Iowa broadcaster suspended for 'King Kong' remark about Terps' Bruno Fernando

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The play-by-play announcer for Iowa men's basketball games has been suspended for the remainder of the season after he used "King Kong" to refer to Maryland's Bruno Fernando.

After the No. 24 Terrapins beat the No. 21 Hawkeyes Tuesday thanks to a late tip-in by Fernando, Gary Dolphin said, "Fernando was King Kong at the end of the game."

“During the broadcast, I used a comparison when trying to describe a talented Maryland basketball player. In no way did I intend to offend or disparage the player,” Dolphin said in a statement. “I take full responsibility for my inappropriate word choice and offer a sincere apology to him and anyone else who was offended."

"I will use this as an opportunity to grow as a person and learn more about unconscious bias,” the statement read.

Born in Angola, Fernando came to Maryland in 2017 from IMG Academy after transferring from Montverde Academy (Florida). He's been a key player for the Terps (21-7, 12-5 in Big Ten) this season, and is a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award for the game's top center and is on the watch list for the Naismith National Defensive Play of the Year award.

WATCH: Fernando embarrasses a poor Nebraska player
Iowa’s athletic department supported Dolphin’s suspension, saying in a statement the university “values diversity and is committed to creating a welcoming environment for all members of its campus community.”

Dolph’s response pic.twitter.com/Cd2TEeqLiK

— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) February 22, 2019

The suspension was announced by Learfield Sports Properties, which owns the rights to Iowa broadcasts. Dolphin has announced Iowa's men's basketball and football for 22 years.

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