The NBA has reportedly fired a long-time freelance sports photographer for sharing a faux campaign logo online that referred to Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), the presumptive Democratic vice presidential nominee, as a h**.
According to USA Today, the photographer, Bill Baptist, had been working with the Houston Rockets for the last three decades when he shared the Facebook image, which was in the style of the Biden campaign’s 2020 logo. The image read: “Joe And The H**.”
Fox News reports that his post garnered attention from former WNBA Houston Comets player Sheryll Swoops, who blasted the photographer for showing his “true colors.”
“So this guy works for the NBA but covers the Houston Rockets. Has been around for a while. Even worked for the Houston Comets,” said Swoops. “It’s amazing how people will smile in your face but eventually their true colors will show. @NBA and Houston Rockets he needs to GO!!! So disrespectful. Bill Baptiste shame on you!!”
“[H]e needs to go,” she said, reports Fox News.
Baptist, who USA Today Sports reports has since been fired and booted from the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida, apologized for sharing the image. Baptist claimed he was simply sharing it “as a sample of some people’s reactions to Biden’s selection of Senator Harris as his choice for VP,” reports local news agency Click2Houston.
“The phrase I posted does not reflect my personal views at all. I should not have been so insensitive to post the statements by others. I sincerely apologize to all of those who have rightfully been offended and I have taken the post down from my FB page. It was a horrible mistake on my part,” he said.
A spokesperson for the NBA confirmed to Click2Houston that Baptist was no longer working with them: “The photographer is an independent contractor and his services are no longer being used in Orlando.”
According to The Guardian, online retailer Amazon recently removed a line of clothing for sale on its website for featuring a similar campaign-looking logo that references Harris in a derogatory manner.
“All sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who do not will be subject to action including potential removal of their account,” said an Amazon spokesperson, reports the news agency.
The Amazon seller was reportedly allowed to continue to sell merchandise with other slogans about Harris, including t-shirts that feature the slogan “Kamala smelled best” and “I’m an AmeriKaren,” an apparent reference to the Karen meme about excessively nosey and demanding people.
Harris is poised to accept the 2020 Democratic nomination for vice president on Wednesday evening during the virtual national convention.
After accepting the nomination, she will have become the fourth woman to join the presidential ticket for a major party in American history, following in the steps of Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro (D-NY) in 1984, Governor Sarah Palin (R-AK) in 2008, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016.