When Metta World Peace lost his cool back in 2004, it was not just him who paid the price. That Malice in Palace remains one of the most infamous moments of NBA history. You say that name out loud, and you’ll raise more ears than you’d want to. However, it seems Stephen Jackson does not enjoy the attention that the decades-old incident brings to him.
You can still remember all of it like it happened yesterday: Metta World Peace [back then Ron Artest] getting into a heated exchange with Ben Wallace, Artest lying on the scorer’s table, and a can of drink hitting him from the crowd. That was the moment it all went haywire. From Ron entering the crowd of fans to throw hands and Stephen Jackson following him to back his teammate, it’s all still fresh. But it’s this ever-lasting relevance of this incident that bothers Jackson.
The former NBA star spilled the beans on the Dan Patrick show after he was done praising Rick Carlisle for leading the team to the playoffs even after such an incident, with the team not being at its full strength. “… I missed half the season and Ron missed the whole season. We came back and still made it to the second round. That was basically our Rick Rich coaching, having us prepared, knowing everything about the other team, and to even to get to the second round after everything we’ve been through that year. That’s a big testament to how we was coached by Rick and Mike Brown.” So, if not just the incident itself, what is it that gets Jackson bothered to this day?
Well, it turns out it’s the curious minds that do not let Jack have his peace. How often do you think he is asked about that incident that the NBA world can’t seem to forget? “Every 40 minutes… Everywhere I go that people bring it up…” Then, Dan Patrick’s question, What exactly do these fans ask, further explained Stephen Jackson’s issues.
“‘Oh, man, I loved you in the brawl… You did what you’re supposed to do…’ You don’t know about the 3 million I lost and how that jacket I had on my back for the rest of my life… Some people are kind of disrespectful for it when they say it… But I’ve done so much more than that in my life… I want to be known for being a lawyer guy. I will always be that. But, you know, I didn’t move. I didn’t moved on from it.”
Jul 26, 2022; New York, NY, USA; Stephen Jackson poses at the NYC Point Gods Premiere at The Midnight Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images
Clearly, it’s the lack of interest in his meaningful work from others that doesn’t sit well with Stephen Jackson. Well, when you have earned a championship, contributed to the game for almost a decade and a half, and then managed a successful post-retirement career, you’d want people to acknowledge some of it rather than being caught up in one infamous incident involving Jackson. One explanation could be that the incident changed the league forever.
How did Malice at the Palace change the NBA
It’s not often that one night can change the course of an entire league, but that’s exactly what happened with the infamous Malice at the Palace. If you were following the NBA back then, you know the ripple effects weren’t just felt in that moment—they reshaped the future of teams, players, and even the culture of basketball itself. Let’s start with the immediate fallout.
The Indiana Pacers, loaded with talent and momentum, saw their title hopes unravel. Ron Artest was fresh off the best season of his career—he’d just snagged Defensive Player of the Year honors and his first All-Star and All-NBA selections. But after the brawl, he was shut down for the rest of the year, including the playoffs. That alone was a crushing blow. Add to that Stephen Jackson missing nearly half the season and Jermaine O’Neal, who had emerged as a dominant force in the paint, losing a month to injury, and the dream was done.
That season, the Spurs edged out the Pistons in a tight seven-game Finals. But imagine a different timeline—one where the Pacers were in that mix. Whether or not they could’ve taken it all, that team was Reggie Miller’s final shot at a ring.
Now, zooming out, the league wasn’t about to let something like that happen again. The NBA clamped down hard on physical altercations. For fans of the rugged ‘80s Pistons-style play? That era faded fast. Now, one thrown punch could mean a suspension. Land one? You’re looking at 15 games on the bench. But it wasn’t just about discipline on the court. A cultural shift followed, too.
In the wake of public perception branding NBA players as thugs, David Stern introduced a dress code through the NBA Cares initiative in 2005. Players were now expected to wear business casual when arriving at games, moving away from hip-hop clothing. The fight may have ended that night, but its impact? That’s still being felt today. No wonder Stephen Jackson is still pestered by fans and other curious minds about that infamous night. But if you catch him by any chance, make sure to speak about his work and what’s next rather than dwelling on the pain points of the past.
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