Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum apologized for his part in a message to his team that included an inflammatory comment about Spanish players, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday.
The comment seemed to be targeting Marc Gasol.
“I apologize if I hurt some people,” Batum said Tuesday, according to ESPN.com. “But I have total respect for Marc Gasol. He knows that. We’ve talked about it sometimes.”
A message on a laminated card, which was among a number of motivational themes present in the locker room before the Blazers’ series against Memphis, included the phrase: “We don’t lose to Spanish players.”
Batum said he did not intend to harm Spanish people or anyone else with his contribution to the list. Batum, who is French, said the source of the remark was the basketball rivalry between France and Spain. He added that the message was not meant as a cultural or racist insult.
Portland coach Terry Stotts said the card with the message was not meant to be seen by media members.
The NBA has not issued any punishment or fine to Batum as yet.
Gasol said it was a non-issue.
“I don’t have no take,” Gasol said, according to the ESPN.com report. “And if I don’t take anything out of it, I don’t expect any of you guys (in the media) to take anything out of it. As far as I know, none of you guys are Spanish. So I hope nobody is bothered by that.”