Hornets star LaMelo Ball fined $35,000 for flipping off referee after foul call

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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 toward the basket for a floater, but he was called for a charge.

Ball then turned toward a ref 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 Oct. 28, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Last season, Ball was hit with a $100,000 fine for making "offensive and derogatory comments" in a postgame interview.

The Hornets upset the Milwaukee Bucks, 115-114, as Ball hit the game-winning free throws on Nov. 16. But when he discussed that last play of the game, where teammate Grant Williams defended Giannis Antetokounmpo’s last-ditch effort for the win, Ball dropped an anti-gay comment during his explanation.

"We loaded up," Ball said, adding the phrase "no homo" with a lowered voice into the microphone before continuing to talk.

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 has received stem from technical fouls — 18 in total — and one flop in a January 2024 game.

Ball has largely struggled to stay on the court, playing in just 110 games since the beginning of the 2022-23 season. However,