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Arenas accepts Sterling’s apology
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Possibly sensing a need for healing, former NBA guard Gilbert Arenas made it known Tuesday that he is willing to forgive embattled Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for his racially insensitive comments.
In an interview with CNN that aired Monday night, Sterling said he is not a racist and that he made a mistake.
“I’ll be the first to accept ur apology,” wrote Arenas, a three-time NBA All-Star, on Instagram. “As a man who’s made a mistake or two in life, I know how hard it is to look at your self in the mirror when you let so many ppl down but for anybody who can’t and won’t accept his apology u need to look in the mirror because were not perfect. forgiveness will destroy racism not more hatred”
After Sterling’s initial remarks to a girlfriend were made public earlier this month, Sterling received a lifetime ban from the NBA. He also is facing the possibility of a forced sale of the team that he has owned since 1980.
Arenas last played in the NBA for Memphis during the 2011-12 season. He averaged 20.7 points and 5.3 assists during his 11-year career.
In 2009, he was convicted on felony gun charges in connection with a locker-room incident while playing for the Washington Wizards. He was sentenced to a halfway house and suspended for 50 games by then-commissioner David Stern before returning to the NBA with the Orlando Magic and then going back to the Wizards.
