ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks have released an open letter of apology to the team, fans and city of Atlanta, saying the organization “did not do the right thing” to correct racially inflammatory words and innuendos.
The apology, signed by CEO Steve Koonin, was released today, one day after the team announced general manager Danny Ferry was taking an indefinite leave of absence following his racially charged comments about Luol Deng.
Atlanta media outlets obtained a letter Monday night from Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. which cites Ferry telling the ownership group that Deng “has a little African in him.”
Gearon’s letter on June 12 to co-owner Bruce Levenson said Ferry went on to say, “Not in a bad way, but he’s like a guy who would have a nice store out front and sell you counterfeit stuff out of the back.”
Added Gearon: “Ferry completed the racial slur by describing the player (and impliedly all persons of African descent) as a two-faced liar and cheat.”
Deng, 29, was born in what is now South Sudan. His father moved his family to Egypt and then England. The 10-year NBA veteran is now a British citizen and played for England in the 2012 Olympics.
Deng, like Ferry, also played at Duke.
On Sunday, co-owner Bruce Levenson announced he will sell his controlling share of the team following the release of his racially inflammatory comments in an email to Ferry and the team’s other owners.
Koonin says the Hawks “must own these shortcomings and failures.” He says the team will work with a diversity consultant and hire a chief diversity officer.
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