One Orlando Magic fan got creative on Friday to try to get into LaMelo Ball’s head.
The Charlotte Hornets guard was shooting a bonus free throws midway through the third quarter of their play-in tournament clash at Kia Center in Orlando, Fla. The NBA on Prime broadcast panned to a wide view from behind Ball, which showed the Magic fan desperately trying to distract the All-Star.
The fan hilariously tried to mime as if he were wildly crashing his car into oncoming traffic. Ball kept his composure enough to sink the free throw, cutting the Magic’s lead ever so slightly to 86-61.
Magic Fan pretends to crash a car whenever Lamelo shoots a free throw 😭 pic.twitter.com/7b7EtTLRhU
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) April 18, 2026
Ball made negative headlines in February when he crashed his custom Hummer into another vehicle at a busy intersection in downtown Charlotte.
A car crash would be a fitting way to describe how Friday’s game went for Ball and the Hornets. With their playoff lives on the line, the visitors got shellacked 121-90 in a game that was virtually over after a single quarter.
Charlotte trailed 38-16 in the first period and looked the part of an inexperienced team not yet ready for the moment. Ball led his team with 23 points on 7/17 shooting in the 31-point loss.
Perhaps the result was some form of karmic justice from the basketball gods after Ball tripped up Bam Adebayo during the Hornets’ play-in opener against the Miami Heat.
