LaMelo Ball Speaks Out Following $100K Fine Over Homophobic Post-Game Comment

Charlotte Hornets superstar LaMelo Ball was fined $100,000 by the NBA this past weekend and for good reason. Following a game, Ball said the term “no homo.” Overall, a simple “pause” probably would have sufficed. However, he ended up taking it way too far. Although there were plenty of fans who were not offended, the league has to protect its image. Consequently, they came through with a well-deserved fine.

Following the fine, Hornets head coach Charles Lee spoke out on what happened. As he explains, LaMelo is very apologetic. “As an organization, that’s obviously not something that we condone. Our standards and what is required of our players in our environment that we create is really important to us,” Lee said. “I spoke to Melo and he’s obviously very apologetic from what I’ve seen since I’ve been around him. He loves everyone and he’s a joy to have around in the facility, and that’s not typically how he operates.”

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LaMelo Ball Made A Big Mistake

“He and I talked about the seriousness of the situation and how he needs to conduct himself going forward, he understands what’s going to be expected of him. I look forward to seeing him grow from this moment. We apologize for what happened,”Lee continued. “He and I talked about it and he definitely said, ‘going forward, I want to be better and I don’t want to see that happen.’ So, for somebody to use those words and say it out of his mouth, we will make sure that we hold him accountable to that.”

This is a teachable moment for LaMelo and we hope he learns from it. So far this season, he has been playing incredibly well. You never want to see a young player squander that because of a poor judgment call. Only time will tell whether or not Ball truly changes his ways.

Read More: LaMelo Ball Has Been Sued For Allegedly Running Over A Fan’s Foot

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LaMelo Ball Has Been Sued For Allegedly Running Over A Fan’s Foot

LaMelo Ball has had a rough couple years. The NBA superstar has struggled to stay healthy on the court, and now, he’s been dragged into a potential court case involving an injured fan. On May 21, a lawsuit was filed against Ball for an incident dating back to October 2023. The lawsuit was filed by Tamaria McRae after an incident in which the athlete allegedly damaged the foot of her son Angell. The news broke via WSOC-TV reporter Jason Stoogenke.

Tamaria claimed that Angell McRae was waiting to greet members of the Charlotte Hornets during the team’s annual Teal and Purple Day. LaMelo Ball is Angell’s favorite player, and he approached Ball with the intention of getting an autograph. Tamaria claims that Ball rejected the request for an autograph and promptly sped off without giving Angell so much as a second look. “[Angell] was like, ‘LaMelo, I love you. I love you, sign my … give me your autograph. Can you sign it for me?,’” she recalled.

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LaMelo Ball Reportedly Ignored The Fan’s Autograph Request

LaMelo Ball got in his car and sped away. According to Tamaria, however, he did not give Angell enough time to get out of his way. The 11-year-old’s foot was allegedly smashed by Ball’s car and subsequently shattered. “I just seen my son kind of go down and I thought maybe he’d dropped something,” Tamaria recalled. “When you see your children hurt, it hurts you. It’s been rough. It’s been real rough. I mean like I’m a strong person. This broke me. This right here, it really did.”

Tamaria claimed that the incident not only affected her son physically, but psychologically as well. “For a while, I couldn’t even recognize who my child was,” she told WSOC-TV. “Because, like depression, not being able to go outside and play.” Tamaria tried to file a claim with Ball’s insurance, but the NBA star’s insurance was apparently missing crucial information.

As such, Mrs. McCrae is suing both LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets organization. The family’s lawyer, Cameron DeBrun, assert that they are not trying to capitalize on Ball’s celebrity. “I’d say if that was the case, we would have done this a long time ago,” he noted. “They had no desire to seek legal action. They wanted healing.”

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LaMelo Ball Returns To Hornets Lineup After Six Weeks

LaMelo Ball is expected to appear in his first NBA game since November 26 when the Hornets face the Spurs on January 12. Ball was sidelined by a recurring right ankle injury. The same injury restricted him to 33 games last season. The Hornets have lost 17 of the 20 games that Ball has missed so far this season. In 15 games so far this season, Ball is averaging a career-best 24.7 points, along with 5.5 rebounds and 8.2 assists.

The Hornets are 8-27 this season, placing them third-worst in the Eastern Conference. Injuries have been the story of the Hornets, stymying any attempt at building off a season that saw them earn the second-overall pick in last year’s draft. Heading into the matchup against San Antonio, the Hornets are on a three-game losing streak. Furthermore, they have won just one of their last 15 games.

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LaMelo Ball Sued By Big Baller Brand Co-Founder

However, injuries aren’t the only thing that Ball has had to contend with this season. In November 2023, Ball, along with PUMA, were named in a lawsuit. The Ball family were sued by Alan Foster, the co-founder of Big Baller Brand. Foster claims that he was integral to the early success of the Ball Family sneaker brand and lost out on millions of dollars when patriarch LaVar ousted Foster by creating a new BBB entity. Amongst his claims, Foster alleges to have been the mastermind, and trademark owner, for LaMelo’s first signature show, the MB1. Furthermore, Foster named PUMA in the suit. He stated that the MB.01 shoe the company developed for LaMelo infringed on his trademark.

“LaMelo was instrumental in creating his first signature shoe with Big Baller Brand. He was fully aware of the existence of the LaMelo Trademarks — he helped design them. He knew that his Big Baller Brand signature shoe was called the ‘MB1’ and that the name was protected by federal trademark. Yet, despite his knowledge of all of this, LaMelo willfully and deliberately chose to name the signature shoe he created and designed with PUMA the ‘MB1’ in violation of the LaMelo Trademarks,” Foster wrote in the suit. He is reportedly seeking $200 million in damages. Furthermore, Foster has previously sued, and been sued by, the Ball family.

Read More: LaMelo Ball Ruins A Perfectly Good Watch

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LaMelo Ball Signature Sneaker Holiday Gift Guide

In just a short amount of time, LaMelo Ball has made a huge impression on NBA fans. Overall, he is a fantastic point guard who has a chance to do some big things with the Hornets. Furthermore, he has his very own signature shoe with Puma. Once you get your own signature, you find yourself a cut above the rest. With the Holidays around the corner, we have decided to have a look at some of the best LaMelo signatures you can buy.

Puma MB.02 “Nickelodeon Slime”

PUMA LaMelo Ball MB.02 "Nickelodeon Slime"
Image via Stadium Goods

Firstly, we got this gorgeous Puma MB.02 called “Nickelodeon Slime.” Overall, this is a shoe that is covered in numerous shades of green. For the most part, this is a shoe meant to activate your nostalgia. However, it also contains some great elements that bring the whole sneaker together. This is something that will make you stand out on the basketball court. Not to mention, they help accentuate your personality.

Puma MB.01 “LaMelo Ball – Buzz City”

PUMA MB.01 "LaMelo Ball - Buzz City"
Image via Stadium Goods

Secondly, we have the Puma MB.01 with the “Buzz City” color scheme. The goal of this model should be pretty obvious to anyone wearing it. This is supposed to pay homage to the Charlotte Hornets. Overall, the shoe is mostly covered in black. Subsequently, we get a nice dose of electric blue which is a huge part of the Hornets look. If you are a fan of the team, these are an absolute must.

Puma MB.02 “Rick And Morty – Adventures”

PUMA MB.02 "Rick And Morty - Adventures"
Image via Stadium Goods

Next up, we have a shoe that is perfect for all of the Rick & Morty fans out there. Firstly, this Puma MB.02 has a green midsole. Furthermore, this green is placed at the front of the upper before doing a gradient swing into something purple. The black wings overlaid on top do a good job of adding some contrast here. These are colors that are synonymous with the show, so if you are a fan, then these kicks might just be a must-cop.

PUMA MB.01 “Desert Camo”

PUMA LaMelo Ball MB.01 "Desert Camo"
Image via Stadium Goods

The Puma MB.01 “Desert Camo” is certainly one of the coolest offerings to come out of Puma. Firstly, the shoe catches your attention with its orange midsole. From there, the entire upper is covered in, you guessed it, desert camo. It is a fantastic look and if you are a fan of these kinds of aesthetics on a basketball show, this just might be for you.

Puma MB.02 “Honeycomb”

PUMA MB.02 "Honeycomb"
Image via Stadium Goods

Lastly, we have this gorgeous “Honeycomb” rendition of the Puma MB.02. The all-over teal upper does wonder here and those hints of orange really give you that honeycomb feel. This is a shoe that is meant to make you feel like you actually play for the Hornets. It is a fun color scheme and again, it shows off LaMelo Ball and his vibrant personality.

Let us know which of these sneakers is your favorite, in the comments section below.

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