Noah Fined $50K for Antigay Slur

Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah has been fined $50,000 by the NBA for yelling an antigay slur at a fan during the team's 96-85 playoff loss to the Miami Heat over the weekend.

Last month Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers was fined $100,000 for using an antigay slur. The difference between the two incidents is that Bryant's slur was directed at a referee.

ESPN reports, "NBA spokesperson Tim Frank said that the two situations were different. 'Kobe's fine included discipline for verbal abuse of a game official,' he said."

Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation president Jarrett Barrios had called on the NBA Monday morning to fine Noah for his comments.

"Noah's apology is a start," he said. "We are confident that the NBA will now take disciplinary measures and hasten its work with us to clearly tell all players that there is no place in the game for antigay words and attitudes."

Noah appeared on video to yell the word "fa**ot" at a fan during the game. He apologized after the game, telling reporters, "I apologize. The fan said something to me that I thought was disrespectful, and I got caught up in the moment, and I said some things that I shouldn't have said. I was frustrated and I don't mean no disrespect to anybody. I just got caught up."