In the aftermath of a 115-114 win over the Bucks on Saturday, Hornets star LaMelo Ball did not hold back when describing the last defensive play. He described how the Hornets “loaded up” on Giannis to prevent him from making the buzzer-beating shot.
“We loaded up — no homo — but that’s when we wanted with the hand up and you with the results,” said Ball in the post-game media interview.
As many fans were quick to point out, the “no homo” remark could receive some disciplinary action from the NBA for being insensitive and inappropriate for a live audience. While it’s unknown how or if the league will respond, it’s unlikely LaMelo will care either way.
Ball, 23, has been known to speak unfiltered to the media before and he’s always been comfortable with expressing himself in front of the camera. Just last month, for example, he was caught swearing when discussing Kemba Walker in a press conference.
While his vocabulary might rub some people the wrong way, LaMelo is worth keeping around for his amazing skills and it’s those same skills that have given his team new opportunities to succeed in the East.
Typically, the Charlotte Hornets are lurking near the bottom of the standings and their track record for success is almost non-existent in their history as a team. LaMelo, who was drafted 3rd overall in 2020, is the only thing keeping them relevant in the East and his leadership has been called into question by many critics.
Tonight, while he almost surely earned a fine with his post-game comments, Ball was still the star of the show after leading the Hornets to an unexpected victory over the Bucks. In 36:20 minutes on the floor, Ball put up 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists on 35% shooting. He was +7 in the game and helped contain Giannis Antetokounmpo with his defense in the final possession.
The Milwaukee Bucks, who were without Damian Lillard tonight, have been reeling lately and they desperately needed a win to start making up ground in the standings. Giannis tried his best to carry his team to victory but not even 22 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists were enough to outlast the competition.
The Bucks are now 4-9 after the loss and sit at 12th in the Eastern Conference. And after trading one of their prized veterans for Damian Lillard last summer, they are stuck with this roster for the foreseeable future. By all accounts, it’s panic mode for the Bucks, and tonight’s loss was perhaps their most concerning of all.
For Ball and his Hornets, nobody is expecting them to make significant strides this season but they have shown some steady growth over the years that may finally build up to a historic run. For the first time in years, the Hornets are actually in the playoff picture they have a star who can close the deal for them down the stretch.
Hopefully, in the future, LaMelo can keep things a little clean so that he can avoid any fines and backlash that may come his way. But as long as he’s playing like a star for the Hornets, they’ll keep him around as the face of their franchise.
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