“In the heat of the moment, I made comments that weren’t mine and that weren’t in line with what I believe in and what I want to be as a man,” the NBA star said Monday
Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards has spoken out following allegations that he told a woman to have an abortion.
In social media posts, Paige Jordae divided alleged screenshots of her text messages with Edwards, 22, in which she claims he got her pregnant and then forced her to have an abortion, according to multiple media outlets including Fox Sports and New York Post.
In response to a photo Jordae apparently sent with a positive pregnancy test and information about an upcoming doctor’s visit, Edwards reportedly wrote, “Hell, I can’t do this” and “Get an abortion lol,” in his text messages to the aspiring Instagram model.
In one message, Jordae reportedly told Edwards, who was the first pick in the 2020 NBA draft, that she had an abortion two years ago and didn’t want another.
“Honestly, I had an abortion with my son about 2 years ago and I regret it every day,” Jordae shared with him via text message.
The NBA star’s response to the confession was reportedly, “Man, you can’t force a child into the world,” before reminding her that he “doesn’t know” the gender of the child yet.
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The screenshots show Edwards allegedly offered Jordae $100,000 for an abortion, then forced her to send him a video of herself taking the pills as proof.
“Now you got the money,” Edwards apparently wrote in a text asking her what the “hold” was in sending the requested video.
According to the woman on social media, she sent Edwards an AI-generated image of what their baby might look like on November 26, writing: “Look how cute.”
Edwards’ alleged response was a repeated request that Jordae “send the video” before two additional, differently worded requests for the video.
Anthony Edwards no. 5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves dribbles the ball down court against Derrick Jones Jr. no. 55 of the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center on December 14, 2023 in Dallas, Texas.
Tim Heitman/Getty
On November 27, Jordae allegedly took the first dose of the abortion pill and sent Edwards the video he requested. That same day, Jordae claims the athlete sent her $100,000 via wire transfer through JP Morgan & Chase.
Edwards has reportedly not responded to a message from Jordae since Dec. 1, according to screenshots she shared, and when she asked him if he planned to “ignore” her going forward, Edwards reportedly replied, “My lawyer went to deal with it.”
PEOPLE has reached out to Edwards’ agent and the Minnesota Timberwolves for comment.
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The claims quickly circulated on social media, with Edwards addressing the allegations in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday.
“I made comments in the heat of the moment that were not mine and not aligned with what I believe and what I want to be as a man,” Edwards began in his statement. “All women should be supported and empowered to make their own decisions about their bodies and what’s best for them,” he continued.
The Timberwolves star said he will “deal with his personal matters privately” and “will not comment further at this time.”
After Edwards spoke out, Jordae thanked her friends and followers for their support. “Thank you to everyone who personally reached out and checked me out,” she wrote in an Instagram story, adding that the support “doesn’t go unnoticed.”
Jordae did not specifically address Edwards in her post Monday, but said the situation “was very devastating for everyone involved.”
Edwards’ ordeal with Jordae isn’t the first time the NBA star has apologized on social media.
In September 2022, he faced backlash for an Instagram story in which he made homophobic comments about a group of people on the street.
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Anthony Edwards (1) of the Minnesota Timberwolves stands during a break in third quarter action against the Denver Nuggets.
AAron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty
According to New York Times, The NBA fined Edwards $40,000 for the incident.
“What I said was immature, offensive and disrespectful, and I’m incredibly sorry,” Edwards wrote in a statement on X at the time. “It is unacceptable for me or anyone to use that language in such a painful way, there is no justification for it. I was raised better than that!”
In August, the NBA fined Edwards again and charged him with third-degree assault, according to ESPN, for “recklessly swinging a chair in frustration that struck two bystanders,” according to a league statement, after a playoff game in April when he missed a 3 points in overtime that would have eliminated Minnesota from the playoffs.
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After the incident in April, Edwards’ attorney, Harvey Steinberg, told ESPN that the allegations by Denver police — which the NBA noted were “dismissed” — were “baseless.”
“When the game was over, Anthony’s exit from the field was partially obstructed by a chair that he moved and brought down three flights of stairs later,” Steinberg said at the time.
He continued: “As the video of the incident confirms, Anthony did not swing the chair at anyone and, of course, had no intention of harming anyone. Anthony intends to vigorously defend himself against these baseless allegations.”
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Source: HIS Education