When the NBA announced that it was suspending Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Robert Sarver for one year following an investigation that revealed racist and sexist conduct in the workplace, many across the basketball community believed that the league fell short of doing the right thing.
The situation ended up needing pressure from corporate sponsors and players to actually force a change. And on Wednesday, that pressure was realized. Sarver announced in a statement that he was going to begin the process of selling both the Suns and Mercury.
But in true Sarver fashion, he played himself as the victim in the terribly tone-deaf statement.
Suns/Mercury owner Robert Sarver announces he has begun the process of looking for buyers for the team: pic.twitter.com/KKZQM6rYNk
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) September 21, 2022
Sarver blamed an “unforgiving climate” that left him no choice but to sell the franchise he purchased for $400 and is now valued between $1.5 and $1.8 billion. He also threw in an “as a man of faith” to awaken the ghost of Nick Castellanos.
According to the league’s investigation, Sarver used the N-word at least five times in the workplace. That was in addition to “instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees” and “sex-related comments.”
When ESPN released its full report last year, the Suns tried to preempt the news cycle by having prominent figures in the organization release statements of support for Sarver. Those statements have now been deleted as if the situation couldn’t have gotten any more embarrassing for the Suns.
On the day the NBA announced its findings into the Phoenix Suns, some began retweeting the team's initial response — a thread — to the allegations from Oct. 2021.
Later that same day, some noted that the Suns' Twitter thread had been deleted.
Here are the screenshots: pic.twitter.com/rIXTSstJrC
— Baxter Holmes (@Baxter) September 21, 2022
But mainly, Sarver’s statement showed a complete lack of remorse, blaming others for holding him accountable. And, again, this “punishment” is going to net him a billion dollars! No wonder fans crushed this awful response from the soon-to-be-former Suns owner.
This was how Twitter reacted
“In our current unforgiving climate”…
All that you did is disgusting, intolerable and would not be forgiven in any other career space.
You showed who you are. https://t.co/uqaGH195bv
— Kim Adams (@Kim_Adams1) September 21, 2022
"As a man of faith I believe in atonement as there's a drive into deep left field by Castellanos and that'll be a home run. And so that'll make it a 4-0 ballgame." https://t.co/oARRS6yTgp
— Dillon Rosenblatt (@DillonReedRose) September 21, 2022
The problem is not my continued use of racist and misogynistic language, it’s this darn unforgiving climate we’re currently in https://t.co/VksS2PA6gE
— Aaron Ladd (@aaronladd0) September 21, 2022
https://twitter.com/MarkJKim_/status/1572629645853597698
Robert Sarver statement translation: “It’s Robert Sarver I feel sorry for” https://t.co/o8oZqu1dmH
— Liam Twomey (@liam_twomey) September 21, 2022
But not before positioning himself a victim. https://t.co/SmZmiCIxl3
— Judy Battista (@judybattista) September 21, 2022
AS A MAN OF FAITH https://t.co/f9ij6IpDmC
— Bradford William Davis (@BWDBWDBWD) September 21, 2022
This has big “It’s not me, it’s you” energy.
Still, it’s the best outcome for the players, employees and fans of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury. https://t.co/wHuHX6RFm6
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) September 21, 2022
was Nick Castellanos holding a bat to this man's head when this was written https://t.co/DKrZlqsTD4
— Holly (@holly_holl) September 21, 2022
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Yea, this might be one of the worst PR statements ever made https://t.co/8QTryvCwhH pic.twitter.com/zrHbbyMd27
— Thick Hamilton (@SportyByNature) September 21, 2022
“our current unforgiving climate”
yes, we’re not forgiving you for being racist/sexist. please get this clown out the paint https://t.co/cYkTwnDCVV
— 808s & Snackßreaks (@Snacks4Tweets) September 21, 2022
This whole press release is pathetic. Dude's about to get a billion dollars for selling a sports team, even after being outed as a terrible person, and he's all "woe is me."
Believing in atonement and forgiveness doesn't mean there aren't consequences to your actions. https://t.co/R6b2DU84vd
— Josh Verlin (@jmverlin) September 21, 2022
Robert Sarver remains the worst.
