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Charlotte Hornets’ guard LaMelo Ball has faced significant backlash and a $100,000 fine from the NBA for using an anti-gay slur during a post-game interview. Following the controversial remark, rapper Cam’ron partially took responsibility for perpetuating such language. Ball quickly apologized, stating that his comment was not meant to offend anyone and emphasizing that he does not discriminate. Hornets head coach Charles Lee also condemned the remark, noting the organization’s disapproval and stressing that Ball was truly remorseful.
The incident
The incident took place after the Charlotte Hornets' 115-114 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, when Ball made the comment, “No h***.” This phrase immediately sparked a storm of criticism and sparked widespread debate on social media. In response, the NBA imposed a $100,000 fine on the 23-year-old star, marking the highest fine for a homophobic comment in the league to date.
Amid the controversy, rapper Cam’ron addressed the situation on his podcast, Come And Talk 2 Me.
“I blame myself. I really do man,” Cam’ron admitted during the interview. He further explained, “I blame the east side of Harlem. You got this in Jefferson Projects probably in 1996 when we were saying this. And before that what the f**k, god damn we did this a long time. To be honest with you we started saying pause. We used to say what Melo said but we was like the people are sensitive.”
In the wake of the fine, Ball issued an apology during a press conference after the Hornets' 128-114 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. “Before we get started, I just want to address the comment yesterday, I really didn’t mean anything [by it] and don’t want to offend anybody," Ball said.
Hornets coach responds
Charles Lee also responded to the situation, emphasizing that the organization does not condone such comments. "As an organization, that is obviously not something we condone. Our standards and what is required of our players in the environment we create is really important to us," Lee stated.
He added that Ball had expressed genuine remorse and assured that such behavior would not occur again.
"I spoke to Melo and he's obviously very apologetic, From what I've seen since I've been around him, he loves everyone. He's a joy to have around the facility and it's not typically how he operates. He and I talked about the seriousness of the situation and how he needs to conduct himself going forward," the coach said
Despite the controversy, LaMelo Ball continues to be a key player for the Hornets, with his on-court performance still earning him recognition. However, his team recently suffered a defeat at the hands of the Brooklyn Nets.
