NBA orders LaMelo to cover 'LF' tattoo below ear

The NBA has instructed Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball to cover a tattoo reading "LF" below his left ear, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The league cited a rule that prohibits players from sporting visible commercial logos on their bodies.

The tattoo represents the 22-year-old's middle name, "LaFrance," but it's also the name of Ball's clothing brand.

"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," league spokesperson Tim Frank told Wojnarowski in a statement. "But LaMelo Ball's neck tattoo is in obvious violation of the rule, and, accordingly, he's required to cover it."

The league's rulebook states "a player may not, during any NBA game, display any commercial, promotional, or charitable name, mark, logo, or other identification, including, but not limited to, on his uniform, on his body, in his hair, or otherwise," courtesy of ESPN's Bobby Marks.

Ball, who acquired the tattoo over the summer, began to cover it ahead of Tuesday's game against the Miami Heat in order to avoid league punishment, according to Wojnarowski.

The Hornets guard is reportedly arguing that he's used the initials well before using "LaFrance" as the name of his clothing brand and that other players have had visible tattoos of other company logos in the past. However, the NBA reportedly said those players didn't have commercial endorsement deals with the respective brands, meaning they didn't violate the league's policy.

Both sides are expected to continue discussing possible solutions to the matter.

It's not the first time the league has required a Ball brother to cover up their ink. The NBA also instructed Lonzo Ball to hide a "Big Baller Brand" tattoo on his arm in 2018 during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers.