NBA coach’s comments on former players spark accusations of racism, cowardice

For more than 20 years, George Karl worked as a head coach for six NBA teams. Along the way, he has been no stranger to controversy.

But now that Karl is out of the league, he may have just caused the biggest controversy of his career.

In a new tell-all book that is scheduled to be released in January 2017, Karl unleashed a torrent of criticism against several of his former players, accusing them of being “babies” and “brats” who lacked character because they did not have a “father to show them how to act like a man,” according to excerpts published Thursday by the New York Post.

The main targets of Karl’s ire were Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin, all NBA veterans with at least 13 years of experience in the league.

Anthony, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and star player for the New York Knicks, “was a true conundrum for me in the six years I had him,” Karl wrote. “He was the best offensive player I ever coached. He was also a user of people, addicted to the spotlight and very unhappy when he had to share it.”

Smith, who now plays with the Cleveland Cavaliers and won an NBA title last season, had “a huge sense of entitlement, a distracting posse, his eye always on the next contract and some really unbelievable shot selection,” Karl said.

And Martin, who is now retired, was like one of “the spoiled brats you see in junior golf and junior tennis,” he wrote.

Karl’s accusations have drawn heated criticism of their own online, with many social media users saying his claim about players’ fathers and use of the word “posse” carried racial undertones.

On Twitter, both Smith and Martin fired back at Karl, accusing him of making the claims merely for publicity and ripping his coaching ability.

Anthony declined to comment on the book or Karl before a game Thursday, according to ESPN.

Other social media users pointed out that Anthony’s father died from cancer when Anthony was two years old, while Martin cites his single mother as one of biggest inspirations in his life.

Another legendary NBA coach, Phil Jackson, has already been criticized earlier this year for using the word “posse” when referring to star LeBron James’s associates. Critics said his use of the word was based off stereotypes about young black men and belittled the business empire James has created throughout his pro career.

Karl is one of just nine coaches in NBA history to have won 1,000 games, though he never won an NBA championship.

This story was originally published December 22, 2016 at 7:07 PM with the headline "NBA coach’s comments on former players spark accusations of racism, cowardice."