Luka Doncic: ‘No problems’ with Clippers’ Montrezl Harrell after apology for ‘white boy’ comment

Sports Pulse: Jeff Zillgitt on who he thinks will make it to the NBA Finals this season USA TODAY

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Luka Doncic and Montrezl Harrell met near midcourt and embraced.

Their hug was a far cry from their testy confrontations two days earlier, when the NBA’s broadcast caught Harrell referring to Doncic as “a (expletive) white boy” after scoring on him during the Clippers’ Game 3 win over the Mavericks on Friday. After Doncic appeared to trip up Harrell after a Mavericks basket, Doncic also spoke derisively toward Harrell and told him to “stop flopping.” They each received a technical foul for that play.

So after Harrell addressed and apologized for his comment with the NBA on Saturday, Harrell did the same thing with Doncic before the Mavericks’ 135-133 Game 4 overtime win Sunday. On Sunday, though, Doncic sounded much more gracious.

“It was OK. No worries,” Doncic said. “A lot of emotions on the court, especially with the playoffs. Sometimes you say things you don’t want to say. He apologized. I respect that. So no problems.”

Harrell’s comment sparked backlash and raised concerns about a double standard after the NBA has embraced “Black Lives Matter” and supported its players in speaking out on systemic racism. Harrell did not speak with reporters Sunday. The NBA does not plan to discipline Harrell, but did not say why.

The NBA has allowed players to kneel during the national anthem and wear social justice messages on the backs of their jerseys that promote racial equality.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers declined to discuss Harrell’s apology, saying, “I don’t know what he said.”

KOBE BRYANT:Remembering Lakers legend on what would have been his 42nd birthday

NBA PLAYOFFS:Lakers’ LeBron James, Anthony Davis perfect match on and off court

SPORTS NEWSLETTER:Sign up now to get top sports headlines delivered daily

But Rivers, who is Black, told Sports Illustrated that he talked about the incident with Harrell.

“You just have to be careful,” Rivers told SI. “They both were talking. I don’t think Luka was saying anything racial, but he was swearing. So they both were doing it. It’s an emotional game. It’s a playground game out there in the playoffs.

“I said to him, ‘Hey, I don’t think you meant anything racially by it.’ He said ‘white boy,’ but I don’t think there was anything racial intended. But we are in a very heightened climate and you have to be careful. Trez was the first one to say that. He said, ‘I didn’t mean that racially.’ And I said it doesn’t matter. It’s what’s perceived … make sure you do the right thing.”

Follow USA TODAY NBA writer Mark Medina on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Last SlideNext Slide