The fallout from Jaden Ivey’s firing continues to ripple through sports and culture. Now, rapper Boosie has entered the conversation, adding his voice to those defending the former Chicago Bulls guard who was waived over anti-LGBTQ comments earlier this week.
Boosie defends Jaden Ivey in the wake of the Bulls’ decision to cut ties with the 24-year-old after a series of Instagram livestreams in which Ivey called the NBA’s Pride Month celebrations “unrighteousness” and made additional comments about the LGBTQ community and Catholicism.
The Bulls announced Monday that they had waived Ivey for “conduct detrimental to the team,” hours after his latest livestream went viral. Ivey, who had been sidelined with a lingering knee injury, appeared in just four games for Chicago after being acquired from Detroit in a February trade.
In his livestreams, Ivey repeatedly framed his comments as expressions of his Christian faith. “All I’m preaching about is Jesus Christ, and they waived me,” he said in one video. “They say I’m crazy, right? I’m psycho.”
Boosie, the Louisiana rapper known for his outspoken nature and his own history of controversy, weighed in on the situation through social media. While the full extent of his comments continue to circulate, his stance aligns with a growing chorus of conservative voices who have framed Ivey’s firing as religious discrimination.
Among those who have publicly supported Ivey is anti-trans activist Riley Gaines, who wrote on social media, “We live in a world that hates Christ, and those who believe in Him, but that’s to be expected. Consider me a Jaden Ivey fan.”
Conservative activist Robby Starbuck also came to Ivey’s defense, arguing that NBA players should “speak up for him now or their religious freedom could be next.”
Boosie’s defense of Ivey is consistent with his own public persona. The rapper has frequently courted controversy over his statements about LGBTQ issues. In 2022, he made headlines after publicly grappling with his daughter Iviona coming out as gay, initially expressing disapproval before later apologizing.
“You’re my daughter, I love you,” he said in a video addressing Iviona. “I’m sorry for hurting your feelings. That was never my intention. I was just speaking how I felt as a father, but I ain’t mean to hurt you.”
His willingness to insert himself into cultural flashpoints makes his defense of Ivey unsurprising, even as the Bulls’ decision continues to divide public opinion.
Ivey, the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, now faces an uncertain professional future. He predicted in a livestream following his release that no other team would sign him because he is “too religious.”
The NBA has not commented on the situation, but Bulls coach Billy Donovan addressed the decision before Monday’s game.
“Organizationally, there’s certain standards we want to have,” Donovan said. “We have people from all different walks of life. We’ve got to all be professional. There’s got to be a high level of respect for one another.”
For Ivey, who has previously spoken about battling depression, alcohol addiction, and pornography addiction before turning to his faith, the path forward remains unclear. For Boosie and others in his corner, the fight is just beginning.
