The Charlotte Hornets saw their record evened at 2-2 after suffering a brutal 144-117 loss to the Miami Heat at the Kaseya Center. Following the defeat, star guard LaMelo Ball was severely disciplined by the NBA for an action directed at a game official during the contest.
“Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has been fined $35,000 for making an obscene gesture on the playing court, it was announced today by Jame Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations,” read an official NBA statement.
The incident occurred with four minutes left in the game when Ball was whistled for a foul after driving to the basket against Davion Mitchell. Immediately following the call, LaMelo flipped off the referee, earning himself a technical foul.
Ball’s obscene gesture toward the official unfortunately overshadows the strong performance he delivered against the Heat. Despite the lopsided loss, the Hornets guard nearly recorded his second triple-double of the season, tallying 20 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists.
The third overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft is enjoying a great start to the season. Through the Hornets’ first four games, he is averaging 26.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game, while shooting 44 percent from the field and nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc.
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Ball’s second career fine
This fine marks the second penalty of Ball’s six seasons in the NBA. His previous fine came in 2023 when he was penalized $100,000 for using offensive language during a postgame interview.
At $35,000, the fine issued to Ball is currently the most expensive of the season. However, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga also received a fine for the same amount during the NBA preseason for making physical contact with an official during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
