LaMelo Ball is the subject of a lot of criticism across the NBA after an incident in the second quarter of the first elimination game between the Hornets and the Heat. The Hornets’ star guard grabbed Bam Adebayo’s ankle and tripped him, causing him to injure his back and be sidelined for the rest of the game.
Among Ball’s critics was the Fox Sports analyst Nick Wright, who called him a clown on TV for his actions. His brother, Lonzo Ball, saw those comments on social media and called out Wright for criticizing his brother.
“Folks saying clown with a perm FOH,” wrote Ball on X. “Nick Wright a bum! 🤡” he further added, but he did not stop there as he wrote a series of X posts to address Nick Wright, who subsequently also responded.
“These are my natural curls, thank you very much. Also, I respect you having your brother’s back… despite the fact that deep down you’ve gotta know everything I said was true. He’s immensely talented, hilariously immature, reckless on and off the court & his own worst enemy,” wrote Wright on X in response to Lonzo Ball clapping back at him. Clearly, LaMelo Ball’s brother wasn’t happy with what Wright said on TV.
“I’m not sorry, and I don’t care if this gets clipped. That young man is a clown and has been a clown forever and will always be a clown,” said Wright in his recent appearance on FS1’s First Things First.
“I don’t know what he will be down the road. What I do know is that the way he conducts himself on the court and it would appear off the court is that of an immature coddled teenager and he is and we’re going to get into the actual um you know Hornets piece of it and the team but so much of it is tied to their most talented player is one of the most wildly immature, erratic, unreliable guys, unaccountable, all those things, right? All those things.”
“And so I do think that when it comes to laying down penalties, when there’s a gray area, all of that comes into play. One of the reasons I wasn’t as you know apoplelectic as some when you mentioned Draymond… the kicks led to him being suspended for the finals because it felt like you know what this guy’s been in the first game of the playoffs, he body slammed Michael Beasley when the game was over, that’s how he got his first flagrant foul.”
“Then he’s kicking Steven Adams like you know what, you’ve lost the benefit of the doubt, and LaMelo’s general disregard, it would appear to me, and this I don’t think is unfair, and I am glad you correct me on that, Brou, because I don’t know what someone’s going to be.”
But general disregard for the safety of others around him in all walks of life is not what a $200 million face of the franchise guy who was drafted the same year as Anthony Edwards and Denny Avdija, who are grown adult NBA players. Everybody has their own issues, but at least do their job with professionalism, like it’s not that he’s a kid, he’s been in the league the whole decade,” said Wright.
“Dip the truth on my momma 🤞🏼,” wrote the Cavaliers guard. “N—–s be running their mouth and never touched a rock,” he posted.
“Listen, I think the last time I went scorched earth on a guy was Pat Bev years ago… but after LaMelo intentionally injures Bam & plays one of the most erratic elimination games we’ve ever seen, in the same season he’s been a menace on the streets of Charlotte, if calling him a 🤡 is too far, I don’t know what to tell you,” concluded Wright on X
“I usually let s— slide, but I’m on one today f— it lol,” the Cavaliers guard further added before predicting that the Hornets will beat the loser of the 76ers-Magic game and end up beating the Pistons in seven games in the first round.
“ZO2 rant y’all stay blessed ☮️✌🏻 ,” wrote Lonzo Ball in conclusion, categorizing his outburst on Wright as a rant.
This back and forth between Wright and Ball shows the extent to which the problem had escalated. The league also announced an investigation into LaMelo Ball, which put his playing status on Friday night in doubt. Until the league announces a verdict on the situation, the Hornets’ star’s availability for the elimination game is still uncertain.
I am inclined to agree with Nick Wright to the extent that, among all the star players in the league, Ball often depicts the most unserious approach towards the game. But that does not mean he is a clown and can not understand the severity of his actions; that was a bit too far from Wright.
Hopefully, the league figures out an adequate penalty for Ball, which, in my opinion, is a suspension, if the league is satisfied with evidence on the existence of any malicious intent or negligent behavior. It will be interesting to see if the league upholds the integrity of the sport and emphasizes the importance of giving due regard to safety concerns.
