The Los Angeles Lakers will host the team’s fourth annual Pride Night on Oct. 12 against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Anthony Edwards.
Edwards, the top pick of the NBA Draft a couple years ago, recently called several men “queer” in a derogatory manor, posting it for all to see on social media. The accompanying video was clearly of gay and bisexual Black men, with Edwards adding additional disgust to his commentary.
The timing could not be more perfect, though it seems it wasn’t intentional. The Lakers were not trying to bring Edwards to their house for Pride Night, it just worked out that way.
Perfectly.
Again, to be clear, the Lakers’ Pride Night was determined before Edwards’ anti-gay screed was posted on social media. And now it’s perfectly timed as the club representing West Hollywood and one of the largest LGBT communities in the country hosts a preseason game against the latest NBA player to publicly share homophobic comments.
While Edwards, the Timberwolves and the NBA have all refused to call Edwards’ language homophobic or in any way acknowledge the LGBT community — not one of them have since the incident — it’s been clear the community is not thrilled with any of it, as evidenced by the terrific column by Star-Tribune writer Chris Hine.
The Timberwolves have not yet announced the team’s Pride Night. Though with their absolutely disastrous handling of Edwards’ comments… good luck.
In the meantime, the Lakers are hosting the team’s Pride Night on Oct. 12 against the Timberwolves and Edwards. It will be interesting to see what the fans have to say about it.
One thing is for sure: The fans are likely to love these free rainbow jerseys everyone entering the arena will receive. Pretty cool:
