LaMelo Ball has no filter. Earlier this season, he was fined $100,000 for making an “offensive and derogatory” remark during a postgame interview. While discussing the final play against the Bucks, Melo used the term “no homo” garnering major criticism from the hoop community. He even issued an apology the following day, “I really didn’t mean anything and don’t want to offend anybody. I’ve got love for everybody, and I don’t discriminate.” However, it looks like the Hornets star hasn’t learned his lesson despite the hefty fine as he risked another massive penalty during tonight’s Magic clash.
With the Charlotte team trailing by six points, they came out of a timeout with a play designed for LaMelo. But the superstar guard could not find an opening to receive the inbound pass. To create some space, Melo fought off a screen and gave a hard shove to Anthony Black for a chance to drive to the basket. However, it was a clear foul by him and the referee immediately blew the whistle. Making matters worse, this was Melo’s sixth foul of the night and he had no choice but to exit the game, leaving his team high and dry.
Sure enough, LaMelo was clearly frustrated after the call and on-court mics caught his NSFW reaction on Live TV. He yelled, “B—- a—n—-!… Shut up n—-!” Even while heading to the locker room, the point guard continued chirping at someone, likely a Magic player. Well, his repeated use of offensive slur could land him in trouble once again and potentially lead to another fine from the NBA.
Hot mic after LaMelo Ball fouled out. pic.twitter.com/2CzBguHNLw
— r/CharlotteHornets on Reddit (@HornetsReddit) March 26, 2025
Moreover, the Hornets could not regroup after Ball’s exit as he had been their primary scorer all night, finishing with 25 points and nine assists. With him gone, they ended up losing by seven points, marking their third straight loss. Apart from Melo, only three other Hornets’ players scored in double-digits and could not even cross the 15-point mark. Just goes to show why they are seeded fourteenth in the East.
What’s even more concerning is that Ball getting fouled out is gradually turning into a pattern.
HC Charles Lee issued a challenge to LaMelo Ball amid constant foul trouble but to no avail
At this point, there is no denying LaMelo’s offensive prowess. He is playing the best basketball of his career this season, averaging 25.2 points and over seven assists. But there have been several occasions where he has had to leave games in crucial moments due to falling in constant foul trouble. In his first seventeen appearances at the start of this season, Melo had already been fouled out four times.
Noticing the pattern, head coach Charles Lee issued a challenge for him back in November, “We have to continue to challenge him and we have to learn about ‘can he guard one-on-one, or do we need to send a double team every time, or are you going to foul?’” He continued, “So as a staff we have to figure out what we are comfortable living with. But also, through conversations with him, can he just sit down and guard his yard and commit to just showing his hands and defend without fouling?”
Unfortunately, not much has improved since then as Melo put his team in jeopardy once again tonight due to his poor decision making. Combining that with his constant injury woes and unfiltered language in public, many have even begun questioning his credibility as the face of the franchise. While the Hornets’ season this year is as good as over, hopefully LaMelo will find a way to get rid of these issues and focus strictly on basketball starting next season. Thoughts?
The post After $100K NBA Fine, LaMelo Ball Risks Further Punishment as Broadcast Audio Reveals Offensive Slur vs Magic appeared first on EssentiallySports.
