Bulls Waive Jaden Ivey for Criticizing LGBTQ Pride Month as 'Unrighteous'
A prominent NBA player who ranked second on his team in scoring last season was waived by the Chicago Bulls on Monday following comments criticizing the league’s celebration of LGBT Pride Month.
The Chicago Bulls announced they had waived guard Jaden Ivey “due to conduct detrimental to the team” after the fourth-year player made the comments during an Instagram livestream, criticizing what has become a key part of the league’s messaging.
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 30, 2026
The world celebrates “Pride Month and the NBA does, too,” Ivey said in the video.
“They show it to the world. They say, ‘Come join us for Pride Month to celebrate unrighteousness.’ They proclaim it on the billboards. They proclaim it on the streets. Unrighteousness.”
Ivey made additional remarks, including theological disagreements with Catholicism, but his comments about Pride Month appear to have triggered the response.
Ivey was in his fourth year in the league and finished second in scoring for the Detroit Pistons last season (17.6 points per game), although an injury limited him to 30 games. He was traded to Chicago this season, where he played only four games before a knee injury sidelined him for the year. He averaged 8.2 points.
Ivey was named to the NBA’s All-Rookie Team in 2022-23 after averaging 16.3 points and was considered one of the league’s rising stars. ESPN reported he will be a free agent in the upcoming offseason – meaning he could sign with any team.
Detroit picked him in the first round in 2022 as the fifth overall choice.
Following his release, Ivey disputed the team’s reasoning. He was one of the league’s most outspoken Christians.
“[The Bulls] said my conduct is detrimental to the team,” he said. “Why didn't they just say, ‘We don't agree with his stance on LGBTQ’? Why didn't they say that? ... How is it conduct detrimental to the team? What did I do to the team? What did I do to the players?”
He added, “All I’m preaching about is Jesus Christ, and they waived me.”
The NBA has steadily expanded its embrace of Pride Month over the past decade.
Several athletes and public figures voiced support for Ivey following his release.
Azareyeh Thomas, a cornerback with the NFL’s New York Jets, cited an ESPN story about Ivey, along with multiple Bible verses, and wrote on X/Twitter, “The world will try to make sin look normal, and righteousness look strange. … Every single person on earth will soon have an appointment before Jesus. So if living for Christ makes us look crazy or ‘weird’, that's okay because it isn't strange to Christ. When it’s all said and done, we’ll give an account to an audience of One.” He added, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness” – citing Isaiah 5:20.
The world will try to make sin look normal and righteousness look strange. Believer or not, every single person on earth will soon have an appointment before Jesus. So if living for Christ makes us look crazy or "weird", that's okay because it isn't strange to Christ. When it’s… https://t.co/thIljwUioB
— Azareyeh Thomas (@Azareyehthomas) March 30, 2026
TreVeyon Henderson, a running back with the New England Patriots, also defended Ivey, citing Ivey’s release and writing, “‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ Matthew 5:10.”
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
— TreVeyon Henderson (@TreVeyonH4) March 31, 2026
Matthew 5:10 https://t.co/CTpkaMx0oT
Joseph Krupp, a Catholic priest and podcast host, also weighed in on the controversy.
“No, he did not abuse his wife, father a child out of wedlock and abandon them, do drugs, or any other such thing,” Krupp wrote. “He’d still be on the team if he did those things. No, he did the unthinkable: He expressed an opinion viewed as intolerant. We can’t have that.”
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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published March 31, 2026.
