NBA players are defined by passion, intensity, and raw emotion, but sometimes that fire crosses the line. While some ejections are clearly deserved, others remain controversial years or even decades later.
These are full-scale and minor brawls that stunned fans. These bizarre moments prove that getting tossed from an NBA game doesn't always require throwing a punch.
Here's an in-depth look at the most shocking, bizarre, and debated ejections in NBA history.
Ron Artest and the 'Malice at the Palace'
No NBA ejection list starts anywhere else. On November 19, 2004, a late-game foul during a matchup between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons ignited one of the darkest moments in league history. As tensions escalated, a fan hurled a drink at Ron Artest, triggering chaos.
Artest charged into the stands and struck the wrong fan, while teammates Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal became involved in the melee. The fallout was unprecedented: nine players were suspended for a combined 146 games. Artest received an 86-game suspension, the longest ever for an on-court incident.
The brawl has permanently affected NBA security protocols and player-fan boundaries since then.
Dennis Rodman Kicks a Cameraman
Dennis Rodman's Hall of Fame résumé came with controversy, but this incident crossed a clear line. During a January 15, 1997, game between the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves, Rodman tripped over a baseline cameraman and reacted by kicking him in frustration.
The NBA suspended Rodman for 11 games and fined him $25,000. Even by Rodman's standards, the moment stood out as a clear example of emotion overtaking judgment.
Tim Duncan Ejected for Laughing
One of the most infamous and baffling ejections in NBA history occurred on April 15, 2007. After disputing a call during a Spurs-Mavericks game, Tim Duncan received a technical foul. Moments later, referee Joey Crawford issued a second technical, not for arguing, but for laughing on the bench.
Public backlash was swift. The NBA fined Duncan $25,000, but suspended Crawford for improper conduct and removed him from officiating the 2007 NBA Finals. It was hilarious to think that such an incident would happen until this day.
Rasheed Wallace's 'Stare-Down' Ejection
Rasheed Wallace owns the NBA record with 29 career ejections, and one of the strangest came during the 2000 Western Conference Finals. After picking up an earlier technical, Wallace was ejected simply for staring at referee Ron Garretson.
No words were exchanged, but the official deemed the look "intimidating." Wallace would later break the single-season technical foul record, further cementing his contentious relationship with NBA officiating.
Draymond Green's Headlock on Rudy Gobert
In a more recent flashpoint, Draymond Green once again found himself at the center of controversy. While attempting to intervene in a scuffle involving Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels, Green escalated the situation by placing Rudy Gobert in a headlock.
The act led to Green's immediate ejection and reignited debate about his on-court behavior, discipline history, and the fine line between intensity and recklessness.
© Copyright 2026 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
