- LeBron James' week of ill-discipline got even worse.
- After being suspended for a game, the Lakers star was also fined $15,000 fine for making an obscene gesture.
- The 36-year-old performed the "Big Balls" dance after scoring against the Pacers on Wednesday.
LeBron James' week of ill-discipline got even worse.
After being slapped with a career first suspension by the NBA for hitting an opponent in the face, the Los Angeles Lakers star was also fined $15,000 for making an obscene gesture during a game.
James was banned for one match last week after striking Isaiah Stewart in the face while jostling for a rebound position during the Los Angeles Lakers win over the Detroit Pistons.
The hit left Stewart bleeding profusely from above the eye and he had to be restrained by staff as he aggressively tried to confront James.
James returned to action against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, but was again not far from controversy. On top of getting two heckling fans kicked out of the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, he also celebrated scoring with a crude gesture that has earned him a hefty fine.
The 36-year-old grabbed his crotch after hitting a three-pointer late in the fourth quarter as the Lakers beat the Pacers 124-116 in overtime.
The celebration is known as the "Big Balls" dance and is inspired by a scene from the 1994 movie Major League II. It was first performed in the NBA by the Milwaukee Bucks' Sam Cassell, and has been a popular celebration among NBA players ever since.
—Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) November 25, 2021
"Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James has been fined $15,000 for making an obscene gesture on the playing court and warned for using profane language during media availability in response to league imposed discipline," said a statement from the NBA, per CBS Sports.
The warning for profane language refers to James telling reporters after the Pacers game that his one-game suspension was "some bullshit."
James fine marks the second time in just a number of weeks an NBA player has been punished for performing the "Big Balls" dance.
Earlier in November, Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet was fined $15,000 by the NBA for celebrating his game winning shot over the Philadelphia 76ers with the dance.
