Back in June, Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald and Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics joined a new start-up sports agency Donda Sports, led by embattled hip-hop star Kanye West.
Even as Donald and Brown signed on, controversy was brewing around West for comments that he had made in the past.
Fast forward a few months, and West has lost his status as a billionaire following antisemitic remarks he had made. Multiple companies have dropped West since, including Adidas.
Donald and Brown have followed suit.
Related: Aaron Donald and NFL’s top-100 players of 2022
Aaron Donald, Jaylen Brown release statements separating themselves from Kanye West venture
“Our family has made the decision to part ways with Donda Sports. The recent comments and displays of hate and antisemitism are the exact opposite of how we choose to live our lives and raise our children. We find them to be irresponsible and go against everything we believe in as a family.
As parents and members of society, we felt a responsibility to send a clear message that hateful words and actions have consequences and that we must do better as human beings. We do not feel our beliefs, voices and actions belong anywhere near a space that misrepresents and oppresses people of any background, ethnicity or race.”
Statement from Aaron Donald and Erica Donald after cutting ties with Kanye West’s company
Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown joined Donda Sports at the same time as Donald. The idea for the company has been to provide avenues for activism and help with education throughout the United States.
Obviously, West’s recent comments have forced Donald to cut ties. After initially pushing back against doing the same thing, Brown has followed suit.
Brown is a member of the defending Eastern Conference champion Celtics and had found himself under a microscope for previous comments he made about Kanye West and the Donda Sports entity.
“First, I don’t condone any hurt, harm, or danger toward any group of people or individuals whatsoever. The reason why I signed with Donda Sports, it represented education, it represented activism, disruption, it represented single-parent households, and a lot more people are involved in something like that.”
Jaylen Brown’s previous comments about Kanye West, Donda Sports
As for Aaron Donald, he’s considered the single-greatest defensive player in modern NFL history. A first-roud pick of the then-St. Louis Rams back in 2014, Donald has earned eight Pro Bowl trips, seven All-Pro honors and has earned the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award three times.
Donald and his wife, Erica, have one child. He has two children from a previous marriage, too.