South Sudan Basketball Federation president Luol Deng has responded to the offensive feedback that had been made concerning the South Sudan Olympic staff.
He particularly names Paul Pierce and Gilbert Arenas.
“I’m not upset or offended at these ignorant remarks made by my former colleagues; I used to be extra disillusioned to see them coming from two people I’ve all the time revered,” Deng mentioned on Instagram. “The feedback made by Paul Pierce confirmed misinformation and a scarcity of analysis. Nonetheless, he used it as a teachable second to shed positivity as soon as he was knowledgeable. Thanks to Paul Pierce for apologising, that i can respect.
“Rising up, I heard many comparable feedback, and people very remarks are among the issues that motivated me to alter the narrative. Africans now present solidarity and assist for one another greater than ever. Moments like this are usually not for us to get upset and lash out. Many Africans and Black individuals who embrace their African heritage are working exhausting to carry all Black folks nearer by educating and sharing tales and historic moments, educating that we’ve got far more in widespread than variations.
“As for Gilbert’s feedback, they had been actually extra disrespectful and merciless. Personally, I don’t care a lot. I might by no means commerce locations with anybody; being African is particular. Nonetheless, for younger African and African American youngsters who admire and hearken to Gilbert, these feedback could make you assume much less of your self and make the remainder of the world assume much less of Africans. Those that are simply misled might make feedback that mirror self-hate greater than delight. There may be nothing about our historical past that we must always run away from.
“I really wish to thank each of them for giving us this platform to reply and inform others. We’ve labored very exhausting within the final 4 years to be right here, and we are able to’t enable mere seconds to take that away. As an alternative, let’s recognize the second and use these feedback as a possibility to coach. Being liked is all the time higher than being tolerated.
“If we as a folks realized the greatness from which we got here we’d be much less prone to disrespect ourselves.”
Throughout an episode of Undisputed earlier than South Sudan v USA’s exhibition sport, Pierce mocked the African staff and mentioned, “… they in all probability don’t have anyone over 6’3.”
Arenas took issues a step too far although and made some extraordinarily offensive feedback concerning the South Sudan staff, in addition to Joel Embiid.
