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Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball was fined for making an “obscene gesture” earlier this week on the court.
In a game against the Miami Heat on Tuesday, Ball drove to the basket for a floater, but was called for a charge.
Ball then turned to a referee and gave him the middle finger, costing him $35,000. The incident occurred with 4:02 left in the game, which Charlotte lost 144-117.
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LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets reacts during the fourth quarter of the game against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on October 28, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Last season, Ball was fined $100,000 for making “offensive and derogatory comments” during a postgame interview.
The Hornets upset the Milwaukee Bucks, 115-114, as Ball hit the game-winning free throws on November 16. But when discussing that final play of the game, where teammate Grant Williams defended Giannis Antetokounmpo’s final effort for the win, Ball dropped an anti-gay comment during his explanation.
“We charged,” Ball said, adding the phrase “no homo” quietly into the microphone before continuing to speak.
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo ball during the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Spectrum Center. (Jim Dedmon/Imagn Images)
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The other fines Ball received came from technical fouls – 18 in total – and a flop in a January 2024 game.
Ball has largely struggled to stay on the field, playing in just 110 games since the start of the 2022-23 season. However, when he was on the field, he proved to be a major difference maker.
LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets reacts to a call during the second half of an NBA In-Season Tournament game against the Miami Heat at Spectrum Center on November 14, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (David Jensen/Getty Images)
Ball leads the Hornets with 24.4 points, 10.2 assists and 8.0 rebounds per game in the young NBA season. Last year, he recorded a career-high 25.2 points per game, along with 7.4 assists and 4.9 rebounds.
