Four-Time All-Star Had Perhaps Worst Ejection In NBA History

Former NBA player Rasheed Wallace was involved in perhaps one of the most bizarre ejections in league history.

He was tossed for ... staring at a referee.

It happened during the 2000 Western Conference finals between the Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers. Wallace, who was playing for the Blazers, was kicked out for staring at official Ron Garretson.

Garretson told Wallace, "Whack, get out."

Wallace's teammate, Steve Smith, tried to get an explanation for the call. Garretson told Smith, "Get away from me, Steve. He didn't say a word. I asked him three times to stop staring at me trying to intimidate me. I'm done. He's gone."

Posted by SNEAK PEEK on Tuesday, December 24, 2024

Wallace recently explained his side of the story. He felt he did nothing wrong.

"All l did was look at him," Wallace said on the Underdog Fantasy podcast. "He knew what he was doing. He knew exactly what he was doing."

Wallace said the ejection was part an NBA conspiracy to avoid having two small-market teams in the Finals. After eliminating the Blazers, the Lakers won the first of three straight titles against the Indiana Pacers.

"They got that agenda," Wallace said. "We coming from a small Portland market. How would that have looked in the Finals? Small ass Indiana and a small ass Portland market in the FInals? During that whole course, they tried to get us out of there but we kept scrapping and fighting like the dogs we were ... We had them."