PINECREST, Fla. -- Retired Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway told Local 10 he "messed up" when he said during an interview on a local radio show that he hates gay people.

"I'm very sorry," Hardaway said from behind the gates of his Pinecrest home Thursday. "There's no doubt about that. I'm very, very sorry about it, but you know, a lot of people don't think so, but I am."

Hardaway arrived in South Florida on Thursday evening after being banned from participating in NBA activities during the all-star weekend in Las Vegas.

As a guest on Sports Talk 790-AM The Ticket on Wednesday, Hardaway said: "You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people."

Hardaway said if he learned a teammate was gay, he would ask for the player to be traded or to be bought out of his contract. Hardaway said a gay player would make the locker room an uncomfortable environment for other players.

"First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team," Hardaway said when asked how he would deal with a gay teammate. "And, second of all, you know, if he was on my team, I would, you know, really distance myself from him."

Hardaway issued a statement Wednesday night to Local 10 saying: "There are more important things to worry about than my comments. We should be more concerned about President (George) Bush and all the people dying in Iraq."

But Hardaway on Thursday changed his tune, admitting he had made a mistake. Hardaway said he isn't the type of person to say hateful things and was raised not to do so.

"I messed up," he said.

Retired NBA center John Amaechi's recent announcement that he is gay sparked the radio show discussion. Amaechi, who played for the Orlando Magic and Utah Jazz, suggested there were others in the NBA living in the closet.

Amaechi said Hardaway's comments demonstrated "the need to continue the conversation." He said he hoped his coming out would be a catalyst for intelligent discourse.