NBA: ESPN's Chris Broussard Goes On Defensive Over Remarks About Jason Collins Coming Out As Gay (Video)

Chris Broussard, one of ESPN's most respected analysts, is in the hot seat after he made some controversial remarks regarding NBA center Jason Collins coming out as gay.

Since Collins, a 12-year NBA center, became the first major professional sports player to come out as gay in a Sports Illustrated article released this week, the response has been mostly positive, with luminaries from Kobe Bryant to former President Bill Clinton praising Collins for having the courage to come out.

However, on Monday, Broussard was on the air live on ESPN when he made the following comments regarding Collins' announcement.

"I'm a Christian," Broussard said. "I don't agree with homosexuality. I think it's a sin, as I think all sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman is.... If you're openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be ... that's walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ."

On Monday night, Broussard clarified his comments with a statement, as noted by the L.A. Times.

"Today on OTL, as part of a larger, wide-ranging discussion on today's news, I offered my personal opinion as it relates to Christianity, a point of view that I have expressed publicly before. I realize that some people disagree with my opinion and I accept and respect that. As has been the case in the past, my beliefs have not and will not impact my ability to report on the NBA. I believe Jason Collins displayed bravery with his announcement today and I have no objection to him or anyone else playing in the NBA."

ESPN also issued a statement distancing themselves from Broussard's comments adding that the sports network was "fully committed to diversity and welcomes Jason Collins' announcement."

However, the L.A. Times notes, Broussard's remarks aren't anything new. In a 2009 blog post on Holy Culture.net, he wrote that homosexuality was a sin, although he also wrote that he believed that the NBA was ready for an openly gay player.

"By "ready" I don't mean that everyone on the guy's team or in his organization will like the fact that he's a homosexual, or that the guy might not get called names by opponents on the court, or even that his own teammates might not chuckle behind his back," he wrote. "But by "ready" I mean that players will tolerate a homosexual teammate or opponent. Like Charles Barkley said, some have been doing that already."