Maple Leafs' Kadri: Trump 'pretty delusional' but entitled to his opinion

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri joined the growing list of professional athletes to criticize Donald Trump for the presidential candidate's anti-Muslim stance.

"I think he’s hurting his own campaign, to be honest," Kadri, a Canadian Muslim, told Sean Fitz-Gerald of the Toronto Star on Wednesday. "I mean, I think he’s pretty delusional. But his opinion’s his opinion."

Trump suggested earlier in the week that Muslims should not be allowed to enter the United States, and he responded to a comment by President Barack Obama about Muslim sports heroes by asking who they are while accusing the president of profiling.

Two days later, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, eviscerated Trump in an op-ed for TIME Magazine, and boxing legend Muhammad Ali released a statement condemning Trump's plan.

"It's unfortunate that this is what it's come to," Kadri said. "But I mean, that being said, I’m lucky to live in a country like Canada, where people of political stature don’t say those kinds of things to make people feel out of place."

Kadri's teammate, U.S.-born goaltender Garret Sparks, agreed.

“Not a good idea. Not a good look," he said. "It’s 2015. I think, just morally, you can’t say stuff like that.”

Kadri, born to Lebanese parents in London, Ontario, said his family obviously doesn't support Trump's rhetoric, but conceded that the presidential candidate is allowed to believe it.

"We obviously don’t agree with what he’s saying," Kadri said. "But, I mean, everyone’s entitled to their own opinion."

- With h/t to Kukla's Korner