Dion Waiters missed the pregame presentation and national anthem on Wednesday before his Cavaliers faced the Utah Jazz. The Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Chris Haynes quoted Waiters as explaining that the absence was due to his Muslim faith, setting off a controversy around the enigmatic shooting guard.
Dion Waiters’ national anthem controversy was just a miscommunication
The Cleveland Cavalier says remarks regarding his pregame ritual were all a “simple miscommunication.”
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
It turns out it was all a miscommunication between Waiters and Haynes. In a follow-up from the Plain Dealer on Saturday, Haynes explained that he misunderstood Waiters’ comment about whether he’d continue to pray and meditate before games as meaning that he would continue to miss the national anthem.
When I asked if he planned to continue his pregame ritual, I meant did he plan on skipping the national anthem from here on out. He said he was under the impression that I was asking if he would continue his prayer and meditation before games. [...]
Waiters reiterated that he would be present during the national anthem
According to Waiters, he will continue to practice his Muslim faith, but it won’t affect his attendance at pregame presentations.
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