15 Dirtiest NBA Players: The Ballers Who Play the Game a Little Too Rough
Dirtiest NBA players have been involved in a lot of controversies. Most of them don't shy away from verbal or physical altercations, and a lot of them have had many ejections and technical or flagrant fouls.
The professional basketball league used to be more physical a few decades ago, which is why many players were rough against their opponents. Even then, some of them took it way too far.
This article lists 15 of the dirtiest NBA players of all time. Players are listed in random order, and the list includes players from multiple eras of the league.
Some of the dirtiest NBA players set records
1) Rasheed Wallace
Rasheed Wallace spent 16 years in the NBA and played for six different teams. He achieved a lot of success with the Detroit Pistons, where he ended up winning the championship in 2004.
The 6-foot-10 forward was very physical and did not mind causing trouble on the floor. He holds the record for the most technical fouls in a season with 41. The big man set the record in the 2000-01 season, and it's unlikely that it will be broken due to the new NBA rules.
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Despite being one of the dirtiest NBA players, Rasheed Wallace tried to calm things down during the brawl against the Detroit Pistons. Malice at the Palace is the biggest fight in the history of the league, yet Wallace tried to prevent it.
2) Bruce Bowen
Bruce Bowen is a 6-7 forward who helped the San Antonio Spurs win three championships. He averaged only 6.1 points per game throughout his career, but his physicality made him one of the most valuable players on the team.
Bowen was an exceptional defender, but many of his actions on the court were malicious. He's one of the dirtiest NBA players of all time since his moves injured several amazing players, including Steve Francis and Vince Carter.
The former Spurs forward even admitted that he was a dirty player, but he played like that because he wanted to do whatever was necessary to win.
3) Draymond Green
Similar to Bowen, Draymond Green is not exactly a monster when it comes to stats. However, his defense and intangibles make the Golden State Warriors one of the toughest teams in the league.
The Warriors forward is exceptional, but he's also one of the dirtiest NBA players of all time. Green is reckless and malicious, which is why he's been suspended from several games during his career.
It's unlikely that the 4-time NBA champion will ever change, so we can expect a few more suspensions in the future.