What did Meyers Leonard say on NBA return after being out 2 years due to speaking antisemitic slur? Looking at his "biggest mistake" comments

Meyers Leonard is back in the NBA after a two-year absence. The Milwaukee Bucks signed him to a 10-day contract due to injuries to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis. Leonard was out of the league due to injuries and uttering an antisemitic slur.

In an interview with Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Leonard opened up about the last two years. It all started from saying "kike" during a livestream on Twitch while recovering from injury to meeting with Jewish leaders in Florida. The 30-year-old big man called it the biggest mistake of his life.

"It's certainly the hardest two-year stretch I've ever had in my life, as an adult, as a man," Leonard said. "The truth is, let's just cut to it, I made a really big mistake, the biggest mistake of my life. It was an extremely difficult time because, first of all, just let me say to anybody who's listening, I'm incredibly sorry. It was an ignorant mistake."

After using the derogatory antisemitic term on Mar. 9, 2021, Meyers Leonard was banned from the team by the Miami Heat immediately. He was traded to the OKC Thunder in less than two weeks, while the league suspended him for a week and fined him $50,000.

Leonard was also ordered to educate himself about the term and met with Jewish leaders to educate himself more on the topic. In addition to being ostracized from the league, he had to recover from two serious injuries to his shoulder and leg.

The Illinois product started the process of his accountability a couple of days after the incident happened. He spoke with a Jewish friend in Toronto who helped him meet with a rabbi in Florida. He has improved his relationship with the Jewish community and continues to educate himself more.

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Milwaukee Bucks need Meyers Leonard to step up

Meyers Leonard with the Miami Heat

The Milwaukee Bucks will be without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis after the All-Star break. They still have Brook Lopez and Sandro Mamukelashvili, but would need someone to step up.

The Bucks turned to Meyers Leonard, who has not played in two years. He recently worked out with the LA Lakers, but it was Milwaukee that signed him to a 10-day contract.

Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer explained why they signed Leonard in an interview with The Athletic.

"The genuineness with how he's talked to us about it, he's talked publicly," Budenholzer. "We feel like he's a person of high character that has owned and tried to make this an educational opportunity for himself and others. So, we're hopeful that he's in a good place and we want and seek out people with high character and we think Meyers is someone that fills that."

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