'I Hate Gay People,' Says Former NBA Star Hardaway

Feb. 15, 2007 — -- A week after a former NBA star revealed he was gay, retired Miami Heat star Tim Hardaway made some incendiary comments about gays Wednesday on a Miami radio show.

"You know, I hate gay people," Hardaway said during an interview on "790 the Ticket."

"You know, I let it be known I don't like gay people. I don't like to be around gay people," he said.

Those in-your-face comments came just a week after another former NBA player, John Amaechi, revealed that he was gay. Amaechi told ESPN that he lived in fear that his teammates would learn of his sexuality.

"The machismo, it's an amazingly. … It's a testosterone-riddled group," Amaechi said. "And it's not just the NBA, it's professional sports."

Though Amaechi and Hardaway never played on the same basketball team, Hardaway told the sports radio show how he would react to a gay teammate.

"First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team," he said. "I think the majority of the players would ask for him to be traded or they would want to get traded."

The show's host said: "You know that what you're saying there though, Timmy, is flatly homophobic."

Hardaway replied, "I am homophobic. So yeah, I don't like it."

Overall, Amaechi seems to be getting support from NBA players, including the Miami Heat's Shaquille O'Neal.

Late Wednesday, Hardaway apologized for his comments, saying in a statement: "I want to apologize for my comments … regarding gays. My comments were offensive and I regret making them. I'm sorry to anyone I have offended."

No active NBA player has ever said that he was gay.