NBA Players With The Most Technical Fouls Every Season Since 2007

Rasheed Wallace - 28 Technical Fouls

To kick things off, we start with the all-time leader for technical fouls in a season, Rasheed Wallace, who set a record with 41 technicals in 2001, causing the NBA to rewrite their rules and regulations regarding punishment. In 2007, still with the Pistons, Wallace would record 28 total technical fouls in the year. He would receive a one-game suspension after his 16th and 18th technical fouls. In the Eastern Conference Finals, Wallace would receive two more technicals and an ejection for a hard foul on LeBron James, which led to the Pistons’ elimination from the playoffs.

2007-08 Season

Kobe Bryant, Rasheed Wallace - 18 Technical Fouls

There would be two players atop the NBA’s technical foul list for the 2007-08 season. Unsurprisingly, Wallace would be there once again with 18 such fouls. He would not be suspended but would receive a $25,000 fine for criticizing officials in the media. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant would be tied with Wallace for the lead league in technical fouls and still go on to win MVP. Three of these fouls would occur in the NBA playoffs, and the fines accumulated to a total of $3,500.

2008-09 Season

Rasheed Wallace, Dwight Howard - 20 Technical Fouls

True to his nature, Rasheed Wallace would once again remain at the top of the NBA in 2008-09 with 20 technical fouls, receiving one-game suspensions on three different occasions for the total number reached. Joining him with 20 technicals and one-game suspensions would be Orlando’s Dwight Howard who also received 20 technicals and suffered the consequences of exceeding the 16-technical threshold. Other players exceeding that mark in 2009 included Kobe Bryant, Kenyon Martin, Stephen Jackson, and Carmelo Anthony.

2009-10 Season

Rasheed Wallace - 24 Technical Fouls

Even as his career began to wind down, Rasheed Wallace’s temperament did not. In his 15th NBA season, now with the Boston Celtics, Wallace received 24 technical fouls to lead the NBA once again. This time, it was an impressive feat, considering the majority of his work came off the bench for Boston while playing just 22.5 minutes per game. Wallace would retire after the season before returning for 21 games with the Knicks three years later.

2010-11 Season 

Dwight Howard - 25 Technical Fouls

In Wallace’s absence, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic claimed the top spot in technical fouls for the 2010-11 season with 24. Howard often let his emotions get the best of him on the court. If he wasn’t mouthing off to the refs about questionable calls, he was trying to intimidate opponents with his brute strength with not-so-subtle cheap shots such as one on Nick Collison. He accumulated 16 technical fouls by February and received one-game suspensions following his 18th, 20th, and 22nd technicals of the season.

2011-12 Season

Kendrick Perkins - 21 Technical Fouls

Long before he was dishing out hot takes on ESPN, Kendrick Perkins was a physical and enforcing center for the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder. With Oklahoma City in 2012, Perkins would lead the NBA in technicals, finishing ahead of teammate Russell Westbrook, who had 16, as well as Kobe Bryant, Tyson Chandler, and Blake Griffin, who all had 14. Perkins even had two of these rescinded after further review but still ended up serving one-game suspensions on two occasions.

2012-13 Season

Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin, DeMarcus Cousins - 17 Technical Fouls

The 2012-13 season did not see just one player lead the NBA with 17 technical fouls but three players instead. New York’s Carmelo Anthony, Los Angeles’ Blake Griffin, and Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins just missed the 18-technical threshold for one-game suspensions, the first time no player suffered its wrath since the rule change had been implemented. While each player cut it close, it was seen as an improvement and even as a sign that the rule change had finally begun to deter players from acting out on the court. That sentiment would not last long into the future.

2013-14 Season  

Kevin Durant - 20 Technical Fouls

While Kevin Durant was busy winning his fourth scoring title in five years and his first MVP award in 2014 with the Thunder, he also led the NBA in another noteworthy category: technical fouls. Durant led the NBA with 20 in total but would have a few rescinded to bring that total down to 16. He would not serve any suspensions for his actions, but he would receive a total of $47,000 in fines. Blake Griffin, Lance Stephenson, and DeMarcus Cousins would also have 16 technical fouls that season as well.

2014-15 Season

Russell Westbrook - 17 Technical Fouls

In his prime, Russell Westbrook was one of the most exciting and productive players in the entire NBA. During the 2015-16 season, he was also exceptionally volatile, constantly getting into heated arguments with officials due to the lack of a whistle afforded to him on his explosive attack on the basket. In one instance during the 2014-15 season, Westbrook was given a technical after helping teammate Kyle Singler off the floor after he had been leveled on a drive to the hoop. Westbrook pleaded to the official for a flagrant to be assessed and was instead given the foul. It was later rescinded by the NBA.

2015-16 Season

Draymond Green - 21 Technical Fouls

While the Golden State Warriors were enjoying the birth of their dynasty, the emergence of their team’s leader and enforcer, Draymond Green, as a disruptive and passionate player was also in full effect. During their run to 73 wins and a new NBA record, Green recorded 21 technical fouls, though he would not serve a suspension during the regular season. In Game 4 of the NBA Finals that season, Green would famously initiate contact with LeBron James, resulting in a suspension for Game 5. The Cavaliers would win that game and ignite their historic comeback to win the NBA championship.

2016-17 Season

Isaiah Thomas - 20 Technical Fouls

After being traded to the Cavaliers before the 2017-18 season, Isaiah Thomas would unexpectedly lead the NBA with 22 technical fouls. Thomas’ temperament had gotten so bad that he began to receive these technicals called just minutes into some games, such as the one above against the New York Knicks. After realizing the effect it was having on his two young sons, Thomas would never be among the league leaders in technical fouls beyond this season. DeMarcus Cousins, DeAndre Jordan, and Dwight Howard would all receive 20 technical fouls as well.

2017-18 Season

Dwight Howard - 25 Technical Fouls

No matter where he went in his career, Dwight Howard never changed his approach to handling officials during NBA games. In 2017-18 while with the Charlotte Hornets, Howard would claim his second league lead in technicals with an incredible 25 for the year. Due to his hot head that season, Howard was assessed a one-game suspension for accumulation. In a November instance against the Cavaliers, Howard received a technical and a $35,000 fine for making an obscene gesture on the court.

2018-19 Season

Draymond Green - 23 Technical Fouls

After a few seasons flirting with capturing the NBA lead in technical fouls, Draymond Green would once again come out on top in 2018-19 with 23. Green's reactions to calls and getting dangerously close to officials in these arguments led to this historic number of technical fouls. On top of these instances, Green was also suspended for one game by his team after getting into a heated argument with teammate Kevin Durant. The Warriors duo and their public fallout would result in the crumbling of their dynasty after back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018.

2019-20 Season

Marcus Morris Sr. And Russell Westbrook - 16 Technical Fouls

The 2019-20 season was unlike any other season in NBA history. During the year, the season would be shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic but subsequently restarted at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. During this season, both Marcus Morris Sr. and Russell Westbrook would tie for the league lead in technical fouls. The most infamous occurrence between these two came in the restart when Morris leveled Mavericks guard Luka Doncic on more than one occasion, seemingly intent on furthering Doncic’s ankle injury he was already suffering from a smack to the head. Morris would be assessed multiple flagrant fouls and ejected from their playoff matchup against Dallas.

2020-21 Season

Dwight Howard - 18 Technical Fouls

Once again, during the 2020-21 season, Dwight Howard’s dirty tactics reared their ugly head. Now, with the Philadelphia 76ers, Howard was given 18 technical fouls for the 2020-21 season after several occasions of intentionally fouling opponents that got out of hand. Due to his continued actions and officials familiar with his playstyle, Howard received a one-game suspension and $66,000 in fines for the entirety of the season.

2021-22 Season

Trae Young - 19 Technical Fouls

A common theme among NBA point guards in the 2020s is their constant need to complain to officials for foul calls. Any little bit of contact, and immediately, most NBA point guards look in the direction of an official for a call. No player was more known for this during the 2022 season than Trae Young. The worst thing about it is that Young usually sought out contact with opponents by kicking his legs out on deep three-point attempts or flailing out of control into opponents on drives to the rim. Eventually, officials caught on and didn’t reward him with free throws, causing extreme agitation for Young, which led to his 19 technical fouls.

2022-23 Season

Draymond Green - 21 Technical Fouls

Momme, there goes that man again. Draymond Green was the NBA’s public enemy once again in 2022-23, with 21 technical fouls to lead the NBA. The season got started on the wrong foot for Green, who was dismissed by the team for some time after he struck teammate Jordan Poole with a punch. He would also be ejected during Game 2 of their playoff matchup against the Kings. Things have only gotten worse for him from there, with two more suspensions in 2023-24 for physical altercations with opponents Rudy Gobert and Jusuf Nurkic. This resulted in Green even being made to see a therapist for his actions.

2023-24 Season

Dillon Brooks - 16 Technical Fouls

While Draymond Green has gotten all of the headlines this season, one name we cannot get enough of hearing regarding technical fouls or altercations with opponents is Dillon Brooks of the Houston Rockets. While still with the Grizzlies last season, Brooks was famously ejected in the playoffs for an altercation with Lakers forward LeBron James. That attitude has seemingly carried over to his new home with the Rockets in 2023-24 as he leads the NBA with 16 technicals through 64 games. On December 18 of this season, Brooks was fined $8,000 after receiving two technicals and being ejected against the Cavaliers.