In fact, if you ask him, he’ll straight up tell you that he hates them. In a recent radio interview, the ex-ball handler came out with the following comment “You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don’t like gay people and I don’t like to be around gay people,”. In case we didn’t get his point, he followed it up with “I’m homophobic. I don’t like it. It shouldn’t be in the world or in the United States. ” Hardaway later apologized for his comments, but that wasn’t enough for the NBA who have banned him from all of the events during All-Star Weekend.

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As far as I am concerned, Hardaway is an idiot. He said some dumb things and I think he truly feels that way despite what he said in his apology. He has every right to feel that way and he has every right to comment on it. At the same time, the NBA, as an organization has every right to hand down a punishment for those comments. If they don’t want him associated with their organization, that is their right. While freedom of speech protects your rights to say things, it doesn’t protect you from any backlash. Especially an employer.