Jaden Ivey may not be the only professional athlete who believes those in the LGBTQ+ community are living in “unrighteousness.” Hours after the former Chicago Bulls player went on a lengthy rant about religion and social issues, NFL star TreVeyon Henderson seemingly came to his support by sharing a Bible verse about inheriting the kingdom of God.
Jaden Ivey Blasts the NBA For Supporting LGBTQ+ During Pride Month
Ivey went live on his social media accounts several times over the last few weeks, according to various sources, including ESPN and USA Today.
On Monday, March 31, a portion of Ivey’s livestream touched on religion and social issues, including the queer community.
Ivey slammed the league for appearing to support those in the LGBTQ+ community by hosting Pride Month events.
“The world proclaims LGBTQ, right?” he said. “They proclaim Pride Month, and the NBA does, too. They show it to the world. They say, ‘Come join us for Pride Month to celebrate unrighteousness.’ They proclaim it on the billboards. They proclaim it on the streets. Unrighteousness.”
Jaden Ivey Gets Waived From The Chicago Bulls For Conduct ‘Detrimental’ To The Team
In other livestreams, Ivey shared even more language that the public viewed as controversial. While conversing with IG users, Ivey called Catholicism a fake religion and later told a fan that God doesn’t hear the prayers of sinners.
Ivey’s former NBA team, the Chicago Bulls, waived him on March 30 due to “conduct detrimental to the team.”
Ivey questioned the organization’s decision in another online post, per ESPN, saying, “[The Bulls] said my conduct is detrimental to the team. Why didn’t they just say, ‘We don’t agree with his stance on LGBTQ’? Why didn’t they say that? … How is it conduct detrimental to the team? What did I do to the team? What did I do to the players?”
According to Us Weekly, Ivey called the Bulls organization “liars,” adding, “That’s a lie. Ask any one of them coaches in there, ‘Was I a good teammate?’ All I’m preaching about is Jesus Christ, and they waived me. They say I’m crazy, right? I’m psycho.”
New England Patriots Player TreVeyon Henderson Appears To Side With Jaden Ivey And His Anti-LGBTQ+ Stance After Being Ousted
Ivey’s dismissal from the Chicago Bulls sent shockwaves through social media, with some users voicing frustration that the Purdue alum seemed to be punished for sharing his personal opinion.
Henderson, who played college football at The Ohio State University before being drafted by the New England Patriots, was among those who seemed to express support.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,” he replied to the video of Ivey’s anti-LGBTQ+ stance. “For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:10.”
Bulls Head Coach Responds After The Team Cuts Ivey From Its Roster
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan broke his silence on the matter just before his team’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.
He explained to the media that the Bulls have a “certain level of standards and expectations” for their players before acknowledging the team’s diverse makeup. And while he seemed to recognize different viewpoints, Donovan said it boils down to respect.
“But one is, we’ve got to all be professional. I think there’s got to be a high level of respect for one another, and we got to help each other and then be accountable to those standards,” he said.
Donovan Also Calls Out Those Struggling With Mental Health
Elsewhere during his conversation with the media, Donovan spoke about the importance of caring for professional athletes’ mental well-being in today’s society.
“And I’m not passing judgment on what Jaden is or is not going through. But I do worry about that, not only for Jaden, but for all of our players. Are we providing the resources, which I think we do, to help them in any way we can? I think if any player reached out and said I need some help in this, we could help them,” he said.
Ivey joined the Chicago Bulls in a three-team trade in early February 2023. However, the athlete was sidelined on February 11 due to ongoing knee issues.
He averaged 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 37 games this NBA season, including four with the Bulls.