Basketballer Isaac Humphries’ courageous coming out announcement and why Manly should call his man

Issac Humphries and Melbourne United put Australia’s National Basketball League on the map this week when the former NBA center publicly announced he was gay.

Now it can be revealed that the man who got him through the difficult decision and process is David McFarland – the same man who assisted A-League star Josh Cavallo when he also came out publicly.

Now nearly 190 million people have seen Humphries’ honest and raw shots in front of teammates and the goodwill gestures are pouring in for the NBL and Melbourne United.

That’s why beleaguered NRL club Manly and CEO Tony Mestrov would do well to call McFarland to help them mend the mess of the 2022 Pride jersey.

Isaac Humphries (R) hugs a Melbourne United teammate after an emotional coming-out announcement that was cheered by the club

At just three minutes last Wednesday at a club meeting, a Twitter video posted by the United Center reached a global audience of nearly 200 million people.

The 24-year-old emotionally told his teammates about a dark time in his life when he struggled with his homosexual orientation, which led to a suicide attempt.

Humphries’ display of bravery has been widely shared on social media, with support from the likes of NBA star Paul Gasol and Australian TV personalities.

“We planned it together 24/7, but at the same time we kept it all strictly confidential,” said United CEO Nick Truelson.

“The rawness you see in the video of Isaac telling his teammates is very real and it was a huge moment for him.

“The response has of course been enormous. Tones And I called right after the video to tell me she’d be at the game [last Thursday night] as a sign of support, Dannii Minogue is also a fan of the club and expressed her support.

We think it’s great that Isaac wants to be a pioneer for young boys and girls who really struggle with their sexuality, to know that you can be a top athlete, especially in men’s sports.

Isaac Humphries hovers over an Adelaide 36ers defender during round seven of the NBL in Melbourne

Towards the end of the video, teammates showered Humphries with hugs following the announcement, which took a week to plan.

Giant Spanish football club Barcelona posted the video to its 45 million Twitter fans alone, showing the class of a small Victorian basketball club embracing the power of a small community.

The club sought a common approach to the announcement, led by United coach Dean Vickerman and Humphries off-field manager McFarland.

David McFarland (R) poses for ‘A Night of Pride’ event – since then he has helped two Australian athletes go public with their homosexuality

McFarland is a man from whom Manly can learn a lot.

The talent agency and DLM impact manager also helped Adelaide United’s Cavallo publicly disclose his homosexuality to the footballing world earlier this year.

United has demonstrated to fellow sports organizations that having a close communicative relationship with athletes plays a vital role in club culture and trust.

AFLW footballer Meg Hutchins posts a message of support to Isaac Humphries following his brave announcement

The NRL has yet to acknowledge the announcement, but a Northern Beaches club could learn a thing or two about communication between players and staff.

Manly fell apart after a dramatic Round 20 saga resulted in seven players refusing to represent the club due to religious beliefs over the Pride jersey.

The Sea Eagles effectively ruined their season by finishing outside the top eight and firing coach Des Hasler.

The design of the Manly Pride jersey that tore the club apart and ruined their footy finals hopes

Management has not notified Hasler and the players of a plan to release a Pride jersey during Women in League week.

Truelson said men’s sports have a long way to go, but one conversation can make a huge change.