The Timberwolves opened their season in Miami and LaMelo Ball wasn’t done traveling.
Minnesota’s new star point guard poured in 21 points and six assists in his Minnesota debut, and he and Anthony Edwards blew the Heat out of the water in a 131-106 beatdown, but Ball’s bizarre play had the commentary team talking.
“That’s a travel,” ESPN’s commentary booth, which included Steve Legler and Mike Breen, said in unison, outraged that it wasn’t called.
“Oh my goodness. That has to be called. Like, that has to be called,” Breen added as official Jonathan Sterling stood right there watching the play unfold.
The play occurred in the second quarter with 8:20 remaining before Ball drilled a 3-pointer from the right break to give the Timberwolves a 42-39 lead, one of five 3’s he tallied.
Ball bizarrely tried to defend the play in a postgame interview on “SportsCenter.”
“If you watch I let the ball guide, you feel me? So if I let the ball guide and I ain’t touching it, you can take as much steps as you want. So it’s not traveling,” Ball responded.
Even Ball’s brother Lonzo reposted the play on X with the comment “Travel lmaoooo.”
LaMelo responded to his brother later on “SportsCenter.”
“He hatin’. He hatin’. See, I gotta give him a call right now, ’cause with the family, he know what you supposed to do,” Ball said. “Even if I’m wrong, I’m right. That’s how it go, I gotta teach that boy.”
The official NBA Referees X account, run by the NBA Referee Association, confirmed it was traveling despite Ball’s strange defense.
“For everyone asking, “How is this legal?” It’s not,” the account posted Thursday morning.
“He gathers with his right foot on the floor and would be permitted two steps by rule (left-right). He takes four steps after gathering the ball and travels.”
The Timberwolves won comfortably regardless Wednesday, and face the Magic on Friday.
