10 famous NBA players with most criminal offences

The NBA produces several magical moments on the court. However, the players producing these moments, might not behave in the same fashion outside the four walls of the basketball arena. It is known that sometimes fame and money might get the better of the players, but a few of them have taken it to the next step. Here are 10 famous NBA players with most criminal offences to their name.

#10 Chris Webber

One of the best Power Forwards in the league during his prime, Chris Webber has quite the rap sheet. He has been convicted for assaulting a police officer and for refusing to take any test for influence. The police found weed in his car and he caught driving under the influence.

He has also been convicted of contempt of court when he lied to the grand jury about accepting illegal payments when he was at Michigan State, the college he was studying at. The serious nature of the crimes meant that Webber had to do community work of close to 300 hours.

Now, he is a commentator and analyst with Turner Network Television (TNT).

#9 Delonte West

Delonte West’s NBA comeback might not have gone the way he planned with his most recent Summer League campaign representing the Los Angeles Clippers but he sure has quite the criminal records to show.

He was caught with two shotguns and a handgun when stopped by a policemen for speeding on a motorcyle. He pleaded guilty to gun charges and was sentenced to 8 months of house arrest, 40 hours of community service and two months of probation.

#8 Caron Butler

Caron Butler might not have a sensational career to boast about but the fact that he made to the NBA is in itself an achievement after his troubled past. As a kid Butler was arrested almost 15 times even before he turned 15.

Rehabilitation helped get back on his feet and within the space of 5 years, he made it from jail cells to the NBA floor. He has won a championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 and is currently with the Detroit Pistons.

#7 Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant surprised with his maturity at a such a young age when it comes to decision on and off the court. However, one sour incident that will always be like a black mark on his career is the sexual assault case of 2003.

He was accused of rape by a lady in his hotel room, a night before he was to undergo a surgery in Colorado. He denied the assault charges but accepted to an adulterous incident that night in the hotel room.

After weeks of court visits the matter was settled when all charges were dropped after the lady was against testifying.

#6 Shawn Kemp

Shawn Kemp was a huge reason along with Hall of Famer Gary Payton for the Seattle Sonics reaching the NBA Finals in 1996. However, the lockout-shortened season two years later was the beginning of the end for him.

He began to bulk up during the lockout and soon it was discovered that he was battling drug addiction for a long time. He was soon caught with cocaine, some other drugs and a bunch of semi-automatic weapons.

The repeated arrests eventually led to his downfall and saw him present in jail cells instead of the basketball court during the twilight years of his career.

#5 Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo Anthony is the corner stone of the New York Knicks franchise who are looking to contend for a title in a year or two under the leadership of President of Basketball Operations Phil Jackson. It will require Anthony to develop much more maturity than he currently has while on the court.

Apparently, off the court he is not very different. There have been two cases where Anthony has caught with possession of drugs such as marijuana. The first incident he was caught with the drug in his bag of during a security check at the airport.

#4 Charles Barkley

Sir Charles and controversy go hand in hand whether its on the court or off it. He once spit on a fan during a game and has been arrested twice for fights off the court.

In the second of the fighting incidents, Barkley threw a person through a glass window in a bar. He also pleaded guilty to jumping the red signals and driving under the influence.

#3 Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson was the number one overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft and was successful in winning the season's Rookie of the Year award but in the following season itself, he was arrested for speeding late at night, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of marijuana.

For multiple reasons such as urinating in a trash can, fighting with dealer at table and for having the popular perception that he would gamble his life away Iverson was banned from a number of casinos in Detroit and Atlantic City.

He did have his #3 jersey retired by the Philadelphis 76ers for his game on the court yet his antics off the court will not be forgotten.

#2 Dennis Rodman

An incredible rebounder for a player who stands just at 6 feet 8 inches, Dennis Rodman has been convicted of drunken driving multiple times in his life. He has also been visited by police over 70 times when he settled in New Port Beach, California because of multiple complaints of loud parties.

In 2008, he was arrested on the charges of domestic violence. He pled no contest to the misdemeanor battery spousal charges and was sentenced to one year of domestic violence counselling, three years of probation and 45 hours of community service which involved physical labour.

#1 Metta World Peace (Ron Artest)

Metta World Peace or formerly known as Ron Artest has taken over from Rodman as the king of controversy after the latter quit the game. World Peace has been charged for domestic violence more than once and has spent plenty of days in jail to write a book on the stay.

He was suspended from the beginning of the 2007-08 NBA season on the grounds of his legal problems.

The biggest incident of his life however involves the one at Auburn Hills, Detroit during a game against the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons. The entire altercation can be seen in the video below.