"Same charges you'll get for shooting & stabbing" - Jermaine O'Neal lays down how 'Malice at the Palace' branded him 'thug' & messed his career

Jermaine O'Neal has discussed how the Malice at the Palace, widely regarded as the most significant brawl in NBA history, had a profound impact on the course of his career, causing shockwaves and leaving a lasting stain on his legacy.

In an August 14, 2021 episode of the “All the Smoke” podcast, Jermaine O'Neal expressed frustration over how the Malice at the Palace incident has become one of the defining aspects for which he is known.

“This went on for like 10 years, bro. Like I had a felony. The same charges you'll get for shooting and stabbing somebody,” he said.

The infamous incident occurred on November 19, 2004, when the Indiana Pacers were visiting the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The game was halted with just 45.9 seconds remaining, with the Pacers leading 97-82, as a brawl ensued.

During the altercation sparked by a foul on Pistons center Ben Wallace by Pacers forward Ron Artest, Wallace responded by shoving Artest, initiating a brawl. Once the fight simmered down, a fan threw a drink at Artest, prompting him to enter the stands to confront the instigator.

Jermaine O'Neal played a role in the brawl as he rushed into the stands to defend Artest, escalating the chaos.

In August 2021, a documentary on the Malice at the Palace was released, and those participating in the brawl were branded as "thugs." Sportscaster Bob Costas expressed concerns about a "thug mentality" among players in the league, and in the middle of the film, there is a compilation of white media figures using the term "thug" while discussing the situation.

The center–power forward, who went on to have an 18-year career in the NBA, lamented how the incident allowed people to unfairly label him, his teammates and the league.

"The ‘thug’ word was thrown out (in the documentary) probably a thousand times,” he said. “All of a sudden it's it's about hip-hop music we listen to, it's about our cornrows about our tattoos.”

“What I did, what Jack (Stephen Jackson) did was in straight protection of my teammates. I mean, people talk about leadership, people talk about togetherness, people talk about brotherhood. That is tested when your ass is in a 20,000-seat arena and people are at you.”

Jermaine O'Neal was suspended 15 games due to the incident

Following the Malice at the Palace incident, Jermaine O'Neal initially received a 25-game suspension from the NBA. However, this penalty was later reduced to 15 games by a federal arbitrator.

Artest faced the most severe punishment, being suspended for the remainder of the season, which included 73 regular-season games and 13 playoff matches, resulting in a loss of $4,997,500 in salary.

Jackson, suspended for 30 games, incurred a loss of $1,750,000, while O'Neal lost $4,115,000 in salary.

In September 2005, Artest, Jackson, and O'Neal were each sentenced to one year on probation, mandated to complete 60 hours of community service, fined $250 and required to undergo anger management counseling.