Chicago Bulls Center Joakim Noah was fined $50,000 by the National Basketball Association for his use of an anti-gay slur during a playoff game on May 22, according to the Associated Press.
Noah, who was responding to fan heckling, appeared to use the same slur that cost Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant $100,000 in fines less than a month ago.
Noah apologized immediately after the game:
Chicago Bulls Center Joakim Noah apologized after last night's NBA playoff game for appearing to direct an anti-gay slur toward a fan during the game's first quarter.
The Miami Heat played host to the Bulls in the third game of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.
Noah owned up to the choice of words, saying immediately after the game that he was sorry for using the slur: “A fan said something, and I said something back. I apologized. I don't know what's going to happen. I got caught up. I didn't mean any disrespect to anybody.”