Hornets’ Ball Fined by NBA for Offensive Comments

Ball has to be a leader on and off the court if he wants to lead the Hornets to the mountain top.

The NBA has delivered a hefty fine to Charlotte Hornets franchise player and point guard LaMelo Ball of $100,000 for making an “offensive and derogatory comment” following Saturday’s 115-114 down to the wire win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

The comment from Ball, who came through in the clutch and swished a pair of game-winning free throws with seven seconds left on the clock, occurred moments after the game, with emotions still raw, during a live televised postgame interview on the court. Sideline reporter Shannon Spake asked Ball about the team’s defensive strategy against Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo on the game’s final possession, and Ball used an anti-gay term while delivering his response.

Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Cam Thomas was docked $40,000 for making a similar comment last season.

Ball’s game-clinching free throws were not without controversy, as officials admitted after the contest that Giannis Antetokounmpo should not have been whistled for a foul while Ball was driving to the hole.

“During live play we called illegal leg to leg to contact,” referee crew chief Curtis Blair told reporters. “During postgame review when we looked at the play there was no illegal contact on the play.”

But by that time, it was too little too late.

The Bucks, who fell to a disappointing 4-9 on the season and are now 21-28 since Doc Rivers replaced Andrian Griffin as the head coach midway through the 2023-24 season, was fresh out of challenges, so the call stood.

“There was clearly not a foul,” a furious and befuddled Rivers told reporters after the game. “When you watch the video, the ref was blocked out by one of our players. You can’t guess at the end of the game.”

Ball had another strong game, especially in the fourth quarter, scoring 26 points to go along with nine rebounds and six assists.

He is now considered an elite player, averaging 29.6 points, 6.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds this season, shooting 36.4 percent from 3-point range. The Hornets are 5-7 on the season and will take on the 14-0 Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, without Donovan Mitchell who is resting.