4. Ron Artest: Hatred at the Palace
Year of Fine: 2004
Est. Fine Total: $5 million*
An on-court altercation between Ron Artest and Ben Wallace (of the rival Detroit Pistons) resulted in Artest storming into the seats to fight a fan, making it one of the most notorious moments in basketball history. During the initial altercation, a fan accidentally spilled his beer on Artest.
Because of his involvement in the “Malice at the Palace” altercation, Artest was fined $5 million and suspended for the remainder of the season. Additionally, anger management counseling was mandated for him. The incident resulted in tighter regulations to stop similar incidents from happening in the future and altered the way NBA games were called.