The Chicago Bulls have waived guard Jaden Ivey in a dramatic turn of events that has sparked debate around faith, free expression, and professional conduct in the NBA.
In a brief statement, the Bulls confirmed the decision, citing “conduct detrimental to the team” as the reason behind Ivey’s exit. The move came just hours after the 22-year-old went live on Instagram, where he made controversial remarks about the league’s support for the LGBTQ community.
During the livestream, Ivey openly criticized the NBA’s Pride Month initiatives, framing them through his personal religious beliefs.
“The world can proclaim LGBTQ, right?” Ivey told viewers via livestream on Monday morning. “They proclaim Pride Month. And the NBA, they proclaim it. They show it to the world. They say, ‘Come join us for Pride Month, to celebrate unrighteousness.’ They proclaim it on the billboards. They proclaim it in the streets. Unrighteousness.”
The situation escalated further as Ivey continued to address fans in multiple livestreams following the announcement that his season had been shut down due to a knee issue. The Bulls had earlier confirmed he would sit out while managing left knee pain, but his off-court statements soon overshadowed the injury update.
Hours after being waived, Ivey returned to Instagram Live, doubling down on his stance and disputing the team’s reasoning.
“They’re lying saying my conduct is detrimental to the team. That’s a lie,” he said. “Ask any one of them coaches in there, ‘Was I a good teammate?’ All I’m preaching about is Jesus Christ and they waived me.”
He added that he had remained committed to his professional duties, saying he was in the gym rehabbing at the time the decision was made.
“I didn’t get myself waived… I was doing what was required of my job,” he insisted.
The fallout has quickly drawn reactions from across the sports world, with TreVeyon Henderson among those publicly backing Ivey. The New England Patriots running back shared a Bible verse on social media in support: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10).