Sacramento Kings play by play broadcaster and KHTK radio host Grant Napear (above, right) has been placed on administrative leave by KHTK.
Napear got into a contentious Twitter exchange with ex-Kings player DeMarcus Cousins about Black Lives Matter, which led to other former Kings chiming in and slamming Napear.
Hey!!!! How are you? Thought you forgot about me. Haven't heard from you in years. ALL LIVES MATTER…EVERY SINGLE ONE!!! https://t.co/DfzKl3w0jm
— Grant Napear (@GrantNapearshow) June 1, 2020
Lol as expected.
— DeMarcus Cousins (@boogiecousins) June 1, 2020
(for whatever its worth, Cousins and Napear don’t have a great history, to put it mildly)
Later on Sunday, Napear apologized “if it came across as dumb”.
If it came across as dumb I apologize. That was not my intent. That's how I was raised. It has been engrained in me since I can remember. I've been doing more listening than talking the past few days. I believe the past few days will change this country for the better! https://t.co/Gsh84BPBEk
— Grant Napear (@GrantNapearshow) June 1, 2020
Turner analyst and Kings icon Chris Webber chimed in, saying that the Kings “know who he [Napear] is”.
https://twitter.com/realchriswebber/status/1267452141448368128
Former King Matt Barnes called Napear a “closet racists [sic]”.
Would expect nothing less from a closet racists
— Matt Barnes (@Matt_Barnes22) June 1, 2020
Napear’s cohost Doug Christie spoke positively about BLM on Monday without Napear on the show, and tweeted this out before the Napear/Cousins spat on Sunday night.
https://twitter.com/TheDougChristie/status/1267297717144846338
Both the Kings and NBC Sports California released statements.
Late Monday, the Kings issued a statement saying, “Grant’s recent Twitter comments do not reflect our organization’s views and values. We are reviewing the matter further with our broadcast partners NBC Sports California and Sports 1140 KHTK.”
NBC Sports California issued a statement of its own:
“Our company values and honors inclusion and equality. Racism, injustice and violence run counter to everything we stand for and cannot be tolerated in our society. Grant Napear’s recent comments on Twitter do not reflect the views of NBC Sports California. We’ve spoken to Grant’s employer, the Sacramento Kings, about the matter.”
The Sacramento Bee detailed some of Napear’s history of making comments regarding race that rubbed people the wrong way, including multiple defenses of Clippers owner, and noted racist, Donald Sterling.
It’s unclear whether or not the Kings will play again this season. At 28-36, they’re tied for the ninth seed in the Western Conference with the Trail Blazers and Pelicans, half a game ahead of the Spurs. The most likely plans for the league’s return revolve around 20 or 22 teams returning, and the Kings would qualify in either scenario. Furthermore, it’s unclear if there even will be any local broadcasts of games from the NBA’s restart plan, possibly giving the Kings a pass on making a decision about Napear’s future until the 2020-21 season.
