NBA Mandates Hornets’ LaMelo Ball To Cover His Tattoo As It’s Violating The League’s Policy

LaMelo Ball, the guard for the Hornets, has played in ten games and looks brand new. Despite Charlotte’s dismal 3–7 start, the 22-year-old has averaged 22.2 points per game since returning from an ankle injury on February 27.

But Ball’s return seems to include a fight with a formidable new foe: the NBA.

NBA Mandates Hornets’ LaMelo Ball To Cover His Tattoo As It’s Violating The League’s Policy

A statement from the NBA and a report by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski both claim that the league is requesting that Ball hide a tattoo behind his left ear since it is against the rules for players to have company or commercial branding on their body.

Ball’s middle name, LaFrance (short for “LF”), is inked on his body and is also the name of his clothing line.

Over the last several weeks, the NBA and Ball have spoken about the tattoo; in order to avoid league sanctions, he started to cover it up before Tuesday’s defeat to Miami, sources said ESPN. For Friday night’s in-season tournament game versus Milwaukee, he also had it covered.

It is anticipated that the parties will continue debating both immediate and long-term fixes for the problem.

In a statement to ESPN, NBA spokesman Tim Frank said: “Per the [collective bargaining agreement], players are prohibited from displaying commercial logos or corporate insignia on their body or in their hair during games. We try to enforce the rule reasonably, in accordance with its purpose, and taking into account players’ efforts to express themselves in a non-commercial manner. But LaMelo Ball’s neck tattoo is in obvious violation of the rule and, accordingly, he’s required to cover it.”

The publication reported that Ball’s attorneys claimed that other players have previously had tattoos that may be interpreted as corporate insignia, such as those from Michelin or the Jordan brand, but the NBA countered that those players did not have endorsement agreements with those businesses.

Prior to the 2020 NBA Draft, Ball signed with Puma. The Hornets picked him with the third overall pick. Ball and LaFrancex Puma collaborated on a release last month.

Ball was seen during Friday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks with a blue wrap around his neck.

Ball has a comparable tattoo on his left hand, but far less noticeable than the recent incision behind his left ear that attracted the league’s notice during the preseason.

Ball has notified the NBA that the “LF” represents his own middle name, and that of a close family member, his uncle, sources said. Ball had used the LF initials long before it became a brand.

In2018, Ball’s older brother Lonzo was mandated by the league to hide a “Big Baller Brand” tattoo.

 

 

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