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NBA Players Who Got Arrested but Still Made the All-Star Game

by Jeremy Block - 11/18/2025

NBA players who were arrested but still made the All-Star Game Charles Barkley

Most of us think of NBA stars as living in some kind of perfect, high-profile bubble. The media attention, the glamour, the insane highlight reels. But before the All-Star appearances, not every player was perfect. Some guys took a detour through having a run-in with the law, before they ever got their first invite to the big game.

We're not talking about minor setbacks—these were legit arrests that had the potential to ruin a player's career, but instead, they turned their stories into something bigger. So, let’s take a closer look at how a few NBA players were arrested yet still received an All-Star selection later on.

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Jason Kidd 

In 2001, Jason Kidd was already well on his way to becoming one of the NBA’s top point guards. Known for his insane court vision and ability to rack up assists, Kidd had the whole league talking about them. At the time, he averaged 16.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 6.4 rebounds in what was shaping up to be another MVP-caliber season with the Phoenix Suns. But then, in January of that year, Kidd made headlines for a domestic violence arrest—not exactly the kind of story you want to be attached to when you're putting up numbers like that.

Most players would let a major setback like this derail their season, but not Kidd. Instead of letting a run-in with the law sideline him, Kidd got right back on track, and got back on the hardwood as soon as possible. 

Just a month later, he was selected to represent the West as an All-Star in 2001, kicking off a streak that would see him make 10 All-Star appearances throughout his career. It was just the beginning of a Hall of Fame career, and from there, it only got better. Kidd went on to lead the New Jersey Nets to the NBA Finals and snagged back-to-back All-Star selections. Sure, he had a hiccup off the court, but that didn’t stop him from becoming one of the best to ever run the point.

Charles Barkley 

Before Charles Barkley was the blunt, no-filter commentator we all know and love, he was one of the NBA’s most outspoken, physical, and downright dominant players of the '90s. In 1991, heading into his final season with the 76ers, Barkley found himself in a bit of a mess. He got caught up in a bar fight, broke a guy’s nose, and ended up facing a felony assault charge. Not exactly the kind of headline you expect from a future NBA icon, especially when he was putting up 23.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. But hey, Barkley wasn't exactly known for keeping his mouth closed—on or off the court.

You’d think getting arrested would have killed his season, right? Nope. In fact, it was almost like it gave him a little extra juice. Just two months after the bar brawl, Barkley got his fifth consecutive All-Star selection, and the next season, things got even better. Entering his first year with the Phoenix Suns, Barkley took his game to another level, averaging north of 25 points and 12 rebounds per game, and earned yet another All-Star bid. Turns out, being a little reckless off the court isn’t always a career killer—sometimes it might even be a benefit.

Rasheed Wallace 

Some players are known for their skill on the court, others for their off-court chaos. Rasheed Wallace? He checked both boxes. In 2003, while playing for the Portland Trail Blazers and putting up solid numbers—17 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, Wallace got himself into a legal mess. After a routine traffic stop, cops found a small amount of marijuana in his car. It wasn’t the first time he made the news for something off the court, but this time it wasn’t for dunking on someone or swatting a shot.

But no, a little marijuana bust wasn’t going to slow him down his impact on the court. A couple of years later, in 2005, Wallace made his first All-Star appearance with the Detroit Pistons, posting 14.5 points and 8.2 rebounds a night. That same year, he helped lead the Pistons to an NBA title. So, yeah, Wallace might’ve had a couple of legal run-ins, but no one could deny his place among the league’s toughest and more talented big men.

Chris Webber

Staying on the short-tempered players list, how could we not end on a bang with Chris Webber’s 1998 arrest? Never heard of it? Buckle up for this one. In 1998, his first season with the Sacramento Kings, Webber was having himself a season—posting 20 points and a career high 13 rebounds per game. But in December of that year, things went a little sideways. Webber found himself in a mess, facing charges for drug possession, resisting arrest, and even second-degree assault. Talk about stacking up the rap sheet, right?

Despite the off-court drama, Webber didn’t let it get in the way of the career he was building. A year later, in 1999-2000, he made his second All-Star appearance, averaging a career-high 27.1 points per game. It was clear Webber was one of the most complete and exciting players of his era, and his legal issues weren’t about to hold him back.

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