When Players Cross the Line: The NBA's longest ever bans

From intense fights to shocking scandals, the NBA has seen players hit with some major suspensions. Here’s a look at the longest bans in league history and the controversies that led to them.

The longest suspension handed down the NBA ever handed down dwarfs any other punishment ever doled out. Former guard O.J Mayo ended up missing two full seasons for violating the league’s anti-doping policy. He admitted to smoking marijuana and using pain-killer medications, according to Sports Illustrated. Mayo never returned to the league.

Artest is the central figure of one of the worst incidents in sports history. Malice at the Palace, as it is now widely known, involved Artest physically attacking a fan who threw a cup of liquid on him.

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The situation got out of hand quickly, as other fans and players jumped into the violent fracas. Artest missed the rest of the 2004-2005 regular season and postseason.

Sprewell is a beloved figure in New York for his time with the Knicks, but they may have only been able to acquire him due to his checkered past with the Golden State Warriors.

In December 1997, Sprewell reportedly choked head coach P.J. Carlesimo, which cost him the remainder of the 1997-1998 campaign. The incident was confirmed by ESPN and several other outlets.

The NBA found itself embroiled in a gun-related controversy in 2009, although it’s a little different than the Ja Morant situation in 2023. Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas was caught with an unlicensed gun in his locker, which was a major red flag for the league. He was the first player to be suspended indefinitely from the league, but would ultimately serve 50, as ESPN reported.

Arenas’ Wizards teammate Javaris Crittenton was also slapped with a 38-game suspension for the same violation. It was also reported by Sports Illustrated that the conflict began over a game of cards. Crittenton only ended up playing in 113 career NBA games with Washington, Memphis and the Los Angeles Lakers.

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When Artest found himself in a pickle in the Malice at The Palace incident back in 2004, Indiana Pacers teammate Stephen Jackson ran into the stands to help him. Jackson also physically attacked fans on that dreadful evening, which was a blemish for the NBA as a whole. The guard would end up missing 30 games as a result of his actions.

Washington threw one of the most vicious punches in sports history, as it connected with the face of Houston Rockets forward Rudy Tomjanovich. The latter was left in a world of hurt, suffering facial fractures after being knocked out cold, according to the LA Times.

The Lakers and Rockets were involved in a tussle that escalated quickly due to Washington’s right hook. Fortunately, Tomjanovich would also be remembered for being the head coach that guided the Houston Rockets to consecutive NBA titles in 1994 and 1995.

The most recent lengthy suspension doled out by the NBA was given to Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, who had to sit out the first 25 games of the 2023-2024 campaign. Morant had been caught on social media brandishing guns not once, but twice in 2023, which prompted the league to take action.

Unfortunately, Morant hurt his shoulder shortly after his suspension concluded, and was ruled out for the remainder of the 2023-2024 season.

Meeks certainly bounced around during his NBA career, playing for seven teams in ten seasons in the league. He was a solid floor spacer, connecting on over 37% of three-pointers during his NBA tenure., according to Basketball Reference.

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He was suspended for 25 games for taking a banned substance, although he claimed to ESPN that he didn’t know that it was part of a supplement he was using.

After pleading guilty to misdemeanor domestic violence charges and destroying hotel property, the NBA banned Taylor for 24 contests in 2014-2015. He played three seasons in the league for the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets, averaging just over six points per game in that span, as reported by Basketball Reference.

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An honorable mention has to go to Draymond Green, who was suspended from the league in December 2023 after striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face. The NBA didn’t want to put a timeframe on his ban to ensure Green had enough time to work out his issues before returning to the court, as the NBA official website reprted. He was just the second player, after the aforementioned Gilbert Arenas, to cop an indefinite suspension.