In wake of Rondo suspension, NBA referee Bill Kennedy reveals he is gay.

[Alexander The Great]

Bill Kennedy, one of the NBA's top referees, has revealed he is gay.

"I am proud to be an NBA referee and I am proud to be a gay man," Kennedy told Yahoo Sports on Sunday night. "I am following in the footsteps of others who have self-identified in the hopes that will send a message to young men and women in sports that you must allow no one to make you feel ashamed of who you are."
After Kennedy, 49, ejected Rondo with consecutive technical fouls in a Kings loss to the Boston Celtics, Rondo defied league protocol to immediately leave the court and began stalking Kennedy, who had retreated to a far sideline of the floor.

In the game officials’ report used as part of the NBA's investigation – which includes details provided to Yahoo Sports from National Basketball Referee's Association general counsel Lee Seham – Kennedy and fellow referee Ben Taylor described Rondo's post-ejection diatribe as including the statements: "You're a mother------- fakkit. … You're a f------ fakkit, Billy."

Seham reported that a third official, Bennie Adams, outside of hearing distance, "affirmed that Rondo aggressively pursued referee Bill Kennedy and had to be restrained by teammates and escorted off the floor by Sacramento team security."

The three officials – Kennedy, Taylor and Adams – confirmed those reports in taped interviews conducted by NBA security on Dec. 4, Seham said.


Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah was fined $50,000 during the 2011 playoffs for making a slur toward a heckling fan, and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 for using an anti-gay slur toward a referee earlier that same season. Both players apologized for the comments.

Rondo – who is making $9.5 million this season – is suspended for Sacramento's game against theHouston Rockets on Tuesday. He will lose $86,300 in game salary for the suspension.

Kennedy is the second NBA referee to make a public announcement about being gay. Referee Violet Palmer revealed she is gay upon getting married to her longtime partner, Tanya Stine, in 2014

Across 18 NBA seasons, Kennedy has officiated 1,056 regular-season and 68 playoff games, including five NBA Finals games. For FIBA, he officiated in the 2010 world championships and the 2012 Olympics. He remains the only referee to work the NBA All-Star Game, NBA Finals and bronze-medal Olympic game in the same calendar year.

 

[jaguar paw]

This nikka Rondo is the gift that keeps on giving.



Good luck to his agent trying to spin out of this one.

 

[afterlife2009]

 

[FaTaL]

Well now that everybody knows don't expect it to stop

 

[MercuryHayes]

Rondos done

 

[Bilz]

Everyone knew he was gay though.

 

[Alexander The Great]

I'm willing to bet Rondo didn't know he was gay.

if he did

 

[Steezy]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba-re...ged-homosexual-slur-to-him-174255321.htmlhtml

either rondo really is the smartest nikka in the room or he just fukked up.

 

[Alexander The Great]

Everyone knew he was gay though.

this was common knowledge?

 

[360Waves]

"You're a mother------- fakkit. … You're a f------ fakkit, Billy."

 

[Black]

Everyone knew he was gay though.

Who is everyone?

 

[Bilz]

this was common knowledge?

Wasn't it?

 

[Steezy]

and I wanted to finish my sandwich before I hit create

 

[[REDACTED]]

 

[Malta]

Always thought he looked like Robert Townsend