Going into its annual All-Star weekend in Las Vegas, the NBA was hoping to showcase dazzling plays, fan-friendly exhibitions, and community service.

Instead it's having to fend off a controversy after retired player Tim Hardaway said in a Miami interview, "I hate gays." According to a transcript of the interview on Dan Le Batard's show on Sports Talk 790 The Ticket, Hardaway responded to a question about how he would feel about having a gay teammate by saying, "'First of all I wouldn't want him on my team. And second of all, if he was on my team, you know, I would really distance myself from him because, uh, I don't think that is right."

Hardaway played for the Miami Heat for six seasons and was a popular member of the team. He was an All-Star five times.

The issue of homosexuality in the NBA came up last week when former player John Amaechi announced that he was gay in advance of the publication of his memoir, "Man in the Middle."

At the end of the interview Le Batard says, "You know what you are saying there is flatly homophobic? It's bigotry?"

Hardaway then responded with his most controversial remarks: ''Well, you know I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States. So yeah, I don't like it.''

Hardaway subsequently apologized for his remarks, saying, "I am committed to examining my feelings and will recognize, appreciate, and respect the differences among people in our society."

NBA commissioner David Stern was quick to make clear that the league did not share Hardaway's views. Hardaway had already been in Las Vegas to make some public appearances on behalf of the league for the All-Star weekend.