Ex-NBA player come out of closet!!!!

lumbingmi

lumbingmi

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NEW YORK (AP) -- John Amaechi is gay, and now the first NBA player to come out publicly is ready to talk about it.

Amaechi, a center who spent five seasons with four teams, is scheduled to appear on ESPN's Outside the Lines on Sunday, and his autobiography Man in the Middle, will be released Feb. 14.

"He is coming out of the closet as a gay man," Amaechi's publicist Howard Bragman said Wednesday.

NBA commissioner David Stern said a player's sexuality is not important.

"We have a very diverse league. The question at the NBA is always 'have you got game?' That's it, end of inquiry," he said.

Three years after his playing career ended, Amaechi has become the sixth professional male athlete from one of the four major American sports (NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL) to publicly discuss his homosexuality.

Former NFL running back David Kopay came out in 1977, and offensive lineman Roy Simmons and defensive lineman Esera Tuaolo came out more recently. Glenn Burke, an outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Oakland A's in the 1970s, and Billy Bean, a utility player in the 1980s and 1990s, also have come out.

"What John did is amazing," Tuaolo said. "He does not know how many young kids he has saved. He does not know how many lives he's saved by speaking the truth."

Martina Navratilova, perhaps the most famous openly gay athlete in the world, also praised Amaechi's courage and wondered why so few athletes have made the same decision.

"We are the most closeted of any profession, especially on the men's side. It's astonishing how few have come out, considering how many athletes there are," she said. "It's all about education and making us tangible instead of a group you can say terrible things about."

In his book, Amaechi describes the challenge of being gay in a league where it is assumed that all players are heterosexual. He writes that while playing in Utah, coach Jerry Sloan used anti-gay innuendo to describe him.

Sloan said Wednesday that although his relationship with Amaechi was "shaky" because of the player's attitude, he didn't know Amaechi was gay. Sloan had no comment about Amaechi's contention that Sloan used anti-gay innuendo when referring to him. Amaechi said he found out about it in e-mails from friends in the Jazz front office.

When asked if knowing Amaechi was gay would have mattered, Sloan said: "Oh yeah, it would have probably mattered. I don't know exactly, but I always have peoples' feelings at heart. People do what they want to do. I don't have a problem with that."

Amaechi, 36, who is British, competed for Penn State, then played 301 NBA games over five seasons. The 6-foot-10 center averaged 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds in the NBA. He began his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1995-96, then spent a few years playing in Europe. He rejoined the NBA to play for the Orlando Magic from 1999-01, then played two seasons for the Utah Jazz.

The Jazz traded him to Houston, which traded him to the New York Knicks. When the Knicks waived him in January 2004, he retired.
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SI.com - NBA - Former NBA center Amaechi comes out as gay - Wednesday February 7, 2007 6:12PM
 
Isn't this a big step for gay community ? Or it s one of public stunt ? Perhaps gay people doesn't give fuck about sports.
 
Thanks for posting this. It's important. It is a step but not a big one. When a major male athelete comes out when he is still playing his sport then it is a big step. That won't happen though, the atheletes are too afraid that they will be bashed, ruin their team, and cause problems for there teammates and friends.
 
Sure, it's a big thing in the gay community whenever a celebrity comes out of the closet. My guess is, it was a much bigger thing for HIM. But in truth, I didn't even know who this guy was. I'm not sure if it's because I'm NOT really into basketball all that much, or if it's because he was only a minor star, etc. If it had been Michael Jordan or someone like that, they yeah, I'd be picking my jaw up off the floor.

It's hard to know what to feel when I read stories like this. Part of me is happy for him, and for our community. Part of me is angry that there's a need to remain closeted. Part of me is angry that he remained silent for so long. Part of me understands what kind of personal misery he must've undergone, so I try not to judge too harshly. It'd be nice if all the others (and I assure you, there are others) felt comfortable enough to follow suit... but ultimately, it's about personal comfort level, and I've never been a huge advocate of publicly outing someone, unless THEY're the one outing themselves.

Coming out is never an easy decision, especially so for someone with celebrity status... and perhaps even MOREso because he was in the "manly" sport of pro Basketball. So sure, snaps to John!

Other than that, KoN, I'm not sure what kind of response you're looking for. :dunno2:
 
I think it was mostly informative good info though. And is helpful to those teens who are realizing they are gay and think, " but I play sports what is wrong with me" you know how high the suicide rate amoung gay teens is maybe it will show that you can be gay and not a sissy.
 
InTheGenes said:
Sure, it's a big thing in the gay community whenever a celebrity comes out of the closet. My guess is, it was a much bigger thing for HIM. But in truth, I didn't even know who this guy was. I'm not sure if it's because I'm NOT really into basketball all that much, or if it's because he was only a minor star, etc. If it had been Michael Jordan or someone like that, they yeah, I'd be picking my jaw up off the floor.

It's hard to know what to feel when I read stories like this. Part of me is happy for him, and for our community. Part of me is angry that there's a need to remain closeted. Part of me is angry that he remained silent for so long. Part of me understands what kind of personal misery he must've undergone, so I try not to judge too harshly. It'd be nice if all the others (and I assure you, there are others) felt comfortable enough to follow suit... but ultimately, it's about personal comfort level, and I've never been a huge advocate of publicly outing someone, unless THEY're the one outing themselves.

Coming out is never an easy decision, especially so for someone with celebrity status... and perhaps even MOREso because he was in the "manly" sport of pro Basketball. So sure, snaps to John!

Other than that, KoN, I'm not sure what kind of response you're looking for. :dunno2:
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I m just curious to see what gay ADers have to say about this news. :)

It is a good sign that when john came out, there was no media outcry or bashing. I was watching tv sport news other day. Most of commentators are saying it s no big deal (very important phrase here) and did not criticize John at all. I was surprised at this because not too long time ago, whenever ex-pro player comes out, he had to be subject to degrading gay jokes then he would vanished from public view. but with John Amaechi, he was able to get interviews and publish a book about his life as gay man in NBA. Indeed, time is changing but at slow rate.

IMO, sports are reason why america still have hatred or making jokes against gay people. Sports are so huge deal in our society. It think once sports world embrace the gay culture, then everything will falls in line. Heck, have you noticed that more churches are open up to gay people now. There is hope for gay people to do whatever they can do in public anytime/anyplace in not so long time future.
 
Southern said:
I think it was mostly informative good info though. And is helpful to those teens who are realizing they are gay and think, " but I play sports what is wrong with me" you know how high the suicide rate amoung gay teens is maybe it will show that you can be gay and not a sissy.
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Wrestling seem to be popular choice among gay teens. :D
 
I really really would like to see someone who still plays openly admit they're gay, like Southern mentioned. I'd like to see the whole team be open minded about it too and the team not completely falter and still preform great. I point out that I'm straight, but shit, I can root for the gay dudes can't I? Just like how I support our troops, I can sort of.. support them.. somehow!

I wonder if we're ever going to reach a point where we become a society that is completely unbiased regardless of creed, enthic, gender, religion etc. I'm not talking about the world, because that'd never happen. Just... America, although I doubt it. There's always going to be people who have this mentality that others are lesser than them. Der'...
 
In 2000 when I first came out I used to read magizines named, "XY" "Instinct" and "Genre" that are gay publications. There was a story in one back then that the captin of a high school foot balle team in OH came out to his school counselor. Then came out to his coach. Then he worked up the nerve to come out to his team. The team didn't care the school didn't care. The following year he was quarter back and team captain again. He remained one of the most popular guys in the school. They interviewed class mates teachers. I wish that sort of thing could happen on a larger scale
 
Oh, there are lot of gays like sports. Can't remember what movie that was, a high school guy was a swimmer in Seattle. When he wins, his best friend (str8) hugged him, he felt different inside, like hes gonna fall in love, but wouldnt admit it. Bec his friend always timidating "fags, queers" as his commenting. Later he opened hmself and his parents were broken up, then he's fell in love with a guy, but his dad had a heart attack. His mom had a hard time to accept him who he is. His mom was broken when he hold hand with other guy. Other movie, about football I think, or basketball, cant remember which, going thru alot also. There are many closeted gays in sports. Bec i know alot that loves to play sports. Oh, of course, wrestling especially, as you can see their bulge. teehee
 
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