Bobcats' Morrison fined $25,000 for obscene gesture

I had the opportunity to meet Morrison last June and I would have never suspected that the former Gonzaga star would overreact in the way he did. Sometimes the heat of the moment gets to young players.

April 10, 2007

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Charlotte Bobcats forward Adam Morrison was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for making an obscene gesture to a fan during a game in Miami.

Morrison made the gesture while sitting on the bench late in overtime during Charlotte's 111-103 win over the Heat on Sunday. Morrison did not play in the game because of a sprained knee, the first game he missed this season.

Morrison said he was being heckled throughout the game.

"I've got to learn to take it, I guess, but I think the guy went over the edge a little bit, calling me 'white trash' over and over again," said Morrison, who also sat out Tuesday's game against Miami. "I reacted naturally and I made a mistake. I hurt the organization and the team. I'm sorry about it and it will never happen again."

Morrison, the No. 3 overall pick in last year's draft, is averaging 11.9 points and is shooting 38 percent from the field this season. Bobcats coach Bernie Bickerstaff said he's still learning how to react to hostile crowds.

"Adam has those sonar ears, like a bat," Bickerstaff said. "That's another thing a rookie has to learn. ... When you move to this level, you've got fans, they're as good at what they as the players on the court."

Updated on Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 7:04 pm EDT