Anthony Edwards found himself in an unexpected and sudden situation of being a disliked figure after the turmoil he caused earlier this month. During his conversation with reporters attending Minnesota’s media day, Edwards made the incident public for the first time. On September 20, the NBA authorities fined Edwards $40,000 for using “offensive and derogatory language” in a since-deleted Instagram story post.
Throughout his Monday speech, Edwards apologized numerous times to the audience and the media. “Man, I respect everybody. I know what I posted was immature and I’m sorry for that if I hurt anyone. I’m working with the team and I’m sorry to all the Minnesota fans. I’m sorry for what I said and my actions. I’m working to be better,” Edwards said.
Anthony Edwards apologizes for the anti-gay comments he made during the offseason.
"I respect everybody. I know what I posted was immature. And I’m sorry for that, if I hurt anyone." pic.twitter.com/YVo2deeNc8
— ESPN (@espn) September 26, 2022
In a widely shared NSFW video from the weekend of September 10, Edwards is heard calling a group of people standing outside “queer” as the camera pans in on them. Prior to the video’s conclusion, he can be heard saying, “Look what the world done came to, bruh.”
The 21-year-old once more admitted his wrongdoing and said he’s trying to improve when asked whether he realized how his remarks might have harmed members of the LGBTQ community. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it right, show everybody that I come with respect. That’s not who I am, I’m willing to take it as far as I need to,” Edwards said.
“It just makes me think before I do anything now. I learned that you have to think before you speak and things can be taken away in a blink. Words hurt people and I just gotta be better.”
The first choice in the 2020 draft, Edwards, is the most recent player to be punished by the league for using anti-LGBTQ comments. Tim Connelly, the president of the Timberwolves, was not pleased with the incident’s fast response and expressed it in a statement on September 12 as well.
