The NBA has suspended an employee without pay for two weeks after he appeared to celebrate the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative speaker. The employee, whose identity has not been disclosed, was found to have violated multiple NBA policies after making inflammatory and derogatory remarks about Kirk on social media. The league confirmed the suspension in a statement, but did not provide details about the specific policies that were breached. Kirk, who would have turned 32 on Tuesday, was shot and killed during a debate at Utah Valley University while discussing gun violence. His assassination has drawn widespread attention, particularly following President Donald Trump’s posthumous awarding of the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Kirk, which his widow, Erika, attended.
According to OutKick, the employee shared a post that asked what Kirk’s ‘legacy’ was and wrote that he ‘did nothing healthy for the world except spew dangerous rhetoric,’ with no legacy. The post also included a sarcastic reference to ‘thoughts and prayers.’ The NBA initially stated it was ‘looking into’ the matter but did not provide an update until announcing the suspension on Wednesday, after multiple requests for comment from Fox News Digital and OutKick.
Kirk’s assassination has sparked debates about the role of free speech and accountability in public discourse. His ‘Turning Point USA’ organization had recently announced plans for a halftime show at the Super Bowl, which followed the NFL’s decision to have Bad Bunny perform. While the NBA’s suspension is seen as a clear response to the employee’s comments, the lack of transparency regarding the violated policies has raised questions about the league’s internal disciplinary processes.