11. J.R. Smith’s 140-Character Fine

Year of Fine: 2013
Est. Fine Total: $25,000*
Anything and everything can come back to haunt you in this social media age in which we live. For that reason — amongst others — it’s imperative to watch what you post online, especially for those in the public eye. After Brandon Jennings of the Detroit Pistons commented negatively on Chris Smith’s presence on an NBA roster, Chris’s brother J.R. had a few things to say. Or should we say tweet?

J.R. Smith’s 140-Character Fine ©Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
A 140-character tweet in his brother’s defense cost J.R. Smith $25,000. A small price to pay for an NBA player defending his family’s pride.

12. James Harrison Fined For Illegal Hits To Opponents’ Heads

Year of Fine: 2010
Est. Fine Total: $95,000*
By the time James Harrison had played 6 full seasons in the NFL, he had won 2 Super Bowls and a Defensive Player of the Year award for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Needless to say, Harrison was feeling pretty invincible. And his actions during the 2010 season were proof.

James Harrison Fined For Illegal Hits To Opponents’ Heads ©George Gojkovich /Getty Images
Early in the season, Harrison was handed a $50,000 fine for an illegal hit to the head of a Cleveland Browns player. Not long after, he was awarded a second fine, this time for $25,000 for a hit to the head of a member of the Tennessee Titans. Harrison’s headhunting excursion didn’t stop there. Later in the season, he tackled Saints’ QB Drew Brees above the shoulders, exacting an additional $20,000 fine.

13. Mark Cuban Fined $750,000 for Tanking…Again

Year of Fine: 2023
Est. Fine Total: $750,000*
Mark Cuban is a man with billions of dollars, and he has proven time and again that he could care less about being fined. The Mavericks owner was fined $750,000 in April of 2023 for “tanking” his team, a term that refers to resting his best players so that the team loses more games and has higher draft picks.

Mark Cuban @CNBC/Twitter
The NBA has fought long and hard against tanking, but it hasn’t really deterred owners like Cuban from trying it. This is the second time Cuban has been fined for tanking, as he had to shell out $600,000 a few years back for the same violation.

14. Ron Artest: Malice In The Palace

Year of Fine: 2004
Est. Fine Total: $5 million*
In one of the most infamous moments in basketball history, Ron Artest and Ben Wallace (of the opposing Detroit Pistons) began an altercation on-court that ended with Artest charging into the stands to fight a fan. A fan that had poured his beer on Artest during the initial confrontation.

Ron Artest: Malice In The Palace @richcoastrican/Twitter
Artest was suspended for the rest of the season and fined $5 million for his role in the “Malice at the Palace” brawl. He was also required to undertake anger management counseling. The incident changed the way NBA games were officiated and brought about stricter rules to prevent similar events from occurring in the future.

15. Bill Belichick Fined For Recording Opponents

Year of Fine: 2007
Est. Fine Total: $500,000*
During the first game of the 2007 season, in an event now known across the sports world as “Spygate,” the New England Patriots were caught recording the New York Jets’ sidelines. This, of course, is against the NFL’s codes of conduct and is an offense that warranted more than just a fine.

Bill Belichick Fined For Recording Opponents ©Rey Del Rio/Getty images
Firstly, Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 for his part in orchestrating the play-steeling fiasco, and the team was fined $250,000. But three-quarters of a million dollars wasn’t enough for the league. The Patriots were also stripped of their 2008 1st-round draft pick as an additional penalty and lesson about the cost of morality.

16. Rodman Goes For The Groin

Year of Fine: 1997
Est. Fine Total: $25,000*
Dennis Rodman has had more publicity off the court than any player in the history of the NBA. However, for this fine, we turn to Rodman collecting himself after accidentally tumbling out of bounds and attempting to kick a camera person in the groin for trying to film the ordeal.

Rodman Goes For The Groin ©Steve Grayson/Getty Images
The $25,000 fine the NBA gave Rodman was hefty, but it was only a fraction of what “The Worm” ended up paying for the ordeal when all was said and done. Rodman and the cameraperson’s out-of-court settlement came to $200,000, and Dennis was also suspended 11 games without pay. Losing his temper and attempting to punt someone for getting in his way cost the Bulls’ star a little over $1.1 million.

17. Deshaun Watson Violates NFL’s Code of Conduct

Year of Fine: 2022
Est. Fine Total: $5 Million*
When an athlete destined for stardom knows how good they are, keeping them level-headed is tough, as shown through the controversy surrounding Deshaun Watson and the various women (masseurs included) who have come forth with accusations against him. The Deshaun Watson scandal is an excellent example of the harsh punishments awaiting athletes for violating one of their sport’s Codes of Conduct.

Deshaun Watson Violates NFL’s Code of Conduct ©Nick Cammett/Getty Images
The Washington Commanders’ QB was fined $5 million and suspended 11 games. Altogether, Watson lost approximately $5.69 million. The fine will hurt, but considering Watson recently signed a 5-year $230 million deal and has sponsorships deals with Gillette, Miller Lite, Verizon, and several other big-name brands, he should be just fine.

18. John Rocker Rocks The Boat With Rival Fans

Year of Fine: 2000
Est. Fine Total: $20,000*
The start of John Rocker’s career was amongst the best in MLB history for a closer. Unfortunately, Rocker’s fastball wasn’t the heat he was responsible for. John had a nasty habit of letting his competitive edge and temper get the best of him. It all came to a head in 1999 when Rocker’s Braves were up against the rival New York Mets.

John Rocker Rocks The Boat With Rival Fans @nymag/Pinterest
The Atlanta Braves’ fireballer was fined $20,000, suspended 28 games, and was made to undergo sensitivity training for crude and derogatory remarks he made against foreigners, the LGBTIQA+ community, and just minorities in general.

19. King James Fined $25K For Kicking A Bottle

Year of Fine: 2010
Est. Fine Total: $25,000*
LeBron James, arguably one of the greatest basketball players of all time, has been responsible for countless incredible moments during his NBA career. One that he would probably rather forget, however, occurred in 2010, when King James was fined $25,000 for kicking a water bottle during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

King James Fined $25K For Kicking A Bottle ©Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images
The fine was for unsportsmanlike conduct. This would not be the last time James would be fined. The King has since received several other penalties from the league, including one for skipping a press conference and another for “flopping.”

20. Barry Bonds Fined For Large Logos

Year of Fine: 2006
Est. Fine Total: $5,000*
When sports fans hear the name “Barry Bonds,” they can’t help but think of the controversy that had surrounded the man for most of his playing career, as well as the years that followed his retirement. In 2006, it wasn’t the allegations about using performance-enhancing drugs that ticked Bonds off. It was something much more bizarre.

Barry Bonds Fined For Large Logos @adtaylor2123/Pinterest
Former MLB commissioner Bud Selig slapped Barry Bonds with a $5,000 fine for having wristbands that were too large. Of all the things to come down hard about, surely, Major League Baseball could have found a more pressing matter than the size of the man’s wristbands. Needless to say, Mr. Bonds challenged the fine.