JJ Redick says he was ‘tongue tied’ after apparently calling Chinese NBA fans ‘chinks’
However, some Chinese netizens aren’t buying Redick’s explanation and are demanding a proper apology
Amid a storm of viral outrage, Philadelphia 76ers guard JJ Redick has said that he was “tongue tied” when he wished a happy new year to “all of the NBA chink fans in China.”
In a video aired at halftime during a Chinese broadcast of an NBA game last week, a number of NBA stars are seen wishing fans in China a happy Chinese New Year. However, when it’s Redick’s turn, he appears to use a racial slur to refer to Chinese fans.
The footage went viral over the weekend on Chinese social media after being picked up by a popular Weibo video blogger with 2.4 million followers:
In the immediate aftermath, some accused Redick of blatant racism, while others thought that perhaps, somehow, Redick didn’t know that the word “chink” was a racial slur.
On Sunday afternoon, Redick tweeted his own explanation, saying that he got “tongue tied,” adding that “the word I purportedly said is not in my vocabulary.”
Some fans see this as the most reasonable explanation:
However, many Chinese fans are not satisfied with Redick’s explanation and statement, flooding his Twitter account and that of the NBA’s with angry messages. Some have claimed that Redick made a Freudian slip which shows the racism that is really inside his heart, others simply want an apology.
It’s important to note that the original video was not produced by the NBA, but by Chinese internet giant Tencent, which has an agreement for digital broadcasting rights of games and content in China. The fact that those who shot and produced the video didn’t hear anything wrong with Redick’s comments has caused yet more concern online.
After Chinese netizens noticed the apparent racial slur, they notified Tencent, causing the company to edit out Redick’s part and reupload the video without explanation.
During his college days at Duke, Redick was one of the best and most despised players in the country. However, in the NBA, he has done much to reform his image as an arrogant prick, becoming not only one of the league’s best shooters, but one of its most thoughtful and articulate spokesmen, launching his own successful podcast.
Now in his 12th season in the league, Redick signed a 1-year, $23 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers over the summer.
