The Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat opened the NBA postseason with an electric Play-in game. The Hornets went on to win the game in overtime after LaMelo hit a game-winning layup with under five seconds left in the game.
Unfortunately for the Heat, star player Bam Adebayo missed the entire second half of the game after suffering a lower back injury after Ball appeared to yank his leg back on the baseline, leading to a hard fall.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra spoke about the incident after the game.
“I didn’t see it [when it happened], but I don’t think it’s cute,” Spoelstra said, according to ESPN. “I don’t think it’s funny. I think it’s a stupid play. It’s a dangerous play. Obviously, our best player was out.
“I’m not making an excuse. The Hornets played great and they made those plays down the stretch. We had our opportunities to win. That’s a shame. You should be penalized for that. I don’t think that belongs in the game — tripping guys, shenanigans.”
Now, Fox Sports’ Nick Wright is sharing how he feesl about Ball, and he isn’t holding back.
“I’m not sorry and I don’t care if this gets clipped,” Wright said on First Things First on Wednesday. “That young man is a clown, and has been a clown forever, and will never not be a clown.”
“That young man is a clown, and has been a clown forever” – Nick Wright on LaMelo Ball pic.twitter.com/SJmpL3gn30
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 15, 2026
Wright’s cohost, Chris Broussard, pushed back on Wright knowing that he will never be anything but a clown, which Wright conceded.
“You’re right about that part,” Wright admitted. “You know what, Brou, I’m glad you’re here to correct that. 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.”
The NBA is conducting an investigation into the incident, and whether a punishment in warranted, which could even mean a suspension for Charlotte’s next Play-in gmae on Friday.
Ball apologized publicly after the game and said that he intended to reach out to Adebayo.
“I apologize on that one,” Ball said. “I got hit in the head [on the play] and didn’t really know where I was. But I’m going to check on him, see if he’s OK and everything.”
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.