and there are consequences to words, and those were hurtful words."

Leonard was captured on a Twitch gaming stream using a historically derogatory and offensive term for Jewish people. The 29-year-old apologized Tuesday, also asserting he did not know the meaning of the word at the time.

The Heat subsequently announced that Leonard, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery last month, would be away from the team as the NBA conducted an investigation.

"It just shows you, whether there's intent or not, because we know Meyers is a really good human being, it just shows we have a long ways to go, as a country, and to find the right grace between all the different classifications, however you want to describe it," Spoelstra added.

Miami holds a team option on Leonard's contract for next season.


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