Amaechi First NBA Player to Come Out

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Feb. 8, 2007— In a groundbreaking revelation that began to reverberate around the NBA on Wednesday, former player John Amaechi has become the first professional basketball player to openly identify himself as gay.

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=2857243&page=1

I think it's encouraging that some of his former teammates and coaches are supporting and him:

Backup center Michael Doleac, a teammate of John Amaechi's for two seasons in Orlando, said he hardly viewed it as an issue that Amaechi, in an upcoming book, becomes the first current or former NBA player to acknowledge he is gay.

"You hear stuff about it all the time, that it's out there," Doleac said. "John was a smart guy, a great guy, a fun guy to be around on the team, a good teammate."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers coached Amaechi in Orlando.

"I think people talked about it," he said. "Everyone thought maybe. I could care less, though. It was brought up to me and you'd look at it and say, `So what? Can he rebound? Can he shoot, can he defend?' On that one, I'd say no on the defensive part. But everything else, he was great."


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketball/heat/sfl-spheatnote08feb08,0,494774.story?coll=sfla-sports-heat

[DemocratSinceBirth]

1. Most But Not All Of The Reaction Was Encouraging.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=nbalocal/amaechi

[Dorian Gray]

8. I think it's great...

he's the first major basketball player to come out, and it's really an interesting story. Good for him!

[Mabus]

2. I applaud his decision

I think that's great. :patriot: I do hope it encourages others to come out as well but Amaechi admitted why they are reluctant:

What are their reservations about coming out?

"It's a frightening prospect. It's terrifying," Amaechi said. "There are people for whom their entire world is based around this idea that people will look at them and when they look at them, they are NBA superstars, NBA players. And any change to that would be physiologically devastating. Emotionally devastating, financially devastating."

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. If An Active Player Comes Out He Better Be A Great Player And Emotionally Strong...

Even if most fans and teammates are supportive there will still be some who won't welcome him .

[Mabus]

4. I know

and then there's the financial angle. The player better make sure he's set for life before coming out.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. If He Has Great Game He Might Be Able To Pull It Off

Maybe one day we will reach a place where it doesn't matter...

[Mabus]

7. That, my friend, would be sweet

Imagine a world where sexuality doesn't matter.

[Oeditpus Rex]

6. Excellent!

Props to him. Let's hope others follow. :thumbsup: