Amar'e Stoudemire Apologizes for Saying He Would Avoid a Gay Teammate

One day after saying in an interview that he would avoid a teammate if he found out he was gay, former NBA All-Star Amar'e Stoudemire apologized Wednesday.

According to ESPN.com, Stoudemire released a statement and suggested his comments were made in jest:

"

I want to apologize for my offensive comments against the LGBT community. These remarks were taken from a larger interview where a reporter was asking me hypothetical questions, and all my answers had a comedic undertone. ... The answers I gave were meant to be taken as jokes, and I am deeply sorry for offending anyone.

"

Stoudemire previously said the following regarding hypothetically playing with a gay teammate: "I'm going to shower across the street, make sure my change of clothes are around the corner. And I'm going to drive—take a different route to the gym," he told Israeli website Walla Sport (h/t ESPN.com), 

When asked if he was joking, Stoudemire replied, "I mean, there's always a truth within a joke."

In 2012, Stoudemire was fined $50,000 by the NBA for using a gay slur on Twitter.

The 34-year-old Stoudemire is in the midst of his first season playing for Hapoel Jerusalem in the Israeli Premier League.

He signed a two-year deal with the team and owns part of the club as well.

Stoudemire spent 14 seasons in the NBA primarily with the Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks, and he last played for the Miami Heat in 2015-16.