3 times NBA players were fined for crowd interactions feat. Anthony Edwards

NBA: Playoffs-Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers - Source: Imagn — 3 times NBA players were fined for crowd interaction feat. Anthony Edwards (Image: IMAGN)

The NBA often features moments between intense players and passionate fans, where home-team fans try to trash-talk the away players. Sometimes, these moments escalate and cross the line, prompting the league to step in with fines to maintain professionalism.

Despite the measures taken, several incidents have been recorded over the years, especially during the intensity of the playoffs, wherein players have engaged in inappropriate crowd interactions.

3 times NBA players were fined for crowd interactions

#1 Anthony Edwards (April 22, 2025)

During their 117-95 Game 1 win over the LA Lakers on Saturday, Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards took trash talk with Lakers fans too far, which landed him a $50,000 fine. As released by the NBA, Edwards was fined for "directing inappropriate language and making an obscene gesture towards a fan."

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

The incident took place during a third-quarter timeout and was captured by a camera in the crowd. Anthony Edwards sat on the scorer's table as he engaged in a verbal back-and-forth with an unseen fan before grabbing his crotch and making a vulgar comment as he made his way back on the court.

Expand Tweet

#2 Kyrie Irving (April 18, 2022)

During Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics in the 2022 playoffs, Kyrie Irving, who played for the Brooklyn Nets then, showed his middle finger to the Celtics crowd after draining a three. Irving was fined $50,000 for the inappropriate action.

Expand Tweet

Kyrie Irving has been subject to constant hostility from the Celtics fans ever since he left the team to join the Nets in 2019. The veteran guard was being booed throughout the game, which seemingly prompted Irving to respond with his middle finger.

#3 Draymond Green (May 3, 2022)

Draymond Green was fined $25,000 for "directing an obscene gesture toward the spectator stands" during Game 2 of the Golden State Warriors' second-round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies in 2022. The Warriors forward flashed both his middle fingers at Grizzlies fans who were booing him as he walked to the locker room with a bloodied right eye.

Expand Tweet

In the postgame interview, Draymond Green wasn't remorseful. Instead, he said that Memphis fans deserved it for booing an injured player and noted that it felt really good to do so.

“You’re going to boo somebody who got elbowed in the eye and has blood running down his face, you should get flipped off," Green said. "I’ll take the fine. I'll go do an appearance and make up the money. It felt really good to flip them off."

Green further said that it was "nasty" on the fans' part and that he showed them that he could be "nasty" too.

About the author

Mathews Kannanthara is a journalist and a basketball enthusiast who specializes in the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda. While his educational background lies in architecture, his passion for basketball has been nurtured through years of playing as captain for school and college teams, winning various tournaments along the way.

As a fan of the Golden State Warriors, Mathews is drawn to the leadership and the 'I can do all things' approach of 'Chef Curry.' He also holds fond memories of Kobe Bryant's legendary 60-point farewell game.

Mathews strives to deliver top-notch content by understanding his readers' preferences and conducting thorough research. Beyond basketball, Mathews puts his energy into music, showcasing his talent as a drummer.

Know More

NBA Trade Rumors: New York Knicks set sights on 6-foot-10 European center LeBron James was willing to take pay cut for

Edited by Nicolaas Ackermann