NBA player fined $40,000 for saying 'no homo' during interview. LeBron James used same phrase in 2010 and reportedly wasn't fined.

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas was fined $40,000 by the National Basketball Association for using "derogatory and disparaging language" during a live interview Thursday night, Yahoo Sports reported.

What are the details?

Following the Nets' win over the Chicago Bulls, TNT’s Jared Greenberg asked if the Nets needed to "bring on the good looks because you were lacking that" — a humorous question based on new guard Spencer Dinwiddie and forward Dorian Finney-Smith joking at their first news conference after being traded to Brooklyn that the Nets wanted "the best-looking" players given that the team needed "some help in that department," Yahoo Sports said.

Thomas replied, "I seen it, but I was like, man, he's just talking for the laughs. We already had good-looking dudes, no homo."

Dinwiddie, who was standing with Thomas during the interview, responded with a shocked laugh at the comment, while Greenberg said, "All right. [I'm] sure the league office will enjoy that one."

Thomas later that night tweeted an apology.

"I want to apologize for the insensitive word I used in the post-game interview. I was excited about the win and was being playful. I definitely didn't intend to offend anyone, but realize that I probably did," Thomas said. "My apologies again. Much love."

Not the first time

As you might expect, this wasn't the first time an NBA player used that particular phrase — and the outcomes varied.

Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert was fined $75,000 for saying "no homo" and using profanity during a 2013 press conference, Business Insider said.

In 2018, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic said "no homo" in comments to the media and was fined $25,000. NBC Sports opined at the time that "Jokic’s particular comment, however intended, reinforces the harmful idea that there’s something wrong with being gay, that a straight person must strain himself to ensure he’s never mistaken for gay. It’s disgusting, and the NBA has correctly determined there’s no place for it in the workplace."

On the contrary, according to Black Sports Online, superstar LeBron James uttered the "no homo" remark in 2010 and wasn't fined for it.

Gus Vs Lebron No Homoyoutu.be

BSO added that at the time of James' remark "social media was growing, but media was slow to adapt to it, and something like this went unnoticed."