21. Kyrie Gets Obscene With Celtics Fans

Year of Fine: 2022
Est. Fine Total: $50,000*
Regardless of his phenomenal talent, Kyrie Irving has bounced around the league due to his inability to coexist with other players or front-office personnel. As a member of the Brooklyn Nets in 2022, Irving faced off against his former team, the Boston Celtics, in the playoffs. In the series, Kyrie took aim at another demographic. Celtics fans.

Kyrie Gets Obscene With Celtics Fans Dustin ©Satloff/Getty Images
During a tough loss to his former team, Kyrie not only performed “obscene gestures” toward the fans in attendance, but he also hurled expletives at a fan after the game. Thanks to his duo of infractions, Kyrie was fined $50,000. The fine would have been less had Irving not been a repeat offender.

22. Kyle Busch Flipped The Bird To A Race Official

Year of Fine: 2010
Est. Fine Total: $25,000*
Going fast is the name of the game in car racing, or so we thought. As it turns out, there is a time and place for going fast — a lesson Kyle Busch learned the hard way. While competing at the Texas Motor Speedway in 2010, the former Nascar champion was actually penalized one lap for, that’s right, driving his race car too fast.

Kyle Busch Flipped The Bird To A Race Official ©Logan Riely /Getty Images
Busch was understandably upset by the handicap and decided to let race officials know the only way he knew how. Spoiler: it included the finger between his index and ring fingers. ‘Flipping the bird’ to the official cost Kyle $25,000 and an additional 2 laps.

23. Shaq Gets Fined $35,000 For Ref Comments

Year of Fine: 2010
Est. Fine Total: $35,000*
Shaquille O’Neal will go down in history as one of the NBA’s greatest players, but, though he’s always been a fan-favorite, we can’t say the same about the referees. For example, in 2010, Shaq fouled out after playing just thirteen minutes in the game between the Magic and Celtics.

Shaq Fined $35,000 For Ref Comments ©motorsports Photographer / Shutterstock
After the game, Shaq went off about his fouling-out, claiming that the fans “came out to see Number 26 today,” referring to Referee #26, Bob Delaney. Shaq continued, “He was great…out there today,” implying that Delaney swung the game against the Celtics. For his sharp words, Shaq was fined $35,000 by the NBA, reminding everyone why, once again, it is pointless to argue with the refs.

24. New England Patriots’ Legacy Is Almost Deflated

Year of Fine: 2015
Est. Fine Total: $1 Million*
To get a better grip on the ball during the 2014 AFC Championship Game against the Colts, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady took part in a scandal that involved removing air (deflating) game balls. The NFL fined the New England Patriots $1 million and had two of their 2016 draft picks taken away for cheating.

New England Patriots Legacy Is Almost Deflated ©Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images
Tom Brady didn’t get off as easy. He was suspended for the first 4 games of the 2015 season, costing him just over $3 million in salary. It’s a good thing he had his Under Armour, Footlocker, and other sponsorships to help pay the bills in the meantime.

25. Mike Tyson Gets Hungry Mid-Fight

Year of Fine: 1997
Est. Fine Total: $3 Million*
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Mike Tyson’s cannibalistic tirade in 1997 resulted in one of the most considerable fines in sports history. In case anyone missed it, “Iron Mike” literally bit Evander Holyfield during their bout at The Sound and the Fury in 1997. Twice. The first was more of a warning nibble from “Kid Dynamite,” but he made the second count, severing part of Evander’s ear and spitting it out in the ring.

Mike Tyson Gets Hungry Mid-Fight ©Focus On Sport /Getty Images
If Tyson was hungry, he should have waited until after the fight. The bill for that tiny bit of ear cost him: community service, $3 million, and his boxing license.

26. McGregor Fined For Post-Fight Brawl

Year of Fine: 2019
Est. Fine Total: $50,000*
When it comes to walking the walk and talking the talk in the UFC, Conor McGregor was in a league of his own for a while there. Then, things took a turn. Conor found himself on the losing end of a bout against Khabib Nurmagomedov. After the match had been called, Khabib wanted to keep throwing down. The Irishman did what any seasoned fighter would do. He fought back.

Conor McGregor ©Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Not used to being on the side of self-defense in these after-bout brawls, Conor McGregor received a lesser fine for a change. He was suspended for six months and fined $50,000. Oddly enough, that also happens to be how much McGregor reportedly made through his endorsement deal with Monster energy drinks in 2018.

27. Curry’s Mouthpiece Toss Costs Him 50 Grand

Year of Fine: 2017
Est. Fine Total: $50,000*
In 2017, Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry was fined $50,000 for throwing his mouthpiece in the direction of a referee during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies. This heinous act of frustration happened only after what Curry believed was a missed foul call.

Curry’s Mouthpiece Toss Costs Him 50 Grand ©Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
History repeated itself 6 years later when Curry tossed his mouthpiece in yet another game against the Memphis Grizzlies. This time, however, the stands were his mouthpiece’s destination, and $25,000 was his fine. Time will tell what Curry’s next target will be, but knowing how accurate his shot is, he probably won’t miss.

28. MJ Changes His Number

Year of Fine: 1995
Est. Fine Total: $25,000*
When Michael Jordan made his triumphant return to the hardcourt following his baseball side project, he did so wearing #45, the same digits he wore on the diamond. Due to merchandising contracts — and simply to flex its muscle — the NBA welcomed “Air Jordan” back to the league with a nice $25,000 fine.

MJ Changes His Number ©Andy Lyons/Getty Images
If it weren’t enough to penalize “His Airness” for changing jersey numbers without the approval of the NBA, the league also slapped MJ with an additional $5,000 bill for wearing shoes that didn’t match his teammates’. Shoes that you can now buy replicas of off eBay.

29. Tom Wilson Gets Too Physical On The Ice

Year of Fine: 2021
Est. Fine Total: $5,000*
Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson has quickly become one of the NHL’s most provocative instigators. He plays his own brand of hockey. He plays hard, hits hard, and is usually good for about 20 goals a season. If Wilson has a bone to pick with an opponent, that player better watch out. And he doesn’t seem to care what others, including the press and the league itself, think.

Tom Wilson Gets Too Physical On The Ice ©Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Stipulations in the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement saved Tom Wilson from a far worse fine than the $5,000 check he wrote for punching Pavel Buchnevich of the New York Rangers in the back of the head.

30. Mark Cuban Violates NBA Anti-Tampering Laws

Year of Fine: 2010
Est. Fine Total: $100,000*
Mark Cuban is a man known for speaking his mind, doing what he wants, and dealing with signing apology checks after the fact. However, in 2010, the Dallas Mavericks’ outspoken billionaire owner went a little too far when he was called out for violating the NBA’s anti-tampering laws.

Mark Cuban Violates NBA Anti-Tampering Laws ©Katharine Lotze/Getty Images
With Kobe Bryant’s free agency approaching in the offseason, Cuban implied it would be great to have Kobe on the Mavs. The league saw this as a team owner tampering with a player under contract by another team. This $100,000 fine included Mark Cuban has handed over more than $3.1 million in penalties. Pocket change for a man with a net worth of $4.5 billion.