The unforgettable “Malice at the Palace” remains one of the most electrifying incidents in NBA history. This infamous brawl resulted in the suspension of nine players, while five faced assault charges. Notably, Jermaine O’Neal was one of those players charged with assault.
Recently, O’Neal appeared on the show “Out the Mud,” where he discussed the infamous “Malice at the Palace” incident and explored the dark chapter that Indiana still tries to forget.
“everybody’s on the court and I’m looking around it ain’t no security, next thing you know, you got a dude jump around my neck. See, nobody never ever saw this. The film was available, guy jumped around my neck, I had a security guard that [went] with me everywhere, he got into it with a fan….See, people think I just ran in and was just hitting, that wasn’t the case. I see Anthony Johnson trying to get up, and I run over there and I slip, but I hit him because now he’s trying to bring harm to my homeboy, my teammate,” O’Neal said.
The fight erupted between players and fans on November 19, 2004, at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The clash involved the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons, creating a scene that basketball fans will never forget.
Jermaine O’Neal Delves Into The Consequences Of The Fight
During the last minute of the game, Pistons center Ben Wallace went for a layup but got fouled from behind by Ron Artest, the Pacers’ small forward. This sparked an altercation between the two players that escalated into a full-blown brawl involving fans storming the court. In an interview at Out the Mud, O’Neal discussed the fight’s aftermath.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NBA stories via Google! Follow Us
“I went to federal court and won. I went to federal court in New York City, we went through the appeals process, we went through all the [processes] and won, and the judge said, ‘I had every right to get that man off your back to do what I did.’ Yeah, every right. Media ain’t going to talk about that, nobody said nothing,” O’Neal said.
The incident prompted the NBA to boost security for players and fans and reduce alcohol sales at games to ensure a safer experience.
Also Read: Shaquille O’Neal Gets Real About The Biggest Regret That Still Haunts Him Today
