Rajon Rondo of the Sacramento Kings has offered a more formal apology in relation to veteran NBA referee Bill Kennedy.

"Yesterday, I said that my words toward Bill Kennedy were unacceptable and did not reflect my feelings toward the LGBT community," Rondo said in a statement in an article on USA Today.

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"Some have interpreted my comments as a non-apology. I want to be clear, from the bottom of my heart that I am truly sorry for what I said to Bill. There is not place on or off the court for language that disrespects anyone's sexual orientation. That is not who I am or what I believe and I will strive every day to be a better person," he explained.

The Sacramento Kings guard was highly criticized and condemned for neither speaking to reporters nor issuing an apology after the latter disclosed that he is gay following Rondo's suspension for directing a gay slur at Kennedy during a recent game.

Instead, the four-time NBA All-Star sent out a couple of short messages using his Twitter account stating that his actions toward Kennedy during the game on Dec. 3 were out of frustration and not meant to offend or disrespect anyone.

The untoward incident occurred during the third quarter of the Kings' Dec. 3 114-97 loss to the Boston Celtics in Mexico City.

The veteran referee ejected Rondo with consecutive technical fouls; Rondo disobeyed NBA protocol to immediately leave the court and instead walked toward Kennedy and had words for him.

Kennedy told Yahoo Sports he is gay.

Rondo is the third NBA Player to be disciplined for the use of anti-gay slurs, but he is the first one to be suspended.

Joakim Noah of Chichago Bulls was fined $50,000 for making a slur toward a fan, and Kobe Bryant of LA Lakers was fined $100,000 for the same offense but with a referee. Both players apologized for the comment.

According to the league's official website, Rondo is serving a one-game suspension. 

Tags NBA news, sacramento kings, Rajon Rondo, Bill Kennedy, LGBT, Anti-gay Slur, Kobe Brayant, apology, suspension, Joakim Noah