The NBA is full of sensational basketball players. But not all of them can keep the game to just what’s happening on the court, often finding themselves in arguments with referees and opposing players. With the referees having the power to eject players from a game for inappropriate behavior, many players find themselves being sent to the bench again and again.
- 9T. Dennis Rodman – 12 Ejections
- 9T. Reggie Miller – 12 Ejections
- 9T. Kenyon Martin Sr. – 12 Ejections
- 8. Matt Barnes – 13 Ejections
- 6T. DeMarcus Cousins – 14 Ejections
- 6T. Shaquille O’Neal – 14 Ejections
- 4T. Anthony Mason – 16 Ejections
- 4T. Charles Barkley – 16 Ejections
- 3. Dwight Howard – 17 Ejections
- 2. Draymond Green – 18 Ejections
- 1. Rasheed Wallace – 29 Ejections
Draymond Green just picked up his 18th career ejection, taking the solo spot as No. 2 all-time. With a few years still in him, Green can potentially climb even higher. But can he climb high enough to reach the all-time spot? That’ll be challenging given Rasheed Wallace will go down as the biggest referee pest of all time.
Outside of these two known referee antagonizers who often find themselves sent out of games, who are the players that picked up the most ejections throughout their NBA career? Let’s find out.
9T. Dennis Rodman – 12 Ejections
Dennis Rodman was one of the liveliest characters the NBA had ever seen. The five-time champion is one of the greatest rebounders the game has ever seen, but he had a manic aggression that made his feats possible. That aggression would spill outside of the game and often lead to rebellious moments that would see him get ejected. He picked up 12 ejections in his career, once even getting ejected intentionally.
9T. Reggie Miller – 12 Ejections
Reggie Miller may not be the first player you’d think of when you think of getting ejected from an NBA game, but prime Reggie was an on-court menace. Not only was he dazzling fans with his all-time shooting ability but he was also talking trash and getting into fights. Over his 18-year NBA career, Miller ended up receiving 12 ejections for his antics.
9T. Kenyon Martin Sr. – 12 Ejections
Kenyon Martin Sr. has shown his fiery side recently in various comments, lambasting the Dallas Mavericks and claiming Kyrie Irving is their best player over Luka Doncic. But his fiery takes are nothing compared to the fire he showed on the court. While playing for the New Jersey Nets for the majority of his prime, the incredible dunker was also a tenacious defender and enforcer. He wouldn’t shy away from the occasional hard foul and arguing with referees, picking up 12 ejections in his career.
8. Matt Barnes – 13 Ejections
Everyone knows and loves Matt Barnes for the candid nature of his commentary on the NBA. However, Barnes was also known for his temper and relied upon as an enforcer by the teams he was on. He never shied away from a confrontation, fight, or even argument during his 17-year NBA career. As a result, Barnes picked up 13 ejections over his career and outranks his co-host Stephen Jackson, who was prone to get thrown out of games as well.
6T. DeMarcus Cousins – 14 Ejections
One of the most recent pains for referees in the NBA was DeMarcus Cousins. A man who thought it was getting ridiculous with the poor treatment he was receiving from referees is bound to be among the all-time leaders in ejections. He once got ejected from a game while on the bench, joining a select few players who’ve been penalized like that (including Tim Duncan). Throughout his NBA career, which he hopes can resume after a few years out of the NBA, Cousins picked up 14 ejections.
6T. Shaquille O’Neal – 14 Ejections
Shaquille O’Neal was unstoppable on the court and he knew it. The swagger with which ‘The Big Diesel’ played could rub people the wrong way, especially when he was at his physical peak and dominating opponents while talking trash. Naturally, his aggressive play style eventually led to several technical fouls being issued in his name, with a few ejections sprinkled in there as well. He is a gentle giant off the court but was a demon on the court.
4T. Anthony Mason – 16 Ejections
A name modern NBA fans may not recall, Anthony Mason was the hard-nosed enforcer of one of the most rough teams in NBA history, the 1994 New York Knicks. Mason unfortunately passed away in 2016 but his highlight tape will remind everyone that he competed amongst the best in the league. The former Sixth Man of the Year winner was an All-Defense stalwart who was ready to step to anyone he felt disrespected by, including referees, which led to 16 ejections over his 14-year NBA career.
4T. Charles Barkley – 16 Ejections
Charles Barkley is a step behind his Inside the NBA co-host in a bunch of all-time lists such as championships and scoring, but this is one spot where he has him beat. Barkley is a former MVP and one of the greatest power forwards the league has ever seen, but in his prime, he was quite a handful for the referees as well. Barkley was unwilling to roll over for any player or decision, ready to knock out his opponents with his fist, something he’s tried in many NBA games. Over a career of scrapping, Barkley picked up 16 ejections and is fourth on the all-time list.
3. Dwight Howard – 17 Ejections
Up until the start of the 2023-24 season, Dwight Howard occupied the second position on this list. Similar to many big men on this list, Howard was always willing to take the brunt of physicality on the court, even if it led to him needing to rough up opponents and be assessed with technical fouls as a result. Often, it wasn’t just a foul but an ejection. Like Cousins, Howard hopes to return to the NBA and possibly add another to this list, but it seems he will sit at 17 career ejections for now.
2. Draymond Green – 18 Ejections
Green started the season tied for third place with Barkley and Mason, as he had 16 ejections. However, he picked up two ejections in three days this week. He first got tossed against the Cleveland Cavaliers and then against the Minnesota Timberwolves for putting Rudy Gobert in a headlock, which has also resulted in a five-game suspension. These incidents bring his tally up to 18, but he’s still a long way off the man on the top.
1. Rasheed Wallace – 29 Ejections
When you think of a referee ejecting a player in the NBA, you think of Rasheed Wallace. The man with the most open rivalry with NBA referees got to that point for a reason. Wallace always rallied against referees trying to exert their power on the game, with many using him to set an example. As a result, he has been ejected a whopping 29 times in his career. From yelling ‘ball don’t lie’ when a player misses an undeserved free throw to getting ejected simply for looking at a referee, we’ll never see an anti-referee figure like Wallace again.
Draymond would need to average 2 ejections per season for the next six years to beat the record, which means it could safely stand for the foreseeable future.
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