When are you going to be wearing a hat?
The NBA and the National Hockey League are continuing their feud with one another after a video surfaced of a league official making a homophobic comment about an opposing player.
The video, released on Tuesday by the website The Root, features NBA player and Houston Rockets star James Harden appearing to talk about the team’s star, Dwight Howard, after the Rockets lost Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Harden’s comments were caught on camera and quickly went viral.
The official in question, who is identified only as a member of the league’s referees committee, was shown talking about the Rockets’ stars Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol.
“Dwight Howard is a big piece of the puzzle, he’s a leader.
He’s one of the leaders of this team, but he’s got some other guys that he’s playing with, Pau Gasole and James Harden, that are getting better,” the official says in the video.
“We got to take care of those guys.
You know, Dwight and Pau, they’re playing, they have a good time together.
So, that’s the most important thing we need to do.
But if we don’t, we’re going to lose a lot of guys.”
Harden responded to the video with a series of tweets about Howard’s struggles to stay healthy.
“My health is on the line,” he wrote.
“I can’t play, Pau is out, and they are the only team that has Dwight.
I’m on the bench, I’m in pain, I can’t get out of the way.
And when I see my teammates out there with their shirts off, I know they care about me and they love me.”
Howard was not available for comment on Tuesday, and his representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In the video, Harden appears to respond to an opposing team official after a foul call.
“Hey, you guys have Dwight,” Harden said, before adding, “I love him.
I think he’s one the greatest players to ever play the game.”
The official was clearly upset about Howard and his performance, according to the Root report.
“If you want to get upset, I love Dwight Howard,” the referee said.
“He has a good attitude.
He gets better every game.
And he’s getting a lot better every day.
But the thing about Dwight Howard is, he has a lot to be concerned about, and it’s not like he’s going to make it.
He is going to get hurt.
And we are going to try to fix it.”
Harden’s outburst, which occurred after the official called Howard a foul on a third-quarter play, came after the league sent out a statement saying it “remains committed to the NBA’s inclusive culture and strongly supports the work of the National Basketball Referees Committee.”
“As part of that work, we have engaged with NBA officials throughout the season to provide additional training and resources to improve our collective practices to address discriminatory and harassing language,” the league said in a statement.
“This is a complex issue and it is important that NBA players, fans and players’ representatives understand that this is something that we take seriously and will address in our ongoing efforts to educate, educate and educate.”
The league’s statement continued: “The National Basketball Players Association and its members continue to engage with NBA referees in an effort to address and address the issues that have been raised.”
Harden, who was suspended by the Rockets for a game on Monday night, was fined $50,000 by the league for his comments.
The NBA has yet to respond on Harden’s suspension.
Harden has played in just nine games this season, and the Rockets are 2-9 with Harden on the court.
The NBA and the National Hockey League are continuing their feud with one another after a video surfaced of a…
