Kobe Bryant Fined $100,000 For Homophobic Slur

Just a day after having apparently called an NBA referee a "f***ing f***ot" during a game, NBA star Kobe Bryant has been fined $100,000 by the league.

The fine was handed out on Wednesday, after the NBA reviewed the footage of the incident. NBA commissioner David Stern called Bryant's use of a homophobic slur "offensive and inexcusable."

Bryant released a statement after the incident, in which he said, "What I said last night should not be taken literally. My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period. The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone."

But the apology was not enough to save Bryant from receiving a rather hefty fine.

Stern said in a statement, "While I'm fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated. Accordingly, I have fined Kobe $100,000. Kobe and everyone associated with the NBA know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have no place in our game or society."

(Sources: ESPN.com)

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