Angelo Cataldi: 'Sixers Handled National Anthem Spectacularly Well'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Angelo Cataldi believes the Philadelphia 76ers handled Wednesday night's national anthem controversy perfectly.
"I think the Sixers handled it spectacularly well," Cataldi told CBS 3. "They hired that woman to sing the anthem, not to make a political statement. I agree with her statement, we all matter. Everyone matters. But that wasn't what they wanted. They ended up getting the dance team girl, Jemila [Worley], in. And she knocked it out of the building. She was so great."
Related: Singer Claims Sixers Deny Her Anthem Performance Due To 'We Matter' Jersey
R&B singer Sevyn Streeter, who was supposed to sing the national anthem for the Sixers' opening game, claims the team denied her the opportunity because of her "we matter" jersey.
Instead, a Sixers dancer filled in for Streeter at the last minute.
94WIP's Ike Reese disagrees with Cataldi.
Related: Sixers Fan Gives Russell Westbrook Double Middle Finger
The Sixers released this statement following the incident:
"The Philadelphia 76ers organization encourages meaningful actions to drive social change. We use our games to bring people together, to build trust and to strengthen our communities. As we move from symbolic gestures to action, we will continue to leverage our platform to positively impact our community."
