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LaMelo Ball fined $100,000 for using anti-gay term in interview after win over Bucks

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LaMelo Ball fined 0,000 for using anti-gay term in interview after win over Bucks

Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball was fined $100,000 on Sunday for an “offensive and derogatory comment” he made during a postgame interview on Saturday night.

The NBA announced the fine, which is the maximum amount it can hand out for conduct or statements under the current collective bargaining agreement, on Sunday afternoon. Ball used an anti-gay term during an on-court interview.

Hornets coach Charles Lee said Sunday that Ball was “very apologetic.”

“As an organization that is obviously not something we condone,” Lee said, via The Associated Press. “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. 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.”

Shortly after the Hornets’ 115-114 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night, Ball was asked about how the team was defending Giannis Antetokounmpo on the last play of the game at the Spectrum Center. Antetokounmpo, who had his first triple-double of the season in the game, had a look at a game-winning bucket from just inside the 3-point line, but his shot barely rimmed out as the final buzzer sounded. That’s when Ball slipped in the anti-gay term.

“He understands what’s going to be expected of him,” Lee said. “I look forward to seeing him grow from this moment, but I wanted to start off by saying that we apologize for what happened … 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.

“So for somebody to use those words and say that out of his mouth we will make sure to hold him accountable to that.”

Ball had a team-high 26 points, nine rebounds and six assists in the win for the Hornets, who now sit at 5-7 on the year. He shot just 1-of-7 from behind the arc. The 23-year-old is averaging a career-high 29.6 points and 6.3 assists per game this season, his fifth with the Hornets. Ball played in just 22 games last season due to an ankle injury.

The Hornets fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who improved to 15-0 on the season, on Sunday afternoon. Charlotte, which now holds a 5-8 record, will take on the Brooklyn Nets in an NBA Cup game next on Tuesday night in New York.

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