A clip of Heat center Meyers Leonard using an anti-Semitic slur while playing "Call of Duty" during a Twitch stream surfaced on social media on Tuesday afternoon.
A clip of Heat center Meyers Leonard using an anti-Semitic slur while playing Call of Duty during a Twitch stream surfaced on social media on Tuesday afternoon.
On the video, Leonard can be heard saying, “F------ cowards, don’t f------ snipe at me you f------ k--- b----.”
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Tuesday afternoon that the Heat are reviewing the video of Leonard using the slur and are aware of the clip. Leonard has not commented as of Tuesday afternoon.
Leonard, 29, has nearly 70,000 followers on Twitch. He was in the midst of streaming Call of Duty on Tuesday when the clip surfaced on Twitter and went viral.
He ended Tuesday's feed after receiving a phone call, which he said was from his wife.
Leonard is known around the NBA as an avid streamer. At one point last April, he streamed himself playing Call of Duty for 26 hours as part of a fundraiser, raising over $45,000 for Feeding America, an organization of over 200 food banks.
During a conference call last spring, he told reporters that, "I absolutely love streaming on Twitch for two reasons. No. 1, gaming is a passion of mine. No. 2, and maybe the most important, is that I still get to interact with fans—and I do mean that. I think it’s very authentic to me. I’ve built a very authentic and fun community. I think people feel that they can come into my Twitch stream and get a real guy. I always say to them, ‘I’m just a normal guy who happens to play in the NBA.'"
He also used the platform as a business opportunity, using it to plug the protein bars from the company he founded with his wife, Elle. He has invested in the esports team FaZe Clan.
"I’m a part of that, so I love it. It’s a very real thing for me,” Leonard said. “This is not just a one-off for Meyers Leonard. I’ve been a part of the esports community.”
In early February, Leonard underwent successful surgery on his injured shoulder and he is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the season. He played in just three games this season.