Suns President stripes has a message: he is gay

The President of Phoenix Suns and CEO Rick Welts, to sever what it sees as the feet about homosexuality in male team sports recently meet with friends, associates and a journalist to reveal that he is homosexual.

Stripes, regarded as the first man in an important position in the sport for men who declared his homosexuality, said that he now wants to mentor other homosexual who seek to pursue a career in the sport, according to the New York Times.

Barry Gossage/NBAE/Getty ImagesRick stripes spoke to several friends and Associates, including David Stern, before going public.

"This is one of the last industries where the subject is off limits," welts said the newspaper. "Person is comfortable in engaging in a conversation."

According to the report, stripes spoken separately to the Commissioner of the NBA David Stern, Suns guard Steve Nash, Hall of Famer Bill Russell and founding President of the WNBA Val Ackerman to discuss the message that he wanted to convey in making her sexual orientation public.

The old stripes of 58 years, who began his career as a ball for the Seattle SuperSonics boy spent several years with Stern in the Office of the League. He was the architect of the all-Star weekend and helped raise the profile of the NBA before leaving for the front office of the Suns.

Stern was not confused or even surprised by the conversation, although he assumed until the stripes had wanted to meet to discuss career advice, according to the Times.

"What I said at the time was: I think that there is good chance that the world will be found it nothing remarkable,"Stern said in the Times."."I don't know if I was confused my thoughts with my hopes. ?

Nash held a similar view.

"Any person who is not ready for this must catch up," said Nash. "It is a person who is not ready for this a favour."

Alvin Gentry, who was coach of the Suns 2? seasons after joining the team in 2004 as an assistant coach, complimented stripes, saying that the fact that he is homosexual is beside the point.

"I had a feeling about it," Gentry said Chris Broussard of ESPN The Magazine when asked if he knew stripes was homosexual. "For me, what does it matter?". I know that it is great to his job. It is very organized and it does a brilliant job. For me, [his sexuality] is not relevant.

"I am pleased for Rick because I think it must be a ton of weight off the coast of his shoulders," said Gentry. "I am pleased for him because it puts him in a more relaxed state." I look differently on him or judge any differently? Not within a million years. I have dealt with Rick for the past seven years and it is a great CEO and a great person. ?