A "provocative" dance celebration earned Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James a $15,000 fine from the NBA, days after he was slapped with a one-game suspension due to an altercation at the court.
It seems like a violation-plagued season for Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James after he was slapped with a $15,000 fine by the NBA for “making an obscene gesture on the playing court.”
That is the going rate for the Cassell celebration, after the Raptors’ Fred VanVleet got the same fine for it.
The dance has been dubbed the “Sam Cassell dance” throughout the years as it was popularized by former NBA star Sam Cassell when he was playing for the Milwaukee Bucks.
James dropped a season-high 39 points in Indianapolis. His celebration came after drilling a big three-pointer in overtime to lead the Lakers to the 124-116 win.
This was his first game back after his one-game suspension following the scuffle against the Pacers team last week. James drew blood from Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart which got him ejected in the game.
The incident appeared to begin after Lebron’s fist and elbow caught Stewart’s face, beginning an altercation that took a few minutes to calm down after Stewart charged James.
LeBron also got a warning from the league for “using profane language during media availability in response to league imposed discipline,” specifically LeBron calling his one-game suspension for the incident with the Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart “bulls***.”
But this was not the end of this uneventful night for James. He also had a pair of fans ejected from their courtside seats at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
With 2:29 left in the extra period, James brought referee Rodney Mott over to the sideline and demonstratively pointed and gestured at two fans.
An arena official approached, then another, and after a brief conversation with Mott, the officials escorted a man and a woman from their first-row seats on the floor.
In a viral video that trended on social media, it was reported that the two fans were booing at James all night long.
But what did not sit with James was an inappropriate language directed to James’ children.
"When obscene gestures and language come into it, (it) can’t be tolerated," James said.
"There's a difference from cheering for your team and not wanting the other team to win and things I would never say to a fan and they shouldn't say to me."
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