Hawks GM Danny Ferry referenced Luol Deng's African Heritage in report

More details have emerged in the events that led to an internal investigation by the Atlanta Hawks. Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Danny Ferry's comments from a background report involving Luol Deng are what started the events in motion. According to Wojnarowski, Ferry referred to Deng's African heritage during a conference call.

"He's still a young guy overall," Ferry said, league sources with direct knowledge of the probe told Yahoo. "He's a good guy overall. But he's not perfect. He's got some African in him. And I don't say that in a bad way."

Following the meeting, some on the conference call expressed concern over the comment in wake of the Donald Sterling situation from earlier this summer. That led to an internal investigation which ultimately turned up the email from 2012 sent by Bruce Levenson.

The report also states that Ferry met with Hawks players and coaches on Sunday and apologized. He has received an undisclosed internal punishment by the team but according to CEO Steve Koonin will remain as the Hawks president and General Manager.

Chris Vivlamore of the AJC reports that the NBA will not discipline Ferry beyond the internal sanctions levied by the Hawks.