OAKLAND -- Andre Iguodala sat down Monday and apologized, not so much for his racially provocative comments a few days ago but for the unwanted affect his words had on the Warriors.
Iguodala’s comments, which included references to the N-word, created a social-media firestorm that prompted the NBA to hand down a $10,000 fine.
“It probably was the wrong time to express myself,” Iguodala said after practice. “But we all have our own opinions. We all have our own feelings. I feel like we are entitled to them. We try to pick and choose the time to do it, and who we choose to share it with, because some may not understand where I’m coming from, which is to be expected.
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“The only reason I feel like it’s the wrong time is because it puts my team in that situation and my coaching staff in that situation. I have a great relationship with Steve Kerr, and he knows that.”
In an interview Friday night, after 103-102 loss at Minnesota, Iguodala on at least three occasions said the N-word and also resorted to a slave reference, saying he would “do what massa say.”
The comments generated a firestorm on social media that prompted Iguodala to clarify late Friday night that his remarks about “massa” were not directed at Kerr.
Kerr on Monday reiterated that he took no offense to Iguodala’s comments but implied such sensitive statements, subject to be misinterpreted, are best kept “in the sanctity of the locker room” rather than uttered on camera.
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“Even his words still may not be . . . someone still may not believe him,” Iguodala said of Kerr. “But he and I are in a great place. We don’t even have to speak about it, because he knew that in no way, shape or form was I talking about him.”
The fine by the NBA, announced Monday, was issued “for making inappropriate comments during a postgame media interview.” Iguodala said there was no clear communication regarding what can and can’t be said in interviews.
Iguodala, 33, does know that his comments have been a topic of national discussion and debate for several days, and that on some scale the Warriors, from Kerr through the players, have had to deal with it.
“I wish I wouldn’t have put my teammates and the organization in that situation,” Iguodala said. “But it doesn’t change how I feel about certain situations. You can’t give certain people power, and I gave certain people power. Live and learn from the situation, and move forward.”