Jaden Ivey Waived by Bulls After Anti-LGBTQ+ Remarks

The Chicago Bulls have made a significant move, waiving guard Jaden Ivey on Monday for ‘conduct detrimental to the team.’ This decision comes just hours after Ivey posted a series of Instagram livestreams where he openly criticized the NBA’s support for LGBTQ+ initiatives, including Pride Month.

Controversial Remarks Spark Team Action

In a video streamed to his over 200,000 followers on Monday morning, Ivey, 24, questioned the league’s promotion of Pride Month, describing it as a celebration of ‘unrighteousness.’ He stated, ‘They proclaim Pride Month. And the NBA, they proclaim it… They say, ‘Come join us for Pride Month, to celebrate unrighteousness.’

The NBA has remained silent on Ivey’s remarks. This move by the Bulls comes shortly after Ivey was ruled out for the remainder of the season due to left knee pain. Following that announcement, he engaged in multiple Instagram livestreams over several days, focusing heavily on his religious beliefs. During these streams, he also reportedly criticized Catholicism and told a commenter that ‘God does not hear your prayer if you are a sinner.’

Ivey Disputes Team’s Reasoning

Hours after being waived, Ivey took to Instagram Live again, vehemently disputing the Bulls’ stated reason for his dismissal. ‘They’re liars, bro. This is lying,’ he asserted. ‘They’re lying saying my conduct is detrimental to the team. That’s a lie. … All I’m preaching about is Jesus Christ and they waived me.’ He maintained that he had been fulfilling his professional responsibilities, including rehabbing in the gym earlier that day.

Coach Emphasizes Organizational Standards

Bulls coach Billy Donovan addressed the situation before the team’s game against the San Antonio Spurs, stressing the importance of organizational standards. ‘There’s a certain level of standards and expectations that are here,’ Donovan stated. ‘We’ve got to all be professional. There’s got to be a high level of respect for one another, and we’ve got to help each other and be accountable to those standards.’

Ivey was acquired by the Bulls from the Detroit Pistons at the February trade deadline. Once considered a key young player for the Pistons, his progress was hampered by injuries, including a season-ending broken left leg in January 2025 and subsequent right knee surgery. This season, he played in only four games for Chicago. Notably, after a healthy scratch on Feb. 19, Ivey told reporters he was no longer the player he used to be, stating, ‘The old J.I. is dead. I’m alive in Christ no matter what the basketball setting is.’ He also expressed distrust in the ‘NBA setting.’

Ivey, the son of Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Niele Ivey, is set to become a restricted free agent this summer. His tenure in Chicago lasted less than two months.