NBA Fines Thunder's Dort and Pelicans' Fears for On-Court Clash

Incident occurred during recent game between Oklahoma City and New Orleans

Jan. 29, 2026 at 3:31pm

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The NBA has fined Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort and New Orleans Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears $25,000 each for their roles in an on-court altercation that took place during a recent game between the two teams.

Why it matters

Altercations and physical confrontations between players are taken seriously by the NBA, which aims to maintain a professional and sportsmanlike atmosphere on the court. Fines are a common disciplinary measure used by the league to discourage such incidents and promote good conduct among players.

The details

According to the NBA's announcement, Dort and Fears were involved in an on-court confrontation during the game. The league determined that both players were responsible for the incident and issued matching $25,000 fines as a result.

  • The on-court altercation occurred during a recent game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans.

The players

Luguentz Dort

Guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jeremiah Fears

Guard for the New Orleans Pelicans.

James Jones

Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations for the NBA.

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What they’re saying

“Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort and New Orleans Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears have each been fined $25,000 for their roles in an on-court altercation, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.”

— James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations (NBA)

The takeaway

The NBA's swift action in fining both players involved in the on-court altercation underscores the league's commitment to maintaining a professional and sportsmanlike environment on the court, even in the heat of competition between rival teams.