Los Angeles Clippers star Norman Powell trash-talked at a pregame ceremony on Martin Luther King Day honoring the civil rights champion, accidentally calling him “Martin Luther Cream.”
Powell didn't seem to realize his own mistake and continued his speech before the Clippers' game against the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.
Powell's jersey was worn throughout the NBA on MLK Day and says “Honor King” on the front. The back of the t-shirt says: “The time is always right to do the right thing.”
“I want to thank everyone for coming out and celebrating the life of Martin Luther Cream,” Powell said discordantly. “He was a great man.”
Powell didn't let the mistake affect his play, scoring a team-high 27 points in the Clippers' 112-99 loss to the Bulls.
Some on social media were amused by the obvious mistake.
LA Clippers star Norman Powell made a mistake on Monday when he said 'Martin Luther Cream'
Powell did not acknowledge the mistake at the time, but NBA fans on social media quickly did.
“I have a cream,” said one social media user, tweaking King's infamous “I have a dream” speech.
“Bro made a mistake and used group chat slang,” another NBA fan said.
'Give him a break. He's just nervous and stutters. Damn,” added one Clippers fan.
'Is that a new Ben & Jerry's flavor?' said one person, referring to the ice cream brand.
A collection of social media posts about Norman Powell's MLK gaffe Monday night
Powell has yet to react to the error on his social media, as he is nervous about speaking in front of more than 15,000 people as a plausible excuse.
The 31-year-old is a 10-year NBA veteran and spent most of his career with the Toronto Raptors before heading to Los Angeles.
With Kawhi Leonard out for most of this season, Powell has taken a step forward to become one of the team's best players.
After Monday's loss, Los Angeles sits in fifth place in the Western Conference standings.