ESPN suspends NBA reporter for vulgar reply to senator’s office

ESPN’s most prominent basketball reporter has been suspended for a two-word vulgar email reply to the office of a U.S. senator Friday in response to the senator’s critical statements about the NBA’s relationship with China.

The reporter, Adrian Wojnarowski, sent the email to the office of Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who posted a screenshot of it on Twitter.

The suspension, which was confirmed by someone close to Wojnarowski, means he will not be traveling this week to report on the NBA’s resumed season at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World in Florida. On a recent podcast episode, Wojnarowski said he had sent a number of packages to the Orlando area in advance of his planned arrival Sunday.

Hours after sending the email, Wojnarowski apologized on Twitter, saying he was “disrespectful” and “made a regrettable mistake.” ESPN called his email “inexcusable” and said it would address it with him internally. A spokesman declined to comment on the suspension.

The Washington Post reported that the suspension would be from one to two weeks.

Wojnarowski was responding to an email sent by Hawley’s press office to a number of journalists, criticizing the NBA for “kowtowing to Beijing” and its decision to allow players to wear social justice messages on their jerseys during the coming restart of the NBA season in Florida.

The list of acceptable messages, which was agreed to by the NBA and the union representing the players, includes “Black Lives Matter” and “I Can’t Breathe.” None reference last year’s widespread protests in Hong Kong or China’s increasing grip on the city.

The matter called into question Wojnarowski’s distance from a league he covers.