Hornets star fined $100K by NBA for ‘offensive and derogatory comment’

The NBA fined Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball $100,000 “for making an offensive and derogatory comment in a postgame interview,” the league said Sunday in a news release.

Following the Hornets’ 115-114 victory over Milwaukee Saturday, Ball made a homophobic comment during a TV interview on the court.

Ball had 26 points, nine rebounds and six assists as the Hornets improved to 5-7. Ball made two free throws with 7.3 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, giving Charlotte a 115-114 edge. Bucks coach Doc Rivers was adamant that Giannis Antetokounmpo did not foul Ball on the play leading to the two free throws.

“LaMelo Ball fell,” Rivers told reporters. ‘He just fell down. Nobody was near him. He slipped on his own. We come up with the ball and the game is over. So back-to-back games now we have had a call made against us that is incorrect.”

Antetokounmpo missed an 18-foot shot with 2.2 seconds remaining.

Referee Curtis Blair, who was the crew chief for Saturday’s game, acknowledged that an incorrect call was made on Ball’s play.

“During live play we called illegal leg to leg contact,” Blair told a pool reporter following the game “During postgame review when we looked at the play there was no illegal contact on the play.”

The Bucks were out of replay challenges when the foul on Antetokounmpo was called. Had they had a challenge remaining and challenged the call, it would have been overturned, Blair said.

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