Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball sort of apologized for using an anti-gay slur during a recent postgame interview.
While being interviewed by FanDuel Sports Network Southeast after Charlotte’s 115-114 win over the Milwaukee Bucks Saturday night, Ball told the courtside reporter, “We loaded up. No homo. But that’s what we wanted.” The remark garnered Ball a $100,000 fine from the NBA for making “offensive and derogatory comments” during the interview.
After the fine was issued, Ball opened his Sunday night postgame press conference by addressing his Saturday comments.
“Before we get started, I just want to address the comment yesterday,” Ball told reporters, per the AP. “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.”
Head coach Charles Lee also addressed the incident Sunday night, stating it’s “obviously not something we condone.” Lee added that he spoke to Ball about the comment after the interview and claimed the Hornets star was “very apologetic.”
🎙️ Charles Lee on LaMelo Ball’s fine:
“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.”
“I spoke to Melo and he’s obviously very apologetic from… pic.twitter.com/3vBImWBWt5
— /r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) November 17, 2024
“From what I’ve seen since I’ve been around him, he loves everyone,” Lee said of Ball. “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.”
$100,000 is the maximum the NBA is allowed to fine a player for derogatory or disparaging language. Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas was fined $40,000 in 2023 and Nikola Jokić received a $25,000 fine in 2018, both for making the same remark as Ball.
[AP]
