*Warriors veteran Andre Iguodala stopped by the Breakfast Club to chop it up about his new book and dish about former coach turned ESPN NBA commentator, Mark Jackson.
As noted by Deadspin, Jackson coached the Warriors for three seasons until he was fired in 2014 for being extremely preachy on the job and exhibiting intolerance toward certain lifestyle choices.
Jackson hasn’t coached since then (despite his efforts – the report states), and Iguodala claims it’s because Jackson has been blackballed by the league.
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Iguodala noted during the interview that one “widespread” conflict between Jackson and openly gay Warriors president Rick Welts was Jackson’s view on homosexuality, and “what the Bible says on your sexuality,” Iguodala explained.
Later in the interview, at 34:28 in the clip above, when asked if he believes Jackson is being blackballed, Iguodala replied, “I do, yes. Absolutely.”
Here’s a transcript:
One particular issue was his views on gender or marriage or what the bible says on your sexuality, and the head of our business … Rick Welts … He’s celebrated as one of the top execs in sports, on the business side, and he’s gay, so there was conflicts with that that was widespread.
Someone mentioned it to me, people can express themselves, but are you allowed to express yourself that you don’t agree with it? You should accept it, because we should all accept each other, but it’s like we’re afraid to really say our beliefs now. You may not believe in something, but you still have respect for them, as long as you don’t disrespect them or judge them.
via Deadspin:
Iguodala—who reportedly said he didn’t want his daughter playing basketball because he was worried she might “turn into a lesbian”—also chalked up the firing of Jackson—who reportedly said he didn’t want a gay player in his locker room—to a bad relationship with ownership, which Warriors boss Joe Lacob certainly would not dispute.
Scroll up and watch the full interview via the player above.
In related news, as noted by USA Today, Iguodala’s memoir “The Sixth Man,” “traces his journey from his Illinois childhood to three championships with the Golden State Warriors.” In the book, “he opens up about race, pain, accomplishment, glory and shame, and the sacrifices and commitments required to become one of the world’s superstar athletes.”
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