LaMelo Ball let his frustrations get the best of him, and now he’s set to pay for it.
The Charlotte Hornets guard has been fined $35,000 by the NBA for making an obscene gesture toward a referee, the league announced Thursday.
The incident happened in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s 144-117 loss to the Miami Heat.
While driving to the basket with 4:02 remaining in the frame, Ball was called for a charging foul. In response, he gave the referee the middle finger and was assessed a technical foul.
Ball, 24, has had an extremely productive start to the season, averaging 26.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.5 assists while shooting 44.7 per cent from the field and 39.5 per cent from three-point range. All of those marks are career-highs for the sixth-year guard.
The Anaheim, Calif., native has been hampered by injuries in recent seasons, suiting up for only 105 games over the last three seasons.
