Before taking on any basketball-related questions following Friday's early practice, Utah Jazz guard Justin Wright-Foreman issued an apology.
The former Hofstra University star and current two-way player retweeted a Twitter post in support of entertainer Nick Cannon following his anti-Semitic remarks made on a podcast. The July 15 post that Wright-Foreman retweeted said, "Nick cannon said nothing wrong. Everyone just sensitive and hates the truth."
"First and foremost, I would like to apologize for my retweet," Wright-Foreman said. "I wasn't educated enough on the topic, and therefore, I would just like to say that I apologize. I did not mean to offend anybody, and those are not my beliefs and values. I just want to, once again, say that I apologize."
Cannon was fired by ViacomCBS on Wednesday after he praised Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and discussed anti-Semitic conspiracy theories during a recent episode of his podcast, "Cannon's Class."
"I wasn't knowledgeable about what he had said or what he meant by it," Wright-Foreman said. "So, I guess, like I was scrolling and it was by accident and I apologize. Like I said, I didn't mean to offend anybody by the tweet. I didn't mean to make anybody feel any type of way, and I apologize again."
Retired NBA legend Dwyane Wade also deleted his tweet in support of Cannon in which he initially stated, "we are with you" before clarifying his stance once he became informed on the subject. "I was too quick to respond without being fully informed about his hurtful anti-Semitic remarks," Wade said. "As you all know I have ZERO tolerance for any hate speech!"
Jazz coach Quin Snyder and the front office have addressed Wright-Foreman following the incident and are confident it won't happen again.
"We've talked to him, I've talked to him," Snyder said. "I think he's very aware, painfully aware, that he made a mistake, and I think it's something he's remorseful about. It won't happen again. And again, the issue of education for all of us is paramount and in the forefront of our minds, and I know it is Justin's as well."
Snyder has also been active with the National Basketball Coaches Association's committee on racial and social justice reform, which included a Thursday night meeting in Orlando as teams prepare to kick off the 2019-20 restart.
"Last night, the NBA head coaches had a meeting, which we've been doing frequently. And really the topic of that meeting was not COVID, was not the bubble, was not basketball, but it was a topic that's far more important, and it was social justice and racism," Snyder said. "Throughout the time that we've been here, it's been a topic of discussion before and will continue to be. But, there's a resolve to keep this issue and conversation alive and in our minds."