Harrison Butker has been a top-10 fantasy football kicker since he entered the NFL. But at least one person won't draft him anymore after his controversial commencement speech.
Former NBA head coach and current TNT analyst told "The Dan LeBatard Show" on Thursday that he's boycotting Butker in 2024 for what he said at Benedictine College in mid-May. The Chiefs kicker's words had misogynistic, homophonic and antisemitic undertones which drew the ire of many football and non-football fans.
"I stand firmly against everything that guy said. And I'll tell you, I'm going this far: He was a kicker on my fantasy team this year. I won’t take him this year,” Van Gundy said. “I’m boycotting him now this next season on my fantasy team."
Below is the full interview with Van Gundy, who also joked about how accomplished Butker's mother is and how, perhaps, Butker "resents his mom and how he was raised."
"I'll tell you, I'm going this far, he was a kicker on my fantasy team last year. I won't take him this year."
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) May 23, 2024
Stand Van Gundy (@realStanVG) shares his thoughts on Harrison Butker's speech, the Chiefs reaction, people "cloaking bigotry under religious beliefs," and the stand… pic.twitter.com/gUpwkwPRvN
Van Gundy's public stance is perhaps the most anti-Butker among those in the sports world. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes disagreed with Butker but said he wouldn't judge his kicker for his beliefs. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid added that "I don't think he was thinking ill of women, but he has his opinions and we all respect that."
The NFL denounced Butker's opinion, but commissioner Rodger Goodell emphasized a "diversity of opinions and thoughts" in the league. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel mentioned that players need to understand the consequences of their public statements.
Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder, the nuns of the college Butker spoke at and journalist Maria Shriver all voiced their strong opposition to Butker's speech.
