NBA Player Andrew Wiggins Denies Calling Opponent ‘Gay’

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Andrew Wiggins publicly walked back his language from a post-game interview where he called Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dennis Schroder "gay."

Oklahoma freelance sports reporter Michael Kinney posted video of a locker room interview with Wiggins on Twitter.

In it, Wiggins talks about a tense moment in the game -- Thunder player Nerlens Noel left the court injured after defending a dunk attempt by Wiggins, according to ESPN. Schroder shouted at Wolves players he thought were laughing at the situation.

Wiggins dismissed Schroder's reaction in an interview with a gaggle of reporters.

"I don't know what's wrong with him. He was just gay," Wiggins said, laughing. "He was acting crazy. I look right through him. He's not someone I look at as a problem. I don't know."

After video of the remarks showed up online, Wiggins attempted to address the remarks on his own social media. In his own Twitter post, he said he tried to say "getting," not "gay."

"I'd like to clarify what I said tonight during my post game media session. I said: 'I don't know what's wrong with him he was just getting... acting crazy for no reason,' " Wiggins said.

"I have the utmost love and respect for the LGBTQIA community and I would never use any term to disrespect them in anyway."

But his clarification may not just be motivated by personal sensitivity. The Big Lead notes Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was fined $25,000 this season for saying "no homo, he's longer than you expect" about Wendell Carter, Jr. during a post-game interview.