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Ball later apologized, saying, “I’ve got love for everybody, and I don’t discriminate.”
The National Basketball Association has fined professional basketball player LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets $100,000 for using an antigay slur on live television. Ball later apologized for his use of the term.
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The slur was used in an on-court interview following the Hornet’s 115-114 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday at the Spectrum Center in Milwaukee. Reporter Shannon Spake asked Ball about the defensive strategy used by the Hornets against Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo on the game's final play.
“You said the last play? When he took the shot? Yeah, we loaded up,” Ball said in the noisy arena before lowering his voice and adding, “No homo.”
He returned to his normal voice before continuing.
“But that’s how we won it,” Ball said of the game’s final play, where Antetokounmpo missed a potential game-winning shot, which he accredited to the team’s tough ‘loaded up’ defense.
The league was quick to review the incident and levy a fine.
“Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has been fined $100,000 for making an offensive and derogatory comment in a postgame interview,” the NBA announced in a press release a day later on Sunday.
The Charlotte Hornets also addressed the issue on Sunday morning at their regular press conference.
“As an organization, that’s obviously not something that we condone. Our standards and what is required of our players in our environment that we create is really important to us,” Hornets coach Charles Lee told reporters yesterday.
“He and I talked about the seriousness of the situation and how he needs to conduct himself going forward, he understands what's going to be expected of him,” Lee added. “I look forward to seeing him grow from this moment. We apologize for what happened."
Ball also addressed the comments and fine on Sunday.
“Before we get started, I just want to address the comment yesterday,” told the media following last night’s 128-114 loss to the Chicago Bulls, the Associated Press reports. “I really didn’t mean anything and didn’t want to offend anybody. I’ve got love for everybody, and I don’t discriminate.”
Ball was born in Anaheim, Calif., and came to national attention playing on the Chino Hills High School basketball team as a freshman with his older brother Lonzo and LiAngelo Ball. He was the third pick in the NBA’s 2020 draft. He was selected NBA Rookie of the Year in 2021 and made the NBA All-Star team the following year.
