Stephen Jackson‘s first season with the Indiana Pacers went off the rails and fast. Almost everyone remembers the Malice at the Palace, a nasty brawl that spilled into the fans and involved spectators between the Pacers and the Detroit Pistons.
Ron Artest (later known as Metta World Peace and today as Metta Ford-Artest) was the main culprit, gaining a season-long suspension for launching into the stands and assaulting a fan. Jackson, himself, was suspended for 30 games.
Multiple players and fans were charged with assault, and it was one of the worst public relations incidents for the league, an absolute worst-case scenario for the escalation of an on-court incident.