Tim Hardaway, who spent 13 seasons avoiding contact with men in the NBA, was removed from league-related appearances, one day after an anti-gay tirade on a local radio program about former NBA player John Amaechi's admission he was gay with a hard-line stance against gay players in the NBA.

A statement from NBA commissioner David Stern to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel said, "It is inappropriate for him to be representing us given the disparity between his views and ours."

Hardagay's comments include:

"I hate gay people," Hardaway said. "I let it be known I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States sports."

"First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team. And second of all, if he was on my team, I would, you know, really distance myself from him because, uh, I don't think that's right," Hardaway said.

"You know I don't think he should be in the locker room while we're in the locker room. I wouldn't even be a part of that. There's a lot of other people I hear who are like that and still in the closet. I don't like that."