Over the past few days, Jaden Ivey has found himself at the center of attention across the basketball world after candidly speaking about his faith and personal beliefs. His questionable remarks about religion, along with controversial comments directed at the LGBTQ community, sparked strong backlash. The reaction was intense enough that the Chicago Bulls decided to waive him, citing “conduct detrimental to the team.”
As the situation unfolded, a tweet began circulating widely claiming that Caris LeVert had come to Ivey’s defense. The post suggested that LeVert questioned the state of free speech in the United States and supported his former teammate’s views. According to the viral quote, LeVert said:
“I hate to see someone punished for their beliefs,” LeVert said. “What happened to free speech in this country? I fully support and agree with what Jaden has said over the past few days. I can’t sit and watch him be silenced, if that’s an issue, then cut me”.
Given how problematic Ivey’s comments were, the idea that LeVert would publicly support him raised eyebrows. The post quickly gained traction, racking up over 1.4 million views and drawing strong reactions from fans.
However, the quote turned out to be completely false. It originated from a parody account on X, @shinjukuface, which took a real clip of LeVert speaking at a postgame press conference and added fabricated subtitles to make it seem like he was defending Ivey.
In reality, LeVert was simply discussing the game. His actual comments were:
“I think more communication was, I think, the main culprit for it. And that, you know, got out to easy baskets on the offensive end. But, like I said, it was communication. We talked about it at halftime. You know, coach challenged us to be better on that end, and we accepted the challenge.”
Listening to the original audio makes it clear that the viral quote was never said by Caris LeVert. The post was misleading and appears to have been created purely to gain attention by duping viewers.
Jaden Ivey opens up about suicide attempts
Over the past week, Jaden Ivey spoke without holding back, sharing whatever controversial opinion was on his mind. Just when it seemed like his rant had finally ended, he confessed to something deeply personal that caught many basketball fans off guard.
He opened up about his struggles, admitting that he had faced moments where he nearly took his own life.
“There’s been many times where god has been so merciful,” Ivey said. “I’ve almost committed suicide multiple times, and I am not ashamed to say it.
“I am not ashamed because god was merciful to keep me here. I almost committed suicide, I had oxy pills in my hand.”
He went on to explain that during those dark times, his wife played a crucial role in helping him push through. She kept encouraging him to fight those thoughts, and he believes that, by God’s grace, he is still alive today.
Read More: Jaden Ivey Drags Anthony Edwards Into Controversy For Using Anti-LGBTQ Slur in 2022
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
