Former NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway appeared as an analyst on the Golden State Warriors TV broadcast Monday night and made an abhorrent reference to rape.
Usually, play-by-play voice Bob Fitzgerald is on the call alongside analyst and former Warriors guard Kelenna Azubuike. But NBC Sports Bay Area featured a Run TMC Takeover broadcast Monday night to celebrate three stars from the past: Hardaway, Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond.
During the second quarter of Golden State’s game against the San Antonio Spurs, Draymond Green made a defensive play that prompted Hardaway to say the following:
WHAT DID TIM HARDAWAY JUST SAY 💀💀💀 pic.twitter.com/Tmvsu8cYl4
— Chuck Goldberg (@chuckgoldberg) November 15, 2022
“Y’all thought that was great [defense], I thought that was just raping them,” Hardaway said. “I think you should call the police on that.”
There were some awkward chuckles from the rest of the broadcast crew in response to Hardaway’s analysis, but they attempted to move on quickly. After Hardaway’s comment gained traction on social media, the Basketball Hall-of-Famer issued a brief apology during the fourth quarter of the broadcast.
Tim Hardaway issues an apology on the air for using the word "rape" 🙏#DubNationpic.twitter.com/I6fkhMb4OY
— 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧' 𝐍𝐁𝐀 (@_Talkin_NBA) November 15, 2022
“Hey everybody, I used a poor choice of words earlier in the broadcast,” Hardaway admitted. “I want to apologize for that and let’s get back to the game and let’s finish this game off with a 30-point win and go home happy.”
Monday night was the first time the Warriors featured Hardaway, Mullin and Richmond on a broadcast together to celebrate their Run TMC era. While the broadcast’s casual nature may have provided for some entertaining moments, it’s difficult to imagine Hardaway will be back on-air anytime soon following his regrettable analysis.
This wasn’t the first time Hardaway said something offensive on the record, with the former NBA point guard infamously telling Dan Le Batard in 2007 that he was homophobic. “I hate gay people, so I let it be known,” he told Le Batard.
15 years later, Hardaway apologized for the homophobic comments prior to his induction ceremony at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in September, blaming the church for instilling those thoughts in him.
