The Chicago Bulls have released guard Jaden Ivey following a series of anti-LGBTQ remarks and comments about religion he posted in videos on his Instagram account.
The decision to release Ivey was announced on Monday, just weeks after he joined the team.
In one of the controversial videos, Ivey stated: "They proclaim Pride Month in the NBA. They proclaim it. They show it to the world. They say come join us for Pride, for Pride Month to celebrate unrighteousness. They proclaim it. They proclaim it on the billboards. They proclaim it in the streets. Unrighteousness. So how is it that one can't speak righteousness? How are they to say that this man is crazy?"
Bulls coach Billy Donovan addressed the situation, emphasizing the organization's diverse workforce.
"Everybody comes with their own personal experiences, but one is we’ve got to all be professional," Donovan said ahead of Chicago's game at San Antonio.
"I think there’s got to be a high level of respect for one another, and we’ve got to help each other and then be accountable to those standards."
Hours after his release, Ivey conducted an Instagram Live session from an aeroplane, where he continued to discuss his religious views.
He claimed that the championship rings earned by basketball legends like LeBron James and Michael Jordan would be "not gonna matter on judgment day."
He also asserted that he "didn't get myself waived" and suggested other teams would avoid signing him because they perceive him as "too religious”, despite his claims of "doing what was required of me in my job" through rehab.
The session was briefly interrupted by a flight attendant requesting he end the broadcast due to the plane's imminent departure.
Ivey has previously spoken about his struggles with depression this season and recently began posting extensive videos detailing his religious thoughts.
He questioned: "How is it when the gospel is preached that people hate it? That people don't want to hear it? And they think it's strange when someone preaches the gospel, the true gospel?"
The Bulls acquired Ivey from Detroit in a three-team trade on 3 February, and he was playing on an expiring contract.
He had been sidelined since 11 February with a sore left knee, and the team had shut him down for the remainder of the season last week. He averaged 8.5 points across 37 games this season, including four appearances for Chicago.
Donovan concluded: "I don't want to get into what he put out there, but certainly, I hope for him he's okay.
“I've had conversations with Jaden and he's always been about rehabbing his knee and trying to get on the court and wanting to play.
“But I think organizationally, there are certain standards we want to have as an organization and try to live up to those each and every day."
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