Charlamagne tha God has never shied away from uncomfortable conversations, but a recent story he shared about a former NBA player has pushed sports culture into yet another debate about sexuality, privacy, and the way fans consume gossip.
According to Charlamagne a retired NBA star once sent him flirtatious direct messages, leaving him surprised that such a prominent figure might be secretly gay.
Charlamagne reveals that an ex-NBA star slid in his DMs trying to flirt back in the day and he was shook that a player so good is an undercover gay 😮🏳️🌈👀
pic.twitter.com/hBfLhy77D8— Slime🐍 (@ItsKingSlime) February 2, 2026
From a sports perspective, the moment is another reminder that the conversation around LGBTQ+ identities in the NBA is still evolving. The league has publicly supported inclusion and has seen openly gay players, but the number remains small, and most have not been established stars at the time of coming out. That context makes any suggestion that a former marquee player might be gay feel like a challenge to long-standing stereotypes about masculinity, toughness, and what a basketball icon is “supposed” to look like.
It is also worth noting how central media figures like Charlamagne have become to shaping these narratives. He operates at the intersection of hip-hop, pop culture, and sports, and his platform ensures that even an offhand story can ripple outward into the sports world. When he expresses surprise that a former NBA star might be gay, it mirrors the reaction of many fans, but it also helps set the tone for how the story is framed: as something shocking, intriguing, and ripe for discussion.
