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Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has been fined $100,000 (£79,000) by the NBA for making an offensive, hurtful and derogatory homophobic remark. The 23-year-old made the comment during a postgame interview following the Hornets' 115-114 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. While discussing his team's defensive strategy on the final play of the game—when Giannis Antetokounmpo missed a potential game-winning shot—Ball used an inappropriate slur.
"I really didn’t mean anything and don’t want to offend anybody. I've got love for everybody, and I don't discriminate," Ball said after scoring 31 points in a 128-114 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers the following day.
The fine is the maximum penalty the NBA can impose under its current guidelines.
Past instances
Additionally, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was fined $35,000 (£28,000) for making an obscene gesture toward fans during a 130-126 overtime win at the Sacramento Kings on Friday. Edwards had previously been fined $40,000 in 2022 for using homophobic language on Instagram. In 2021, Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant was also fined $50,000 for using both homophobic and misogynistic language in private messages that were made public.
The NBA announced Ball's fine on Sunday through a statement. "Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has been fined $100,000 for making an offensive and derogatory comment in a postgame interview," the statement read. The decision was made by Joe Dumars, the NBA's executive vice president of basketball operations.
What Did LaMelo Ball Say?
After the Hornets' narrow win over the Bucks, Ball was interviewed by NBA sideline reporter Shannon Spake. When asked about the team's defensive strategy on the final play, Ball responded with the slur.
"Yeah, we loaded up – no h***, But that’s what we wanted. Put the hand up, and then live with the results," Ball said
The use of the phrase "no h" led to backlash from fans and ultimately resulted in the NBA fine. Similar remarks from Brooklyn Nets' Cam Thomas last season also earned him a $40,000 fine. In terms of performance, LaMelo Ball had a fairly average game on Saturday, finishing with 26 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in 36 minutes of play.
"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. 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," said Hornets’ coach Charles Lee.
