The NBA announced on Wednesday that Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball will not be suspended for the play that injured Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo. Instead, Ball received a $35,000 fine and was assessed a retroactive Flagrant 2 foul for what the league called "unnecessary and reckless contact." A separate $25,000 fine was issued for his use of profane language in a postgame TV interview.
The incident occurred during the second quarter of the Hornets' play-in victory over the Heat. After being knocked down, Ball grabbed Adebayo's leg, causing the Heat player to fall hard and injure his back. Adebayo did not return to the game.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra expressed strong frustration postgame, stating Ball should have been ejected. Ball later apologized, saying he was disoriented after being hit in the head. Despite the controversy, Ball scored 30 points, including the game-winning layup.