The South Sudan Basketball Federation has condemned comments from former professional basketball players Paul Pierce and Gilbert Arenas in connection to the recent game between South Sudan and the USA.
Paul Pierce was accused of making derogatory and racist comments about the South Sudan team before the game, while Gilbert Arenas made his comments after the match.
“I’m not upset or angry at these ignorant remarks made by my former colleagues; I was more disappointed to see them coming from two individuals I’ve always respected,” South Sudan Basketball Federation president Luol Deng said.
Paul Pierce has since apologised for his comments, saying it was a "lack of adequate research" on his part.
Last-minute save
LeBron James saved the U.S. from what would have been a stunning loss in their pre-Olympics warm-up game on Saturday.
With 8 seconds left, the U.S. Olympic team escaped with a 101-100 win over South Sudan in London, rallying from a 16-point deficit to avoid perhaps the biggest upset in the programme’s history.
Gilbert Arenas mocked the South Sudan team for being Africans and almost defeated the legendary US basketball team.
“Paul Pierce showed misinformation and a lack of research. However, he used it as a teachable moment to shed positivity once he was informed. Thank you to Paul Pierce for apologising,” Deng said.
“As for Gilbert’s comments, they were certainly more disrespectful and cruel. Personally, I don’t care much. I would never trade places with anyone; being African is special,” he added.
Arenas, who has yet to apologise, continues to be condemned on social media for his comments.
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