Lance Stephenson: 'Ear-blowing incident overshadowed me on the court'

Charlotte Hornets' new signing Lance Stephenson has spoken out about his ear-blowing incident involving LeBron James, stating that the controversy has overshadowed his ability on the court.

Stephenson was caught aggravating James when his previous side the Indiana Pacers took on the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference playoff finals earlier this year.

"I feel like it overshadowed my play on the court," said Stephenson, according to the NBA's official website.

"I bring more to the table than just blowing in someone's ear. I'm a great player."

The 23-year-old guard recently put pen to paper on a three-year, $27m (£15.8m) contract with Charlotte.