Every sport has rules and regulations so that the game can be fair for everyone. The NBA also has its own guidelines, and if someone violates them, it can result in punishments and bans. The NBA has seen many examples and imposed more than a few lifetime bans on players for various reasons, such as point-shaving scandals, Racist demeanor, and substance abuse. In the early years of the NBA, there were many players who got involved in betting scams and point-shaving. The league didn’t tolerate such behaviour and cracked down on the individuals regardless of whether they were in college or not. 17 individuals were banned by the NBA for convertible durations based on the violations they committed. In this article, we will tell you about some individuals who have been permanently banned from the NBA.
Tyreke Evans
Tyreke Evans was picked by the Sacramento Kings in the 2009 NBA draft. He won the Rookie of the Year award for the 2009-10 season ahead of Golden State Warriors legend Stephen Curry. Evans has played for teams like the Sacramento Kings, the New Orleans Pelicans, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Indiana Pacers. When he violated the anti-drug policy of the NBA, he was banned from the league. The last time he played in the league was in 2019. Evans is eligible for reinstatement in 2021.
OJ Mayo
Mayo entered the 2008 NBA Draft and was picked by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Later, he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies and played four seasons with them. He also played with the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Mayo failed multiple drug tests and violated the anti-drug policy, as a result, he was banned from the league. OJ hasn’t played in the NBA since 2016, but he can return if he is reinstated by them. Currently, Mayo is 35 years old and plays for Al Fateh SC in the Saudi Premier League.
Jack Molinas
Jack Molinas was picked by the Fort Wayne Pistons in the 1953 draft and made his debut on November 7. Molinas played 32 games in the first season and earned a selection to the All-Star game after averaging 11.6 points per game. Molinas was given a lifetime ban for betting against his own team. Later, Molinas also masterminded the point-shaving scandal in college basketball, which ruined the chances of Connie Hawkins and Roger Brown to join the NBA.
Roger Brown
Roger Brown used to play for University of Dayton in 1960 but was banned from the NBA and National Collegiate Athletic Association when it was discovered that During his school years , Brown and his fellow Coney While were associated with Jack Molinas who was a gambler and involved in point shaving. Brown was never charged with gambling, but his only crime was associating with a gambler. After a ban from the NBA, Brown played in the ABA for eight years and led the Indiana Pacers to three ABA Championships. He is also in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame because it doesn’t include only NBA players.
Chris Washburn
Chris Washburn was selected by the Golden State Warriors in the 1986 NBA draft. He played 43 games for the Warriors, and then he was signed by the Atlanta Hawks, for whom he played between 1986 and 1988. He had tendinitis in his knee, which led him to take anti-inflammatory medication. This led to a kidney infection , when Washburn checked into a Van Nuys in California Drug rehabilitation clinic , he admitted to having a cocaine problem. Washburn was permanently banned from the NBA in June 1989 after failing three drug tests in three years. He is still widely regarded as one of the biggest busts in NBA history.
John Drew
John Drew made his NBA debut in 1974 with the Atlanta Hawks and played a total of 11 seasons until 1985. In his debut year, Drew made an amazing impact with the Hawks and was named to the NBA All-Rookie team. From 1982 to 1984, he played for the Utah Jazz and for the Wyoming Wildcats from 1984 to 1986. Drew had a cocaine addiction, due to which he missed some games in one season and spent time in rehab. The NBA banned him permanently after he failed three drug tests.
Gene Melchiorre
Gene Melchoirre was selected in the 1951 NBA draft by the Baltimore Bullets. He spent four years at College and Bradley and used to be involved in point-shaving issues. Gene admitted to being involved in this gambling, after which he was banned along with other athletes who were associated with the affair. Melchiorre and Clifton McNeely were the only players who were the first ever choices in the 1947 draft and did not get to play for the NBA.
Roy Tarpley
Roy Tarpley was picked by the Dallas Mavericks in the 1986 draught, and he was successful in making the NBA All-Rookie team in his first season. Next year, he also won the NBA’s sixth Man of the Year Award for averaging 13.5 points per game. Tarpley missed three entire seasons because of his drug addiction. He returned to Dallas in the 1994–95 season and played 55 games, but his alcohol problems continued. Tarpley was banned by the NBA for continued alcohol abuse.
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