Tim Hardaway Did Not Spend Valentine's Day With a Dude

Tim Hardaway, former Heat guard and former owner of a nasty crossover, does not believe in the crossover when it comes to sexuality. Tim keeps it straight, and he hates people that don't. Dan Le Betard asked Hardaway on his radio show he he'd deal with a gay teammate. Tim Hardaway's response was not pretty.

"First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team. And second of all, if he was on my team, I would, you know, really distance myself from him because, uh, I don't think that's right. And you know I don't think he should be in the locker room while we're in the locker room. I wouldn't even be a part of that."

"You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."

Suddenly, I long for the innocent days of Shavlik Randolph's shower concerns.

I really don't know what to tell you here ... it thoroughly depresses me. Hardaway's words pretty much speak for themselves. I could tell you that Hardaway is an uncultured bigot, fears things he isn't familiar with, and has a hateful heart. But if those thoughts aren't already in your mind, nothing I can say is going to put them there.

But here's the truly scary part:

Hardaway: The majority of the players would ask for him to be traded or they would want to get traded.

Le Betard: But you'd be trading him to a team where he probably wouldn't be wanted there either, I would imagine.

Hardaway: Right, that is true. Just buy him out his contract and let him go (laughs). You know, something has to give. If you got 12 other ballplayers in your locker room that's upset and concentrate and always worried about him in the locker room or on the court or whatever, you know, it's gonna be hard for your teammates to win and accept him as a teammate.

I don't know how qualified Tim Hardaway is to speak on behalf of the entire NBA, but he feels like "a majority" of players share his views. And Tim is OK with just outright releasing the player, and keeping him out of the NBA entirely.

If you're looking for something to ruin your day, you can hear the audio here.

See Also:
Tim Hardaway Loves to Stay at the YMCA
Hardaway Apologizes; Amaechi Appreciates the Honesty