LaMelo Ball: Charlotte Hornets star fined $100,000 for ‘offensive and derogatory’ phrase

On By Littum



CNN
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Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has been fined $100,000 for using it The NBA called “an offensive and derogatory comment” after his team’s 115-114 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.

Interviewed on the Hornets’ local FanDuel Sports Network, the 2022 All-Star was asked about how the team defended Giannis Antetokounmpo on the Bucks’ final possession of the game.

“Yeah we loaded up – no gay,” Ball replied. “But that’s what we wanted. Raise your hand and live with the results.”

Following the Hornets’ 128-114 loss to the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night, the 23-year-old spoke about the incident.

“Before we get started, I just want to address the comment yesterday,” he told reporters. per AP. “I really didn’t mean anything (by it) and don’t want to offend anyone. I have love for everyone and I don’t discriminate.”

Hornets head coach Charles Lee told reporters he had discussed the comment with Ball.

“As an organization, it’s obviously not something we condone,” Lee told the AP. “Our standards and what is required of our players in the environment we create is really important to us.

“I talked to Melo and he’s obviously very apologetic. From what I’ve seen since I’ve been around him, he loves everybody. He’s a joy to have around the facility and that’s not typical of how he operates. He and I talked about the seriousness of the situation and how he should behave going forward.

“He and I talked about it and he definitely said going forward, ‘I want to get better,’ and I want to see that happen,” Lee continued. “So for someone to use those words and say it out of his mouth, we’re going to make sure to hold him accountable for that.”

Ball, who is average 29.7 points, 6.7 assists and five rebounds this season, is the latest NBA star to be fined for using derogatory language. In 2022, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards fine of 40,000 dollars for using homophobic language in a post on his Instagram story.

A year before that was Kevin Durant – then with the Brooklyn Nets fine of 50,000 dollars for using homophobic and misogynistic statements in private messages with actor Michael Rapaport.