By Trendsetter Tribune 
What was intended to be a lighthearted season-ticket holder event for the Atlanta Hawks instead became a public controversy after then–general manager Wes Wilcox made a remark that was widely criticized and later apologized for.
According to a report published by Deadspin in January 2017, Wilcox made a racially charged comment while responding to pointed questions from attendees. He was quoted as saying that he has “a Black wife and three mixed kids, so I’m used to people being angry and argumentative.”
The comment quickly drew backlash and prompted the Hawks organization to take swift internal action. Team officials launched an internal investigation and imposed undisclosed disciplinary measures against Wilcox.
While some people present at the event later told Hawks management that Wilcox did not use the exact words “angry and argumentative,” the organization said the underlying implication was still unacceptable.
“People that were in the room could make the assumption that he was using her race for the reason of the comments that followed,” Hawks and Philips Arena Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Nzinga Shaw told ESPN at the time. “We certainly do not approve of this behavior and we are going to handle this matter internally.”
Shaw added that the organization understood the seriousness of the situation and was committed to rebuilding trust. “We have a full understanding of what took place. We, as an organization, will get past it and hope to regain the trust of the community. This work will not stop,” she said.
Wilcox later issued a public apology, expressing regret for the remark and acknowledging the offense it caused. “I made a self-deprecating comment at my own expense regarding my family, which is multiracial,” he said. “This joke offended Mr. Crawford and his wife, and for that, I apologize.” Clarenton Crawford, an African American fan, had written to Hawks president Steve Koonin to raise concerns about the comment.
The NBA chose not to intervene directly, allowing the Hawks to handle the matter internally.
The Wilcox incident occurred against the backdrop of earlier racial controversies within the Hawks organization. In 2014, then–general manager Danny Ferry resigned after it was revealed he had made racially insensitive remarks about player Luol Deng, including comments referencing Deng’s African heritage in a derogatory manner. That same year, an email from then–controlling owner Bruce Levenson surfaced in which he described the Hawks fan base as “overwhelmingly Black” and suggested Black fans were discouraging white fans from attending games.
Those incidents led the Hawks to place a renewed emphasis on diversity and inclusion, including hiring Nzinga Shaw to lead those efforts.
Around the same period, the NBA faced another major racial scandal involving Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, whose racist remarks were revealed in a leaked audio recording. Sterling was subsequently banned from the league for life, in what is widely regarded as one of the most notorious racism cases in NBA history.
Together, these incidents underscored broader challenges the league and its franchises have faced in addressing race, accountability, and organizational culture.