Former Utah Jazz striker Elijah Millsap – Paul Millsap’s brother – claimed on Wednesday via Twitter that Dennis Lindsey, the team’s vice president of basketball operations, made prejudiced comments about him in 2015. According to Millsap, the incident happened during an exit interview that year, where current head coach Quin Snyder was present.
On a topic in which he lamented that fanaticism “is still very much present”, and expressed his desire to defend what is right, Millsap wrote:
Almost 6 years ago. On April 16, 2015, D. Lindsey made prejudiced comments in my exit interview while talking to Q. Snyder “If you say one more word, I’m going to cut your black ass and send you back to Louisiana.”
Jazz announced on Thursday that the NBA has already opened an investigation into the charges, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. As part of the process, the league should review the detailed notes made by Jazz during the exit meeting with Millsap, and forensic experts will be able to tell if these notes have been altered in any way.
Millsap explained the Desert News reporter Sarah Todd on Thursday because he came forward: “I don’t believe” Lindsey is a racist. He wanted to highlight this type of comment and start a conversation that could lead to unity.
Lindsey too gave a comment to the Desert News where he said, “I categorically deny having made that statement.”
Snyder was asked about the alleged incident after Jazz’s victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night and told reporters, “I can’t imagine Dennis saying anything like that.” Rudy Gobert also offered a comment, saying he had not heard of the incident, but would contact Millsap.
Millsap played at the 2014-16 Jazz. He appeared in 67 games and averaged 4.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in what was basically a bench function.