LaMelo Ball Forced To Cover Neck Tattoo, Violates NBA Rules

The NBA is admitting it is forcing LaMelo Ball to cowl up his new neck tattoo … claiming the Charlotte Hornets star’s ink is violating league coverage.

The 22-year-old bought the “LF” put just below his left ear again in September … to symbolize his center identify in addition to his LaFrancé clothes line.

However, just lately, he is coated it up with a bandage … and on Friday, NBA spokesman Tim Frank mentioned in a press release to ESPN it is as a result of “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,” Frank added. “But LaMelo Ball’s neck tattoo is in obvious violation of the rule and, accordingly, he’s required to cover it.”

In line with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Ball has been combating the ruling … and continues to be in talks with the league about developing with an alternate resolution.

The situation is much like one Ball’s older brother, Lonzo Ball, needed to take care of again in 2018 … when the league made him cowl up a “Big Baller Brand” tattoo he had gotten on his arm.