James GordonOne of the most frequently asked questions on our Discord has been: “What are some of the longest player suspensions in all-time?” This article is your answer.
The “longest nba suspension for fighting” is a list of the 10 longest player suspensions in NBA history. The list includes players that were suspended for fighting, as well as those who were suspended for other reasons.
When NBA players are banned, it is often an unpleasant sight since they are jeopardizing their reputations while also damaging their clubs. Franchises want their players to be ready at all times since conditions might change at any moment due to transactions or injuries. Every NBA club that wants to win games and be championship contenders at some time needs a deep roster.
During the Lakers vs. Pistons game on Sunday evening, there was a brawl between LeBron James and Isaiah Stewart. James swung and smacked Stewart in the face while boxing out for a rebound at the free-throw line, leaving him bleeding. Things quickly became tense, and a brawl was on the verge of erupting. As a result, James will be punished for the following game, and the big man will be out for two games.
Situations like these are detrimental to both clubs, since Detroit wants to play its big man in order to develop him, while the Lakers absolutely need James on the court to win games. Suspensions are not, by any means, a good thing on two opposing sides of the argument. Looking back at NBA history, there have been a slew of player bans that have impacted a team’s season, and we’ve compiled a list of the top ten. While some of these athletes engaged in improper behavior, others took it to the next level by making really bad decisions. The ten longest player bans in NBA history are shown below.
Hedo Turkoglu (Hedo Turkoglu) – 20 Games
Julio Cortez/AP Photo
Hedo Turkoglu, one of the most brilliant European players of his generation, received a 20-game ban from the NBA. According to reports, the Turkish used steroids after testing positive for them in order to improve his performance on the court. Hedo used methenolone to heal from a lingering shoulder ailment in 2013, and this is what occurred. Rather of doing research into what would contravene the league’s Health and Safety rules, Turkoglu took a gamble, which backfired.
Turkoglu accepted full responsibility for his conduct and confessed that taking advantage of the Orlando Magic was not the best decision. The Turkish forward said he didn’t verify it against the NBA’s list of prohibited drugs. Hedo’s career came to an end after the 2013 season, as the forward would go on to play two more seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers before retiring at the age of 35.
Jeff Taylor has a total of 24 games under his belt.
Jeff Taylor played in fewer than 140 games in three seasons with the Charlotte Bobcats. The 6’7″ forward was picked No. 31 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft, and his most enduring memory was his league-imposed 24-game ban. Taylor admitted to misdemeanor counts of domestic violence assault and willful damage of hotel property. To make things worse, Taylor was given an 18-month probationary term. Taylor showed hints of becoming an excellent role player despite not seeming like a starting-caliber player throughout his career.
In his second season, he averaged 24.2 minutes per game, putting up 8.0 points and 2.3 rebounds. Taylor was too short to play power forward, but he was well-built for a small forward, indicating that he could play many positions in the current NBA. Unfortunately for him, his domestic abuse lost him his NBA career, and the forward currently plays for Real Madrid in Spain.
Jodie Meeks – 25 Games, No. 8
The Milwaukee Bucks selected Jodie Meeks No. 41 overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, but he was moved to the Philadelphia 76ers during his rookie season. Meeks, a sharpshooting guard, shot 37.3 percent from three for his career and had four seasons in which he shot over 40 percent from three. Meeks had a successful NBA career as a role player with the 76ers, Lakers, and Pistons.
However, after breaching the NBA’s anti-drug policy in 2018, player Jodie Meeks was banned for 25 games. Meeks tested positive for growth hormone-related prohibited drugs, although denying intentionally taking anything that would result in his suspension. However, he was unable to persuade the NBA, and he was banned for a portion of the 2019 season before being transferred and subsequently dismissed. Fortunately, Meeks was a member of the 2019 NBA champion Raptors, so he was able to finish his career on a high note.
Kermit Washington has 26 games under his belt.
After landing a vicious punch in the face of Rudy Tomjanovich in front of the officials in a melee in 1977, Washington earned a massive fine and a 26-game ban, severely affecting the Lakers and their showtime period, but obviously Rudy had the worst of it and was critically damaged.
Stephen Jackson – 30 Games is number six on the list.
Duane Burleson/AP Photo
Stephen Jackson, one of the prominent faces seen across the globe during the “Malice at the Palace incident” in 2004, was handed a 30-game ban for supporting his teammate Ron Artest during an all-out fight. On many occasions, Jackson said that he was always devoted to his teammates and would go to battle with them if necessary. Unfortunately, the adversaries were members of the audience.
Jackson stepped up into the seats to assist Ron Artest in fending off enraged fans, which did not sit well with NBA Commissioner David Stern. Jackson was foolish to go into the crowd, and fighting fans is an utter catastrophe by NBA standards, despite believing in his values and acting in self-defense on other instances. As depicted in the documentary “Untold: Malice at the Palace,” the small forward received a 30-game ban, which harmed a promising Indiana Pacers squad.
5. Javaris Crittenton has 38 games under his belt.
One of the saddest tales in NBA history is that of Javaris Crittenton. The Los Angeles Lakers selected the 6’5″ shooting guard No. 19 overall in the 2007 NBA Draft, and he played two seasons until his career was cut short due to an absurd incident with Gilbert Arenas. Crittenton’s infraction, like Arenas’, was carrying and keeping an unregistered pistol in his locker. The NBA banned him for 38 games, almost half a season, after he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor gun possession charges.
Crittenton was also sentenced to one year of unsupervised probation and community service. Because Javaris lacked the skill of All-Star Gilbert Arenas, he was deemed disposable by the Wizards and was released, never to return to the league. Unfortunately for Crittenton, this episode would be a foreshadowing of things to come, as he would be charged with manslaughter in 2011 while serving a 23-year jail term.
Gilbert Arenas has 50 games under his belt.
(Image courtesy of Epicbuzzer)
Gilbert Arenas was one of the league’s most gifted and prolific scorers, with a potential to make the Hall of Fame. Arenas, who was selected 31st overall by the Golden State Warriors, became a three-time All-Star with the Washington Wizards, forging a formidable combination alongside Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler. Gilbert was known as Agent Zero for his game-winning shots and his 60-point effort against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in 2006.
Arenas, on the other hand, is infamous for a blunder with former teammate Javaris Crittenton, in which he brought and stored firearms in the locker room. Arenas was banned without pay for breaking NBA and municipal Washington D.C. regulations. An inquiry was initiated into the event. Gilbert was never the same after that episode, because it’s difficult to bounce back when your own team has given up on you. Gilbert is another another “what if” scenario, and his lack of foresight lost him a spot in the NBA Hall of Fame.
3. Latrell Sprewell has 68 games under his belt.
Latrell Sprewell had a long and illustrious career, thanks in large part to his shenanigans. The 6’5″ small forward was selected 24th overall in the 1992 NBA Draft and went on to make two All-Star Teams with the Golden State Warriors, averaging 15.4 points per game. Sprewell seemed to be bound for success thanks to his strong all-around game and offensive ability. The forward accomplished the unimaginable by assaulting his own head coach during his third All-Star season.
Sprewell and head coach PJ Carlesimo got into a fight after the NBA star punched, strangled, and threatened the other party. This wasn’t the first time Latrell had a brawl with teammates; he had similar occurrences in 1993 and 1995. Sprewell’s 68-game punishment was unforgivably harsh, and his reputation suffered greatly as a result. Sprewell would eventually be sentenced to house arrest for reckless driving during his ban, making circumstances much worse for the brilliant NBA player. If he had stayed focused, the forward would have been a true All-Star for years, since his skill alone earned him spots on four All-Star teams in 13 seasons, but he might have been much better.
2. Ron Artest has 86 games under his belt.
Ron Artest was one of the most well-known and infamous players in NBA history, with a reputation for being a touch “odd” in his thoughts and behavior. He was a true basketball fan, and his defensive skills made him one of the most influential small forwards of his generation. Artest was selected 16th overall in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls, and as a member of the Indiana Pacers in 2004, he was named Defensive Player of the Year. Artest was named to his first NBA All-Star team and All-NBA team that season.
Aside from his outstanding season, Artest (now Metta World Peace) served as Kobe Bryant’s sidekick throughout the Lakers’ 2010 championship run. Ron Artest, on the other hand, will be known for the notorious “Malice at the Palace.” Artest was enraged when a bottle landed on his head, and he ran into the throng, flinging blows at his target in the crowd. By doing so, Artest violated every NBA rule, and David Stern was certain that the forward would suffer hefty penalties (about $5 million in salary lost) and an 86-game ban. Artest’s ban is the longest for an on-court incident in NBA history, and few could dispute with it.
1. O.J. Mayo has 164 games under his belt.
Image courtesy of Getty Images
O.J. Mayo’s career-ending ban was not overshadowed by Ron Artest’s participation in the historic “Malice at the Palace” incident. The shooting guard was the No. 3 overall choice in the NBA Draft in 2008, and he had a lot of promise as a scorer and sharpshooter. He was named to the All-Rookie Team after coming second to Kevin Durant for Rookie of the Year and averaging 18.5 points per game. While Durant was a one-of-a-kind scorer, Mayo was also flashing his talent. Memphis, they felt, had a rising star on their hands.
Mayo’s all-around game never improved, and he was moved twice more until his remarkable ban in 2016. Mayo acknowledged to taking marijuana and abusing painkillers, all of which are prohibited by the NBA. As a result, the shooting guard faces a two-year suspension from the league, with the possibility of reinstatement during the 2019 season. Mayo was 31 years old at the time, and he couldn’t recapture the borderline All-Star form he had shown earlier in his career.
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The “who threw the cup at the malice at the palace” is a video that has gone viral. The video shows an angry fan throwing a cup at one of the players on the opposing team, causing him to be suspended for 10 games.
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