Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas tempered his recent meteoric rise to stardom with a self-inflicted slip-up Thursday night.
After helping the Nets to a 116-105 win over the Chicago Bulls on TNT in Brooklyn’s first contest since trading away both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, Thomas was featured on the court for a postgame interview. TNT sideline reporter Jared Greenberg asked Thomas about a comment Spencer Dinwiddie made during his introductory press conference. Dinwiddie, who the Nets acquired in the deal for Irving, joked that he and Dorian Finney-Smith “might not be the best trade package, but we’re the best-looking. And the Nets need some help in that department.”
Cam Thomas: “We already had good looking guys, no homo.”pic.twitter.com/2SAsuq36EX
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) February 10, 2023
“I seen it, but I was like, ‘He just talking,’” Thomas told Greenberg with Dinwiddie standing by his side. “We already had good-looking dudes, no homo.”
Greenberg immediately recognized that Thomas used an offensive phrase, saying, “Alright, I’m sure the league office will enjoy that one,” before continuing the interview with another question.
While it’s unclear if the Brooklyn Nets or league office spoke to Thomas about the gay slur, the 21-year-old guard went on Twitter shortly after the interview to address the offensive phrase he used during his postgame interview.
I want to apologize for the insensitive word I used in the post-game interview. I was excited about the win and was being playful. I definitely didn’t intend to offend anyone, but realize that I probably did. My apologies again. Much love 🫶🏽❤️
— Cam Thomas (@24_camthomas) February 10, 2023
“I want to apologize for the insensitive word I used in the postgame interview,” Thomas wrote on Twitter. “I was excited about the win and was being playful. I definitely didn’t intend to offend anyone, but realize that I probably did. My apologies again. Much love.”
Credit Thomas for offering what reads like a heartfelt apology and doing so swiftly, but that shouldn’t evade him of potential punishment. According to Outsports, two-time NBA MVP and Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was fined $20,000 for using the same offensive phrase during a 2018 postgame interview.
Thomas is quickly becoming a star for the Nets, especially in the absence of Durant and Irving. The second-year guard exceeded 40 points in three straight games before he struggled to shoot against the Bulls, going 3-for-16 from the field in a win that was capped by his regretful interview.
[TNT]
