LaMelo Ball drew backlash for a controversial play vs. Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo. The incident happened during the second quarter of the Charlotte Hornets’ 127-126 overtime win in the Eastern Conference play-in clash.
Ball fell to the ground after failing to put up a layup. That was when he appeared to grab Adebayo’s left ankle as the Heat center landed near the baseline. Ball’s decision caused Adebayo to fall and eventually suffer an injury. He did not return to the game after that, and his presence could’ve certainly made an impact for Miami.
Bam Adebayo Calls Out LaMelo Ball After Viral Incident
After the game, Ball claimed that he would apologize to Adebayo for the controversial incident. “I apologize for that one,” Ball told NBA media. “I got hit in the head, didn’t really know where I was, but I’m going to check on him and see if he is okay,” he said.
Bam Adebayo reveals that LaMelo Ball hasn’t apologized to him after saying he would check on him
“It didn’t happen… I want it to be out there. At some point I’ll see him again and we’ll have that conversation”
(h/t @HeatCulture13 )
pic.twitter.com/JP5D7RJxfL— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 16, 2026
But the Heat star has now come out and put all those claims to bed. During a recent media appearance, Adebayo revealed that Ball hasn’t apologized to him yet. “It didn’t happen… I want it to be out there. At some point, I’ll see him again, and we’ll have that conversation,” he said.
It is certainly an awkward revelation by Adebayo, as Ball now faces additional pressure to reach out to the Heat center.
The Hornets guard was also recently punished for the incident, as the NBA fined him $60,000. He escaped a suspension and any other harsh punishments, but we shouldn’t really be surprised by the NBA’s decision on Ball. The foul was also upgraded to a Flagrant 1, as the officials failed to do so at that moment.
As per the rulebook, the officials cannot review a play instantly before it has been whistled dead, and that’s exactly what happened here, too. This has drawn some criticism from Adebayo himself, who claimed that it just ‘didn’t make sense.’
There have been other instances of players grabbing opponents’ legs, but there has never been a suspension. It would certainly have been a major blow for the Hornets if he had been sidelined, especially considering their game against the Orlando Magic on Friday night.
As for Adebayo and the Heat, they have endured yet another tough season after two first-round exits in a row. They would now be looking back to bounce back next year, as Pat Riley can focus on the current roster problems.
