ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 14: Former NBA Player and Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins attends Detroit Pistons vs Atlanta Hawks game at Phillips Arena on December 14, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Moses Robinson/Getty Images)
On Saturday, NBA legend Dominique Wilkins, who is most known for playing with the Atlanta Hawks, took to social media to accuse a restaurant within the Atlanta area of racism.
He shared a photo of Le Bilboquet Atlanta and said, “In all my years, I’ve eaten at many of the great restaurants in the world but never have I ever been turned away because of the color of my skin until today.” He continued to accuse them of turning him away because he is black, as he expressed his disappointment.
Prior to issuing an apology on Sunday, 11 Alive notes that the restaurant released a statement late Saturday and said, “We do our best to accommodate all of our guests. We have a ‘business casual’ dress code which includes jeans & sneakers but prohibits athletic clothing including sweat pants & tops. The definition of “casual” is ever-evolving, we strive to maintain our policy requirements daily.”
The statement was later removed and on Sunday, the restaurant said, “We want to apologize to Mr. Wilkins for his experience at our restaurant and also for any confusion our dress code may have caused. We in no way intended for him to feel unwanted, and welcome an open dialogue with him. Our upscale dining experience and our brand’s culture is made up of multiple elements, which include our music, our food, and our patrons’ attire. We continue to strive to manifest our dining experience in a way that is exciting and most importantly, inclusive.”
Dominique played for the Atlanta Hawks from 1982-1994. He later went on to play for other teams in the league such as the Clippers, Celtics, Spurs, and Magic. In 2006, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
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