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LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets has been fined $100,000 over homophobic comments he made in a post-game interview.
On Saturday (November 16), the guard spoke with the Hornets’ local FanDuel Sports Network after the team’s win against the Milwaukee Bucks by one point. The interviewer had specifically asked Ball what strategy they used to block Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“Yeah, we loaded up – no homo,” Ball said. “But that’s what we wanted. Put the hand up, and then live with the results.”
The NBA then released a statement saying that Ball would be fined for the “offensive and derogatory” comment.
The next day, after the Hornets lost 128-114 to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Ball spoke to reporters regarding the slur from the day before. “Before we get started, I just want to address the comment yesterday,” he said.
“I really didn’t mean anything [by it] and don’t want to offend anybody. I’ve got love for everybody, and I don’t discriminate.”
The Hornets’ coach Charles Lee also mentioned that he had spoken to Ball himself who was “very apologetic” about his behavior.
“As an organization, that is obviously not something we condone,” Lee said. “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.”
Lee continued, mentioning that he would make sure Ball abided by the promise he made to pay better attention to his words and actions.
“He and I talked about it and he definitely said going forward, ‘I’m going to be better,’ and I want to see that happen,” Lee said. “So for somebody to use those words and say that out of his mouth, we will make sure to hold him accountable to that.”
Ball isn’t the first NBA player to be fined after making homophobic comments. In 2023, the Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas was fined $40,000 for using “derogatory and disparaging language” during an interview.
At the time Thomas was being interviewed alongside Spencer Dinwiddie who had previously said that while the Nets did not have the most talented players they did have “the best looking” players. Thomas was asked about Dinwiddie’s comment and he replied, “We already had good-looking guys, no homo.”
Shortly after the interview, Thomas turned to X (formerly Twitter) to apologize for using the slur. “I want to apologize for the insensitive word I used in the postgame interview,” he wrote on X at the time.
“I was excited about the win and was being playful. I definitely didn’t intend to offend anyone but realize that I probably did. My apologies again. Much love.”
Anthony Edwards with the Minnesota Timberwolves was also fined $40,000 in 2022 for statements made on his Instagram account and Kevin Durant, who was with the Nets, was fined $50,000 for publicly released messages that included both homophobic and misogynistic comments.
