Sacramento Kings play-by-play announcer Grant Napear was positioned on administrative depart by his radio station Monday after tweeting “All Lives Matter,” a controversial phrase related to belittling the Black Lives Matter motion.
“All Lives Matter… Each Single One!” the 60-year-old Napear tweeted Sunday after former Kings star Demarcus Cousins requested the KHTK radio host for his view on the Black Lives Matter motion.
The Black Lives Matter motion started in 2013 as a marketing campaign in opposition to systemic racism and violence towards black folks, and it’s the focus of protests in response to the demise of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who was killed by a white police officer final week in Minneapolis.
“I’m not as educated on BLM as I assumed I used to be,” Napear stated in an apology printed by The Sacramento Bee. “I had no concept that once I stated ‘All Lives Matter’ that it was counter to what BLM is attempting to get throughout.”
However Cousins, together with Chris Webber, didn’t appear stunned by Napear’s tweet.
“Lol as anticipated,” Cousins replied.
“Demarcus we all know and have identified who grant is,” tweeted Webber, who additionally performed for the Kings. “The crew is aware of as nicely. I’ve advised them many occasions. They’ve seen it. They know who he’s.”
Webber added two clown emojis.
The Kings didn’t reply to a request for remark from the newspaper.
Napear, who’s a graduate of Syosset Excessive Faculty on Lengthy Island, hosts his personal radio present on KHTK and has been the Kings announcer since 1988. The station stated it’s investigating Napear’s tweet.
In keeping with the Sacramento Bee, Napear additionally was mired in controversy after defending Donald Sterling, saying the previous Clippers proprietor couldn’t be racist as a result of he employed black folks.
