Former NBA forward Kenyon Martin didn’t hold back while confronting an employee of the “Gil’s Arena” podcast for making a video mocking his speech impediment.
During an appearance on Tuesday’s installment of the show, headed by former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, Martin interrupted the conversation and called out the employee to meet him face-to-face on the set before he played the video aloud on his smartphone.
“Something recently was brought to my attention that one of the people that works here that we see daily and I brought this person into my home, right? Had this person around my wife, my kids, right? Treated with nothing but respect. Right?” Martin, a 15-year NBA veteran, began.
“And this is a loyalty situation. I want people with their kids, teaching situation. When people tell you be careful who you bring into your inner circle, be careful who you bring into your home, this is this situation that I’m speaking of right now.”
That’s when Martin called “Suge” over to the set during the live show.
“I need you to do some explaining to me, brother… So, can you explain this video to me?” Martin said.
The audio is unclear in the now-viral clip.
The employee attempted to explain that he had previously apologized for the video.
Martin fired back, claiming the employee previously pulled him aside while at Arenas’ home, “and tried to apologize out the blue [and] I blew you off because I didn’t know what you were talking about.” He added he only saw the video “two weeks ago” because someone sent it to him.
“That’s something that I have stated time and time again on this couch, sensitive subject, sensitive subject for me, right? I drew a line in the sand a long time ago with this,” Martin said.
“There is no apology ever that as an adult that I would accept for this… Had I saw it back then, we would’ve had this conversation.”
Martin said he confronted the employee to keep “the same energy” because the employee publicly disrespected him.
“Don’t ever be in my presence ever again is what I want.”
During a separate livestream posted to his Instagram feed, Martin further explained his decision to confront the employee on the show, saying he was defending those who’ve been teased for stuttering.
Martin, who played for the New Jersey Nets (now Brooklyn), Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks, announced his retirement from basketball in 2015.
He was the first overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Nets, and went on to be named an All-Star in 2004.
