John Amaechi: Being gay was a factor in Jazz cut
NEW YORK: England's John Amaechi, a former NBA player who reveals in a new book that he is gay, told ESPN on Sunday that he believes his homosexuality was a factor in his parting ways with the Utah Jazz.
Speaking on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" about his upcoming ESPN Books publication "Man in the Middle", Amaechi became the first former NBA player to announce he is gay, a fact revealed in a magazine story last week.
Amaechi is convinced his gay lifestyle was a factor behind Jazz coach Jerry Sloan not using him at the start of the 2003-2004 season.
"It's not necessarily just Jerry but the entire organization didn't appreciate it," Amaechi said. "I don't know it but I continue to believe that was a part of the equation."
Amaechi played in 50 or more games in each of the two prior seasons for the Jazz, based in Mormon stronghold Salt Lake City. Only once did a teammate ask about his sexuality, but Amaechi said he evaded Greg Ostertag's question.
"Ostertag asked me once," Amaechi said. "He just said, 'Dude are you gay?' and I said, 'Greg, you have nothing to worry about'."
Amaechi, whose book is set to debut on US bookshelves on February 20, said he was more concerned about the reaction of spectators than of fellow NBA players when it came to keeping his homosexuality private.
"This is not just about NBA players," Amaechi said. "If all I had to worry about was 300 guys I dealt with professionally then go home at night, that is one thing. It's the 18-to 20-thousand fans in the arena each night."
He said he does not expect anyone to follow his lead and publicly reveal they are gay while still in the NBA.
"It's terrifying," Amaechi said. "These people are looked at as stars, as NBA players. Any change to that would be psychologically, emotionally and financially devastating."
The highest-profile British ex-athlete to reveal he is gay since soccer player Justin Fashanu in the late 1980s, Amaechi works for the BBC and funds a youth sport center in Manchester.
"I am not a hero or special in any regard. I am simply doing what a good person of principle and conscience should do," Amaechi told ESPN.
"I try and be good in many different areas, a strong advocate in many areas. But two minutes after people see this interview I'll just be that big gay guy."
Also Sunday, Amaechi was named spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign's Coming Out Project, a US program designed to help gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people live openly.
"Our great hope is that John will pave the way for more gay and straight athletes to openly support fairness and respect on and off the playing field," project president Joe Solmonese said.
Amaechi will speak out on the issue while on an upcoming US book tour.
"I believe very strongly in the responsibility of people with power and influence to be role models," Amaechi said. "I want to spread my influence in the same way that I was able to because I had a basketball in my hand."
Amaechi, 36, played five seasons with Cleveland, Orlando and Utah, averaging 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds before retiring in 2003.
After a brief NBA debut with Cleveland in 1995, he played for French clubs Cholet and Limoges, Bologna in Italy, Greece's Panathinaikos and Britain's Sheffield Sharks before returning to the NBA with Orlando in 1999.
Utah signed him as a free agent in 2001 but after two seasons he was benched and never played again.
AFP
(China Daily 02/13/2007 page23)
