Dan Issel plans to make a public apology to Denver's Latino community for racially offensive remarks directed at a heckler last week in Denver.

Issel, coach of the Denver Nuggets, yelled at 23-year-old Bobby Bowman as Issel walked to the locker room at the end of a 99-96 loss to the Charlotte Hornets last Tuesday. Television cameras caught him saying "Go drink another beer, you [expletive] Mexican piece of [expletive]."

In a news conference Wednesday, Issel apologized for what he called an "uncaring and unChristian-like comment." Bowman told reporters that he wasn't drunk and he was just having a good time at the game.

Issel was suspended for four games, losing $112,000 in salary. Issel is scheduled to return Saturday against Golden State in Denver.

Denver Nuggets swingman Tariq Abdul-Wahad said he was shocked by Issel's remarks.

"I understand as part of an organization that you're supposed to forgive," Abdul-Wahad told reporters. "Especially as a Muslim, you're supposed to forgive people that make mistakes. But if I get mad at someone, the first thing I am going to see is not the color of their skin. And that bothered me tremendously that the man that is my boss and the leader of this basketball team would say something like this.