- LaMelo Ball made the remark after his Hornets beat the Bucks on Saturday
LaMelo Ball spoke over the weekend for the first time since he was handed a $100,000 fine for making a homophobic comment during a postgame interview.
When speaking on Saturday about the Hornets’ defense on Giannis Antetokounmpo during the final possession of a Charlotte win, Ball said, ‘We loaded up – no homo.’
The following night, following a loss to the Cavaliers, Ball said he ‘didn’t mean anything by’ his remarks.
‘Before we get started, I just want to address the comment yesterday,’ he told reporters. ‘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.’
In its statement announcing Ball’s fine – the maximum amount allowed by league rules – the NBA called Ball’s words ‘offensive and derogatory.’
Nonetheless, Hornets coach Charles Lee insisted on Sunday that Ball was ‘very apologetic’ over the remarks.
‘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,’ he continued. ‘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 was confident Ball would keep his word.
‘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.’
Notably, Nets guard Cam Thomas was fined significantly less for saying the same remark in 2023, at $40,000.
Five years earlier, Nuggets star Nikola Jokic also got a $25,000 fine from the league for saying ‘no homo’ at a time when the Serbian-born center was still improving his English.
