The Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss shared a racist letter sent to her by a fan in anInstagram post Friday.
The letter said: "Dear w---e, After 60 years as a huge Lakers fan, I now say to hell with the overpaid n----r traitors and theNBA. Go to hell and join [redacted] Kobe Bryant." Buss explained she felt it was important to share the letter:
Lakers star LeBron James included Buss’ message on an Instagram story Friday afternoon with a caption reading “Love you Jeanie!!!” He also delivered his own personal message to Joe.
Jeanie Buss had some words for the fan as well earlier today:
"I have received letters like this over the years. The advice I always got? 'Ignore it.' I did. But not anymore. On this day, Juneteenth, I ask my white friends to join together, acknowledge the racism that exists in our country and around the world, and pledge to stop ignoring it. We all must do better."
Buss also wrote the following in another portion of her post:
"After much thought, I decided to share this letter I received on Monday so that everyone can see the hate is real and living out there. This is happening in our world TODAY. Its real and it exists. To Joe: Did sending this letter make you feel better? Really all you did was waste your time, and energy and your postage stamp. (But thank you for including your return home address) Why don't you look in the mirror and see your ugliness because I refuse to."
The 2019-20 season remains in question after it was suspended in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. The NBA has a plan in place to resume play in Orlando, Florida, next month, and the NBPA approved it.
If the season does resume, games will start to be played July 30 and after each of the remaining 22 teams play eight games each, the playoffs will commence.
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