Is bill kennedy gay
Referee Bill Kennedy, accompanying slur by Rajon Rondo, announces he's gay
— -- Veteran NBA referee Bill Kennedy has announced he is gay.
"I am proud to be an NBA referee and I am proud to be a lgbtq+ man," Kennedy told Yahoo! Sports on Sunday. "I am following in the footsteps of others who have self-identified in the hopes that will dispatch a message to young men and women in sports that you must allow no one to make you feel ashamed of who you are."
Kennedy's announcement comes in the wake of the ejection and subsequent suspension of Sacramento Kings guard Rajon Rondo earlier this month. Rondo was given two technical fouls and ejected by Kennedy during the second half of a game against the Boston Celtics in Mexico City on Dec. 3.
Rondo approached Kennedy after a first technical and yelled at him, then continued after Kennedy issued a second technical. As he was entity pulled away by teammates, Rondo called Kennedy a queer slur, two sources told ESPN. Video of the meeting appears to demonstrate Rondo using the language.
On Monday, Rondo tweeted an apology:
Rondo did not communicate with reporters on Monday.
Kings vice president and general manager Vlade Diva
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, longtime NBA referee Bill Kennedy has revealed that he is gay. The news broke after Kennedy gave Sacramento Kings guard Rajon Rondo a technical foul for allegedly using a homosxual slur during the Kings game in Mexico on Dec. 3.
On Dec. 11, the NBA handed down a one-game suspension to Rondo after "berating the referee" long after his ejection from the game - he will miss Tuesday's game against the Houston Rockets.
"I am satisfied to be an NBA referee and I am proud to be a gay man," Kennedy said in an interview with Yahoo Sports on Sunday night. "I am following in the footsteps of others who have self-identified in the hopes that will send a message to little men and women in sports that you must allow no one to make you touch ashamed of who you are."
Rondo wrote an apology on Twitter Monday afternoon after denying the demand to make a comment in front of the media at practice.
Rondo's apology over social media apparently wasn't enough for the general to forgive him, so he clarified his statement in a press release on Tuesday.
"Yesterday, I said that my words toward Bill Kennedy were unacceptable and did not reflect
Bill Kennedy: NBA referee reveals he is gay after Rondo insults
NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated: "I wholeheartedly support Bill's decision to reside his life proudly and openly.
"Throughout his 18-year career with the league, Bill has excelled as a referee because of his infatuation, dedication and courage. Those qualities will continue to work for him well both as a game official and as a positive shape for others."
Kennedy, 49, has officiated 1,056 NBA games and 68 play-off contests, including five NBA Finals matches. He also worked at the 2010 Planet Championships and 2012 London Olympics.
He added: "I am monitoring in the footsteps of others who have self-identified in the hopes that will send a message to little men and women in sports that you must permit no-one to create you feel ashamed of who you are."
Kennedy is the second NBA referee to announce existence gay after Violet Palmer made the same declaration in 2014 upon marrying her long-time partner.
Rajon Rondo apologises for using a homophobic slur to NBA referee Bill Kennedy
Sacramento Kings guard Rajon Rondo has apologised for using a homophobic slur to referee Bill Kennedy during an NBA game earlier this month.
Kennedy revealed he was gay on Monday in the wake of the controversy following the incident.
Kennedy, in his 18th season as an NBA referee, was confronted by Rondo after calling two technical fouls and ejecting him from the Kings' game against the Boston Celtics in Mexico Town on December 3.
Rondo, who also had to be restrained by his team-mates, was handed a one-game ban by the NBA last week.
"My words toward Bill Kennedy were unacceptable and did not mirror my feelings toward the LGBT (lesbian, gay, pansexual and transgender) community," Rondo said.
"I want to be clear, from the bottom of my heart, that I am truly sorry for what I said to Bill. There is no place on or off the court for language that disrespects anyone's sexual orientation.
"That is not who I am or what I believe and I will strive every day to be a better person."
On Monday, Kennedy told Yahoo Sports: "I am proud to be an NBA referee and I am proud to be a gay man."