Basketball Great Tim Hardaway: Anti-Gay Remarks the Reason I'm Not A Hall of Famer

Basketball great Tim Hardaway has a raft of achievements to his name, from being named All-NBA five times and being dubbed an All-Star an equal number of times. But the number five plagues him, too – that's the number of times he's appeared on the ballot as a candidate for induction into the Hall of Fame, so far without result.

Hardaway says he thinks he knows the reason why: Anti-LGBTQ remarks he made more than a decade ago, Sports Illustrated reports.

Hardaway offered that speculation for his not having been inducted into the Hall of Fame during an interview with Hoops Hype in which he responded to a question about his multiple nominations for the ultimate career honor.

"Well, you know, the reason I'm not in is because of what I said in 2007 about gay people," Hardaway offered.

He was apparently referring to comments he made on the air that year. ESPN recalled that Hardaway said, "You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known."

Added the athlete, "I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."

Hardaway says his sentiments have changed since then. He told Hoops Hype, "I understand it. I hurt a lot of people's feelings and it came off the wrong way and it was really bad of me to say that.

"Since then, I've turned a wrong into a right," the star athlete said, continuing on to explain that he's now been "supporting gay people and transgender people. I want people to understand [what they go through] and understand them as people. They shouldn't be seen as 'other people'."

Added Hardaway, "I've talked to people from the LGBTQ community [and I tell them], 'You're supposed to have the same rights that we have and supposed to be able to do everything that we do. You shouldn't be outcast.' "

As to the question of whether he will overcome those past comments., Hardaway waxed philosophical. "You got to take your bumps and bruises, and that's what I've been doing... I understand why I'm not in. All I can do is keep living."