5 scandals in the NBA which shocked the fans across the globe

#3 Kobe Bryant’s sexual assault case

In July 2003, the late LA Lakers’ legend was accused of rape by a 19-year old woman hotel employee. Bryant was recuperating from a rotator cuff surgery and had checked in at The Lodge and Spa at Cordillera, a hotel in Edwards, Colorado.

NBA legend Kobe Bryant was also involved ina serious controversy.

The June 30th incident led to a lawsuit which eventually concluded with an out-of-court settlement and a former apology from the Lakers’ player. The woman in question had accused Bryant of inviting her to his room on the pretense of a hotel tour and eventually kissed and groped her without consent.

The charges were taken back after the out-of-court settlement towards the end of the same year.

#2 Tim Donaghy betting scandal

Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in jail and around three years of supervised release. Donaghy was found using his NBA knowledge to bet on professional basketball games in the 2005-06 and the 2006-07 NBA seasons.

In 2007, the NBA was caught off-guard by a gambling scandal involving referee Tim Donaghy.Now—through data analysis and an aggressive push to educate players and teams—the league is positioned to protect itself, writes @SIChrisMannix https://t.co/rgnXXw6UyT

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) August 9, 2021

During his trial, Tim Donaghy also alleged that multiple NBA Playoff games were deliberately officiated incorrectly, with some personal calls and fouls ignored on the NBA’s instructions. While the controversy was huge, the allegations were later quashed after Tim Donaghy was found guilty of betting.

#1 Malice in the Palace

During Indiana Pacers’ regular season encounter with the Detroit Pistons in 2004, Ron Artest was involved in a brawl with Ben Wallace after committing a personal foul. Wallace shoved him back which resulted in a brawl that comprised of both teams’ benches, and fans who rushed to the court.

The brawl led to the NBA restricting the amount of alcohol sold in games.

Film Review: ‘Untold: Malice in the Palace’ explains one of America’s most captivating sports tragediesArticle from Adonis Fryerhttps://t.co/5u1b4nuOH0

— The Post (@ThePost) August 26, 2021

Malice in the Palace is considered to be the worst fan-based brawl that has ever occurred in the NBA. It led to a total of 9 players who were on the court to be suspended for a total of 146 NBA games. The punishment also included a year’s probation, fine and community service for 5 of the players most notably involved.