Brooklyn Catering Worker Claims Houston Rockets Players Taunted Him With Anti-Gay Slurs

Mar 27, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) is introduced before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

A worker for the Levy Restaurant catering department in Brooklyn has filed a lawsuit claiming that he was taunted with anti-gay slurs by some members of the Houston Rockets last year.

Rasean Tate, who was providing food for the Rockets at Barclays center last year on April 22, 2013, states that while he was setting up a buffet in the Rockets’ locker room, insults were directed at him while his back was turned to the players.

According to John Marzulli of the New York Daily News, the suit seeks monetary damages from the Rockets.

“Rasean Tate, 28, says in the suit that his back was turned when the insults started flying.

“Get this f—– out of here!” and “He’s trying to catch a sneaky peaky!” are two comments hurled at him and accompanied by laughter, according to the suit filed Tuesday in Brooklyn Federal Court.

A representative of the Brooklyn Nets allegedly witnessed the Feb. 22, 2013, incident and told Tate to leave the locker room and that he would “take care of it,” according to the suit.

The suit seeks unspecified monetary damages from the Houston Rockets and Levy Restaurant Holdings.”

The players Tate claims to have insulted him are unspecified.

On the other hand, the Nets banned Tate from working in locker rooms, resulting in him suing the organization as well, claiming that his sexual orientation is the reason for the ban.