Atlanta Hawks

Hawks GM Wilcox apologizes after fan insulted by joke

Published Jan. 6, 2017 10:59 p.m. ET

ATLANTA (AP) Atlanta Hawks general manager Wes Wilcox has apologized for making a joke a fan believed was racially insensitive.

Wilcox insisted he was only trying to make fun of himself and his family.

Wilcox, who is white, made a reference to his mixed-race marriage and family while speaking to season-ticket holders in December.

Wilcox issued a statement, obtained Friday by The Associated Press, after the fan, Clarenton Crawford, was upset by the joke.

''At an early December chalk talk, I made a self-deprecating comment at my own expense regarding my family, which is multi-racial,'' Wilcox said in the statement. ''This joke offended Mr. Crawford and his wife and for that, I apologize.''

The Hawks have not issued a statement regarding the matter.

Former Hawks GM Danny Ferry resigned on June 22, 2015, after repeating racially charged statements from a scouting report about then-free agent Luol Deng.