With Asian Americans continuing to experience hate crimes and other forms of racism stemming from the COVID pandemic (a deadly virus that originated in China), Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis sparked further controversy Sunday by posting (and quickly deleting) a tweet containing an Asian slur. The 24-year-old took to Twitter Sunday night to apologize for his lapse in judgment, insisting he thought the word meant something else. In acknowledgement of the recent hate directed toward Asian Americans (discussed at length by ESPN’s Pablo Torre and Mina Kimes), Davis has vowed to remove the word from his vocabulary.
Former Miami Heat center Meyers Leonard invited similar outrage last month when he was heard using an anti-Semitic slur on a live Twitch stream. Leonard, who the Heat later traded to Oklahoma City (the Thunder have since released him), also claimed he was unaware of the word’s meaning. The seven-footer was suspended for a week and fined $50,000, the maximum allowed under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. Leonard was subsequently dropped by several of his sponsors including FaZe Clan, a popular esports brand the 29-year-old had invested in.
It’s unclear what, if any, repercussions Davis will face from Sunday’s incident. The 6’1” corner enjoyed a breakout season for Tampa Bay in 2020, leading the team with four interceptions while putting the clamps on Michael Thomas and Davante Adams, among other top-flight receivers.
Several Asian athletes have spoken on the intolerance and bigotry they’ve experienced of late including former New York Knicks star Jeremy Lin (now of the G League’s Santa Cruz Warriors), who said he was taunted by an opponent who called him “coronavirus” in a game earlier this season. Former MLB pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, a fan favorite throughout his seven-year stint with the Yankees, admitted the threat of violence (six of the victims in last month’s Atlanta Spa Shootings were of Asian descent) and prevailing anti-Asian sentiment were determining factors in his decision to return to his native Japan this offseason.
LISTEN NOW on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram