F-Bomb Costs Raptors GM Masai Ujiri $25K; Rob Ford Up For Brooklyn Bet
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The NBA has fined Toronto Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri $25,000 for using profanity in a public place.
Ujiri was speaking at a public rally Saturday before the Raptors hosted the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series when he told the crowd "F--- Brookyln."
Ujiri, the NBA's reigning executive of the year, had already apologized by halftime of Saturday's game, which the Nets won 94-87, saying he'd made the "wrong choice of words" and was "just trying to get our fans going."
The NBA announced the penalty Monday night, a day before the Raptors host the Nets in Game 2.
The comment prompted Brooklyn Borough President to issue a statement saying Brooklyn was "classier" than Toronto and poking fun at two of the Canadian city's most famous natives -- Mayor Rob Ford and pop star Justin Bieber.
"When you have a place where the mayor smokes crack and Baby Bieber shows crack, you could expect something like that from him (Ujiri)," Adams told WCBS on Sunday. "He needs to stop talking about it and put his product where his mouth is."
Adams also challenged Ford to place a wager on the series.
"I'm willing to send North some of Brooklyn's best if the Raptors can prevail, perhaps a six-pack from Brooklyn Brewery or a CD from the First Family of hip-hop," referring to Jay-Z and Beyonce, Adams said in his statement.
Ford told the Toronto Sun on Monday that he was game for a bet with Adams, but said he would prefer to leave alcohol out of the wager.
"I don't want it involving alcohol because it know it will get spun," said Ford, who has generated headlines for admitting to smoking crack cocaine while in "a drunken stupor" and knocking over a city councilwoman while charging through the council's chambers.
"It's a great series with two good teams," Ford said. "And the fans in both cities are amazing."
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