Lakers CEO Shares Fan's Racist Screed As A Wakeup Call

LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles Lakers CEO Jeanie Buss posted on social media Friday a hate-filled letter full of racist and sexist slurs sent to her by a fan. It's not the first time Buss has received such letters, she said. But this time, Buss said she decided to stop just "ignoring it." Instead she posted the letter on social media as a reminder of the racism Americans must confront.

"After much thought, I decided to share this letter I received on Monday so that everyone can see the hate is real and living out there. This is happening in our world TODAY. Its real and it exists," Buss wrote on Instagram.

The letter, in which Buss redacted what appears to be at least one instance of the n-word, another word which is completely blacked out and the writer's last name, reads as follows:

"Dear Whore -- After 60 years as a huge Lakers fan, I now say to hell with the overpaid (n-word) traitors and the NBA. Go to hell and join (redacted word) Kobe Bryant," says the typed missive from a man named Joe.

Buss directed a portion of her post to Joe himself:

"To Joe: Did sending this letter make you feel better? Really all you did was waste your time, and energy and your postage stamp. (But thank you for including your return home address) Why don't you look in the mirror and see your ugliness because I refuse to."

Buss went on to tell her followers that she has received letters like this over the years, but was always advised to "ignore it."

She urged her friends to recognize that racism exists and to stop ignoring it.

"I did. But not anymore," Buss wrote. "On this day, Juneteenth, I ask my white friends to join together, acknowledge the racism that exists in our country and around the world, and pledge to stop ignoring it. We all must do better. #juneteenth #hatewontwin."

LeBron James included a shout-out to Buss in his Instagram story, writing "Love you Jeanie!!!" surrounded by heart emojis and giving the finger to Joe.

The Lakers, who recently hired UCLA professor Karida Brown as its director of racial equity and action, gave the team the day off to celebrate Juneteenth, ESPN reported earlier this week.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.