MIAMI – Former Utah security guard Elijah Millsap said on Friday that he has not heard from any investigator about his claim that Jazz director Dennis Lindsey made an bigotal remark to him at a year-end meeting in 2015.
Millsap also doubted a fair investigation could take place regarding his allegation that Lindsey, who was then the team’s general manager and now an executive vice president, threatened to cut off his “black ass” and take him home. send.
Millsap made the allegation in a tweet on Wednesday. The Jazz responded Thursday, saying in a statement that they would engage outside advisers to conduct a thorough investigation along with the NBA.
“Clearly I know my truth,” Millsap said in an interview with The Associated Press. “Some outside counsel or someone, all they can do is just try to whip it up and make it look like I’m lying. I basically did it to free myself from the torture of holding things, to “Free myself, not to make Dennis Lindsey feel bad and not to make him look like a racist. I don’t feel like he’s a racist, but I know what he said to me.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed the league’s involvement on Friday.
“We take allegations of discrimination seriously, as well as the fair trial rights of those accused, which is why we conduct full investigations,” said Silver. “And in this case, the research is being conducted in conjunction with and coordination with the Utah Jazz.”
Millsap played in 67 games for the Jazz in two seasons. The incident in question came from an exit meeting in April 2015, at which Millsap – the brother of Paul Millsap, long-known in Utah – was also attended by jazz coach Quin Snyder.
General manager Justin Zanik, who was then an assistant general manager charged with keeping detailed notes of the conversation, was also in attendance, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Those notes were entered into a team database and will be examined as part of the investigation, sources said.
Millsap said he remembers being “ high energy ” when he entered that meeting and was eager to hear what Lindsey and Snyder would say to him.
“I was expecting great feedback,” said Millsap. “And then it got worse.”
Millsap said Lindsey said to him, “If you say one more word I’ll cut off your black ass and send you back to Louisiana.”
Millsap met with reporters shortly after leaving the meeting with Snyder and Lindsey and showed no signs of anger. He was waived by the Jazz in January 2016, a day before the remainder of his contract for that season would be guaranteed, he said. Such moves are not uncommon with non-guaranteed deals.
Lindsey has denied the comment. Snyder has said he can’t remember it happening and defended Lindsey again on Friday before the Jazz played in Miami.
“I’ve never heard anything like it from Dennis,” Snyder said. “I haven’t heard anything, as I said, remotely and know him and his character. And I also think if such a thing was ever said, I’m sensitive to those issues and I would remember.”
Millsap appeared in just two NBA games after the Jazz waived him, saying he believes the team didn’t speak well of him when other teams asked about his background. He said he still trains several hours a day and would like to resume his playing career.
Millsap said he has no specific solution in mind that would satisfy him.
“These guys had the opportunity to tell people the truth about who I was,” Millsap said. And they didn’t. I find that disgusting. ‘
The Associated Press contributed to this report.