The Thunder announced Friday they will not renew the contract of longtime announcer Brian Davis, who has handled the team's TV play-by-play duties since 2008.
According to The Oklahoman, the team did not give a reason for the decision. But Davis was suspended one game during the Thunder's first-round playoff series against the Jazz because of a comment he made during the broadcast of the team's regular-season finale. After Russell Westbrook made an assist, Davis said the star point guard was playing “out of his cotton-picking mind."
That dated expression, once commonly used in the South as a figure of speech, is now viewed by many as having racial overtones, given its ties to slavery and cotton picking. At the time, Davis issued a statement apologizing for the remark and accepting the suspension.
“While unintentional, I understand and acknowledge the gravity of the situation,” Davis said. “I offer my sincere apology and realize that, while I committed a lapse in judgement, such mistakes come with consequences.”
At the time, Thunder vice president of broadcasting and communications Dan Mahoney called Davis’ phrase “highly inappropriate and offensive.”
The Thunder issued a statement Friday regarding Davis, saying the team "made a decision to go in a different direction.”
"We greatly appreciate Brian's contributions to the Thunder organization over the past 10 years and we wish him well in the future,” the statement read.
According to The Oklahoman, Davis thanked the Thunder on his Facebook page, saying that coming to Oklahoma was “the best thing that ever happened to me” and that he'll be “forever grateful, especially to (owner) Clay Bennett for asking me to be a part of” Thunder basketball.
Davis continued, "There is so much that I'll miss” and that “I'll carry with me powerful memories of all the moments — too many to count — which I was blessed to share with the incredible place.”
