Today, NBA referee Bill Kennedy rvealaed he is gay, just days after Kings guard Rajon Rondo was suspended for an incident between the two in a game earlier this month where Rondo reportedly called Kennedy a “faggot” during the Kings-Celtics game on December 3rd in Mexico City.
Via Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports
“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.”
Earlier this week, Rajon Rondo was suspended one game after refusing to leave the court after Kennedy assessed him consecutive technical fouls. According to the other referees working the game Rondo yelled “You’re a motherfucking faggot…You’re a fucking faggot, Billy” after getting ejected from the game.
Rondo is the third NBA player in the NBA to be punished for the use of an anti-gay slur, but the first to be suspended.