Jalen Rose Apologizes for Comments About Suns' Robert Sarver on 'NBA Countdown'
After seemingly accusing Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver of using racist language toward Deandre Ayton during contract negotiations, ESPN's Jalen Rose has apologized and clarified his past comments.
Rose is currently out of the country but provided a statement through Stephen A. Smith on NBA Countdown Wednesday:
"We want to clarify a comment that was made on this program last Friday. When we were discussing the Robert Sarver controversy, Jalen Rose made a comment that, ‘When it's time to pay Deandre Ayton, and you're calling him a lazy N-word, what's going to now happen is it's going to affect your product on the floor.'"
"As mentioned previously, Jalen is out of the country this week. But he wants us to make clear that he did not mean to suggest that Sarver actually spoke those words. And to be clear, ESPN has never reported that Sarver used those words to describe Deandre Ayton. Jalen used those words to try to express his personal opinion that the way Sarver handled Ayton's contract situation was demeaning to a black player and would be perceived that way by other black players."
"Jalen recognizes it was a mistake, and we apologize for the miscommunication."
Rose initially made the comments during a Nov. 5 episode of NBA Countdown.
It came during a segment discussing the allegations that Sarver has overseen a toxic and hostile workplace and has repeatedly used racist and misogynistic language, as reported by ESPN's Baxter Holmes.
"You know, why does Draymond Green get to run up the court and say [N-word]," Sarver allegedly told former Suns coach Earl Watson.
Rose referenced that story while discussing a hypothetical discussion with Ayton in an argument that players wouldn't want to play for the Suns as a result of the owner's actions.
Ayton was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, but the two sides were unable to work out an extension to keep him in Phoenix. He will now become a restricted free agent next offseason.
The 23-year-old was seeking a max deal, which would have been worth $172.5 million extension over five years, but the talks never advanced to the Suns making a formal offer, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst.
The NBA has launched an independent investigation into Sarver's conduct.
