http://www.s****tsline.com/spin/story/9999770
STOCK****T, ENGLAND -- British homo***ual John Amaechi sent shockwaves
throughout the s****ting world last week when he announced, much to the
surprise of his family and friends -- in addition to NBA players and fans
--
that he lived a double life for five years in which he secretly worked as
a
professional basketball player.
"It was difficult living with this secret," said Amaechi, who in his new
autobiography Man In The Middle reveals that he played in the NBA for the
Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic, and perhaps most
shockingly,
the New York Knicks. "I loved it and hated it at the same time. And I was
afraid that if I ever acted on some of my impulses, like say by requesting
more playing time, that I would have ultimately embarrassed myself and
everyone close to me."
"Now, it's like a tremendous weight has been lifted," Amaechi added,
stating
that although he still feels a certain shame about his furtive involvement
in the often shadowy world of professional basketball, it has been a great
relief to finally be able to speak openly about his professional life.
According to Amaechi, who spent most of his NBA career on the bench and
only
averaged six points and two rebounds per game, he knew at an early age
that
he was different from all the "normal players" when he went undrafted out
of
college, was unnoticed during his first season in which he only played 28
games, and was never involved with guns, drugs, or ****fty agents. Amaechi
claims he never once had the urge to record a sub-par rap album.
Furthermore, no matter where Amaechi played, he always felt "awkward and
out
of place" on the court, adding that he was "never really certain if [he]
was
a center or a power forward."
"I had no idea," former Cavaliers teammate Terrell Brandon said. "Sure, I
saw John around the Cavaliers, but I didn't want to jump to any
conclusions.
He was tall, yeah, but he didn't look like a basketball player. He didn't
act like a basketball player. And just because he hung around with a lot
of
basketball players and sometimes wore flashy jewelry, that didn't
necessarily mean he was one, y'know?"
"Oh, please -- I knew it all along," former Jazz teammate John Stockton
said. "I mean, just look at the way he dressed -- basketball jersey, mesh
shorts, sneakers ... There was, in my opinion, no doubt that he was, at
least a little bit. Just because he was homo***ual doesn't mean he
couldn't
be a basketball player."
In his book, Amaechi states that he even hid his occupation from his
parents
because he "came from a traditional British household" and his parents
would
not have approved of their son being an NBA player. Amaechi admits he was
constantly worried during the Jazz's nationally televised playoff series
with the Sacramento Kings in 2002, because cameras panning over to the
bench
could have revealed to his family and friends at home that he was in the
NBA.
"The last thing you want is for them to find out that way," said Amaechi,
who claims his parents have been "very sup****tive and accepting, although
they don't understand why someone would want that kind of life."
"I think Coach [Jerry Sloan] knew," said Amaechi, adding that Sloan
treated
him differently than his teammates, most of whom played significantly more
minutes. "And, I am sure that some of the diehard fans, the ones who came
to
every game and stayed even when we were getting blown out, I think they
knew."
"But what hurt the most was that I didn't feel comfortable around my own
teammates," he added. "And if I had told them I was a basketball player, I
don't think they would have accepted it, or even believed it."
The response to Amaechi's announcement around the league has ranged from
complete indifference to unconditional sup****t.
"I can't believe I showered with that guy," said former Jazz teammate Karl
Malone, who played with Amaechi for two seasons. "I mean, it's just weird.
I
really think I would have remembered something like that."
"Good for him," said Houston Rockets shooting guard Tracy McGrady, who
played with Amaechi when he was on the Orlando Magic. "You know, I wish he
would have come out earlier. Like in the third quarter of some games.
Maybe
he wasn't the best gay basketball player I've ever seen, but we could have
used another big man in the lineup."
Though he refused to name names, Amaechi said that he knows other men out
there who, unsuspected by the world, are also living secret lives as
professional basketball players.
"I just hope my new book will inspire them to come out when they retire,"
Amaechi added. "Despite the way we're ****trayed in the media, and in spite
of the way we're treated by the world at large, being an NBA player is
nothing to be ashamed of."
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