The 2023-24 season has been rather exciting thus far, thanks to high-scoring affairs, rising stars, and, for better or for worse, wild action on the court, leading to increased ejections league-wide. Both and are just two examples of players who were ejected during games for seemingly inexplicable reasons. With that said, there have been many times over the course of the league's 77-year history when players have been ejected for different reasons. While Paul has received seven ejections in his career, and Jokic eight, there are a few
NBA players whose ejection numbers seem insurmountable. GIVEMESPORT lists the five players with the most ejections in NBA history. 1. Rasheed Wallace Right at the very top is former NBA superstar and 2004 NBA Champion, Rasheed Wallace. Having played 16 seasons in the NBA, Wallace earned a reputation as one of the toughest players on the court. He was a great defender and rebounder, and could score the basket with relative ease as well. However, he did have some anger issues and often got into it with players and referees. Rasheed Wallace – Career Stats Games Per Ejection Ejected Every 38 Games Personal Fouls Per Game 2.9 Total Technical Fouls 317 Total Flagrant Fouls 6 As such, he received a staggering 29 ejections over the course of his career. He was aggressive, and this was something officials did not like. In fact, he even has some of the most ridiculous ejections in the history of the league. Case in point, back in the 1999-2000 season when he was ejected for simply staring at a referee. With 29 to his name, it feels like no one will ever cross Wallace and take up the No.1 spot for most ejections. Then again, this is the NBA and anything can happen. 2. Draymond Green Coming in at second place, and the only active player on this list, has 19 ejections to his name and counting. If there is one thing Green is known for, it's his tenacity and tendency to clash with players and authority on the court. And, it is this that has resulted in him rising to the second spot on the list. Draymond Green – Career Stats Games Per Ejection Ejected Every 38 Games Personal Fouls Per Game 2.8 Total Technical Fouls 147 Total Flagrant Fouls 15 Green is in his 12th year in the NBA and already has a few notable ejections during the 2023-24 season. He infamously placed Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a headlock, leading to a kerfuffle between the Golden State Warriors and their opponents. Not long after returning from his suspension, he got ejected and suspended again for striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the head during a game. As a result of his actions, the NBA suspended the power forward indefinitely and subjected him to counselling to tend to whatever problems had been plaguing him mentally during the season. At the age of 33, Green still has a lot of good
basketball in him. However, whether he will be able to attain the No.1 spot on this list is questionable. Especially, considering just how many ejections this player has received. 3. Dwight Howard Coming in third is , the center many consider to be a future Hall of Famer. Over the course of his 18-season NBA career, the big man has been ejected 17 times. Having played for the , , Houston Rockets, Charlotte Hornets, , Philadelphia 76ers, and , Howard was considered to be somewhat of a jovial figure in the locker room. Dwight Howard – Career Stats Games Per Ejection Ejected Every 73 Games Personal Fouls Per Game 3.1 Total Technical Fouls 171 Total Flagrant Fouls 22 However, it would seem as though NBA officials weren't a big fan of him. While he was a fun teammate, there were times when Dwight was a menace on the court. He regularly fought with opposing players, and sometimes, even attempted to fight the referees. In fact, he once got ejected for mistakenly walking into Montrezl Harrell in 2021, leading to much debate about the power officials now possess. Unfortunately, Howard's string of ejections followed him to Taiwan, where he was one of 12 people ejected in a T1 Basketball League game. However, his ejections are not enough to get him in the top two. 4. Charles Barkley Perhaps one of the most infamous advocates against referees is none other than . The Round Mound of Rebound played for the , the , and the , and on all three of these teams, he had his moments where he clashed with the officials. This led to a whopping 16 ejections, which has him tied for fourth on the all-time list. Charles Barkley – Career Stats Games Per Ejection Ejected Every 67 Games Personal Fouls Per Game 3.1 Total Technical Fouls 329 Total Flagrant Fouls 11 Never one to back down, the Hall of Famer was considered a thorn in the side of the referees. As a result, it can be said that a few of those ejections were certainly unwarranted. Nevertheless, there were definitely more than a few incidents on the court where Barkley got into it and was rightfully given his marching orders. Perhaps the two most infamous incidents were in 1990 when he brawled with Detroit Pistons legend Bill Laimbeer, and in 1999 when he and his now Inside the NBA panel member, Shaquille O'Neal, had a scuffle. In both cases, there can be no denying that he deserved it, so, for a player as confrontational as Barkley was, 16 ejections aren't that surprising. 5. Anthony Mason Tying Barkley with 16 ejections is a lesser-known figure in the NBA's history, Anthony Mason. The definition of a "journeyman," Mason played for the , the , the , the , the , and the over the course of his 13 years in the NBA. Anthony Mason – Career Stats Games Per Ejection Ejected Every 55 Games Personal Fouls Per Game 2.7 Total Technical Fouls 192 Total Flagrant Fouls 5 Primarily known for his strength, he was a defensive force that ran through most of his opponents. This, understandably, led to him clashing with a lot of his colleagues on the court. More often than not, this resulted in him getting ejected quite a few times, usually after some heated confrontations. In fact, he was involved in the infamous "melee" at the
American Wild Wild West Arena, where he was ejected alongside his Knicks teammates Greg Anthony, John Starks, and Doc Rivers in a 1993 game against the Phoenix Suns. Sadly, Mason passed away eight years ago in 2015. Nevertheless, he is remembered as one of the most competitive players in NBA history, and his legacy lives on in all the heated, but iconic moments he had on the hardwood floor.