Thaindian News

Sydney, Sept 17 (ANI): A controversial commercial advertisement portraying a Sydney Kings basketball player, Taj McCullough, hopping into bed with a married couple has been branded as ‘racist’ and in appalling taste.

According to News.com.au, in the closing scenes of the new ad, which sees a ball thrown around a suburban house, McCullough, the only black player in the commercial, is seen jumping into bed between a couple and making advances towards the woman.

The offensive ad has outraged African American legends of the game and thrown the National Basketball League into turmoil on the eve of its first game.

“I couldn’t believe it…Why would you show a black American jumping into bed with a man’s wife to promote basketball? I don’t even know how someone could think up a commercial like that. You would never see any other sport in the world, that takes themselves seriously, portraying a black athlete that way,” Boomers and Brisbane Bullets legend Leroy Loggins said.

NBL Hall of Famer Cal Bruton said he had contacted Basketball Australia and Ten about the offending ad.

“They are treading a minefield of racism,” Bruton said.

He said he was told by BA chairwoman Diane Smith Gander that the promotion would be “pulled”, while Ten’s head of sport David White told him via email his remarks were “pertinent and duly noted”.

However, the advertisement was still on air yesterday and Ten’s head of sport marketing Sam Heard said there was no chance it would be axed.

“It is designed as a fun, light-hearted promo highlighting the fact the NBL is back in people’s homes, on free-to-air air television,” he added. (ANI)