{"id":22664,"date":"2019-06-19T04:36:04","date_gmt":"2019-06-19T04:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportscroll.com\/?p=22664"},"modified":"2024-02-02T23:10:36","modified_gmt":"2024-02-02T23:10:36","slug":"21-most-notorious-lawbreakers-in-nba-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.sportscroll.com\/21-most-notorious-lawbreakers-in-nba-history\/","title":{"rendered":"21 Most Notorious Lawbreakers In NBA History"},"content":{"rendered":"
While many National Basketball Association (NBA) superstars past and present have become role models for their young fans, there’s also another subset of the sport that has walked a different, darker path.<\/p>\n
For every Lebron James or a similarly revered star, there are even more basketball players that have run afoul of the law and paid for it. Some were stars, others were merely role players, but ultimately they all sullied their own names by ending up in police blotters.<\/p>\n
The best and brightest of NBA stars are obviously at the forefront of headlines because of their on-court accomplishments. You already know about them, of course. We chronicled the NBA players who became known more for their arrest records. Here are the 25 most notorious criminals in NBA history:<\/p>\n
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Lowry just won an NBA title with the sky-high Toronto Raptors in their upset of longtime dynasty Golden State Warriors. But there was a time when Lowry wasn’t looked upon with such fondness.<\/p>\n
In early 2012, the Raptors star was arrested on a misdemeanor battery charge. The details of the charge are not encouraging. During the NBA lockout, Lowry played a pick-up game with other pros in Las Vegas, Nevada, that got him heated. Lowry had issues with female referee Infini Robinson, allegedly threatening her verbally and even throwing a basketball at her due to her supposedly bad calls. Another referee present, Bobby McRoy, told Bleacher Report the star has rage issues:<\/p>\n
“Lowry was abusive with him as well and believes that he has an anger problem. He said during the game Lowry was verbally combative and confrontational to the victim leading up to the incident where he battered her twice with basketballs.”<\/p>\n
A warrant was issued for his arrest for his role in the incident and he was hit with two counts of battery. Lowry was eventually required to complete “impulse-control management” in addition to 100 hours of community service.<\/p>\n
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The ‘Big Dog’ had an impressive NCAA career at Purdue University, making him the first pick of the 1994 NBA draft, and a solid enough career in the NBA. However, towards the latter end of his NBA career, he sullied his good name by committing a drunken act of domestic violence in 2002.<\/p>\n
On July 20, 2002, an intoxicated Robinson paid a visit to ex Jonta French, in Chicago Heights, Illinois. Demanding to see the daughter they shared, Robinson was let inside. He then became violent, attacking and battering French. Making matters worse, he then procured a gun and chased his ex-fiancé with it. She eventually made it to a neighbor’s house where she called local police Robinson eventually received a light sentence as athletes often do. But presiding Judge Christopher Donnelly also gave the ‘Big Dog’ a verbal callout (via The Chicago Tribune):<\/p>\n
“It’s shocking what you did. You might have had some grievances, but you had no right to take it out on the mother of your daughter. You are a role model. And as such, you brought shame on yourself and your family, and you let your fans down.”<\/p>\n
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Woods will never have the notoriety of disgraced former NFL star Michael Vick, but he committed the same crime. He was arrested on charges of animal cruelty in 2004 for operating a dog-fighting ring at his residence Portland, where he played for the local Trailblazers.<\/p>\n
He later pled guilty to misdemeanor animal abuse. However, he claimed that he had ‘tried’ to be a ‘responsible pet owner’ his entire life’ (via ABC News):<\/p>\n
“I’ve tried to be a responsible pet owner all of my life. Because of that I am very sorry and saddened that my dog, Hollywood, was injured. I also deeply regret the concern this has caused other pet owners and citizens in our community. I fully support the goals of the Humane Society and the fine work it does. For that reason, I have decided to make a financial contribution to the Humane Society in the amount of $10,000.”<\/p>\n
That’s all fine and dandy, but this crime and plea makes him one of the worst criminals in the NBA.<\/p>\n
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Robertson wasn’t exactly a well-known star in the NBA, but he did maintain a presence as a defensive wiz during his career. After his retirement, he went off the rails, however.<\/p>\n
Robertson broke into a woman’s home in San Antonio, Texas, where he played professional basketball. He reportedly strangled and bit her. Lovely stuff. Robertson was arrested and sentenced to nine months for assault, a year for a second assault charge, six months for resisting arrest, and four months for criminal trespass. The trouble didn’t stop there, however. He was popped in 2010 for kidnapping a 14-year-old girl for child sex trafficking. He allegedly forced her to perform lewd acts on him. The charges were eventually dropped five years later but the damage was no doubt done.<\/p>\n
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He was a polarizing personality during his NBA career, yet most of Butler’s off-the-court trouble came before he made it as a pro.<\/p>\n
Growing up with a troubled upbringing, Butler revealed he had been arrested an alarming 15 times before he was only 15 years old. Butler actually cleaned up his act a significant amount in that regard before becoming an effective professional.<\/p>\n
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Patterson played in the NBA for the Portland Trailblazers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Seattle SuperSonics, and Milwaukee Bucks.<\/p>\n
But it’s his grotesque arrest incident from 2000 that lands him on this list. Patterson forced a then-23-year-old family babysitter to perform oral sex on him. This all came while his beloved wife was on the mend from surgery, mind you. Patterson was forced to become a registered sex offender. He avoided jail time because he paid the babysitter $400,000 in a settlement.<\/p>\n
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Perkins had a solid career with the Celtics, Thunder, Cavaliers, Pelicans, and Cavs again. He even won a title with Boston in 2008.<\/p>\n
But it was his August 2011 arrest that lands him on this dubious rundown of the NBA’s worst criminals. Like Kyle Lowry, Perkins got into trouble during the 2011 NBA lockout. He incited a chaotic melee at The Ticket nightclub in Beaumont, Texas, where he was arrested for misdemeanor disorderly conduct and public intoxication after trying to fight the club’s manager. When he was shoved out the back door, he continued to shout obscenities and fight other people. Perkins was in Beaumont to host a camp for his foundation, whose goal was to help children with drug awareness and life skills. Alright.<\/p>\n
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The seven-foot ‘Candy Man’ could also land on the list of biggest busts after he flopped as the first pick of the 1998 NBA Draft. His lack of production on the court was quite calm compared to an incident he was arrested for in 2001, however.<\/p>\n
The story went that Olowokandi came home with a female ‘friend’ to the ire of his then-partner, Suzanne Ketcham. When she confronted him about his alleged transgression, Olowokandi hit her, took her jewelry, and procured all relevant surveillance videos of the incident for his own safekeeping.<\/p>\n
He was arrested for three serious felonies of robbery, false imprisonment, and cohabitant abuse. Able to pay a high-priced lawyer, Olowokandi eventually saw his charges reduced. He still deserves a spot on the list of the NBA’s most disgusting criminals.<\/p>\n
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West got into trouble involving guns when he was stopped by Maryland police for speeding in 2009. When officers searched him, they found a 9mm pistol, a .357 magnum, and even a shotgun sealed in a guitar case.<\/p>\n
He was picked up on two gun charges. West’s lawyer, C. Todd M. Steuart, claimed West was taking the guns from his mother’s home in Brandywine, Maryland, to his house in Fort Washington. Thankfully, no violence resulted from his firearms. West pleaded guilty and was sentenced by a Prince George’s County judge to eight months of home detention, two months of probation and 40 hours of community service.<\/p>\n