Charlotte Hornets All-Star guard LaMelo Ball has been forced to cover a tattoo on his neck after the NBA informed the star it was in contravention of league rules.
Ball has the initials “LF” tattooed on his body, short for LaFrance — his middle name, and more recently, his clothing brand.
Ball began covering up his ink prior to Wednesday’s loss to Miami to avoid league fines, according to ESPN. It’s understood the star’s representatives will continue talks with the NBA over the issue as Ball keeps the logo covered.
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“Per the [collective bargaining agreement], players are prohibited from displaying commercial logos or corporate insignia on their body or in their hair during games,” NBA spokesman Tim Frank told ESPN.
“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.”
Ball has a similar tattoo on his left hand, but the new ink on his neck caught the league’s attention during preseason.
The NBA star argued that the “LF” represents his own middle name, and used the initials long before it became a brand.
Ball was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft and signed a five-year extension in the offseason that could be worth as much as $400 million.