Kermit Washington Punching Incident that almost killed Rudy Tomjanovich – A Horrifying Incident

Kermit Washington punching Rudy Tomjanovich is one of the most dangerous NBA incidents. Here is everything about the incident.

In NBA, not all players are known for their records and stats. Kermit Washington, the former Los Angeles Lakers player was an aggressive player on the field. His aggression led to a brawl with the Houston Rockets player, Rudy Tomjanovich. The incident took place in a game between the Lakers and Houston Rockets in 1977. You can also read the 50 NBA scandals of all time.

Kermit Washington Punching Incident Explained

Kermit Washington was a notorious player and he used to create lots of troubles on the field. In December 1977, a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets shook the entire fans. Kermit Washington was already involved in a clash with players of the Buffalo Braves before a couple of weeks. No one anticipated this would be worse than the last brawl.

It all started when Norm Nixon failed to complete a shot. After this, Kermit Washington of Lakers and Houston Rockets’ Kevin Kunnert waited for a rebound, and Kevin Kunnert got it successfully. After a few seconds Abdul-Jannar and Kevin Kunnert were involved in a brawl.

Kermit Washington was near the backcourt and he waited for his chance. Washington tried to stop Kunnert and pulled his shorts, and he was hit but by Kunnert. The situation became worse as Washington punched Kevin Kunnert again and he fell on the ground. Rudy Tomjanovich of Houston Rockets tried to stop the brawl, but Washington thought he was coming to attack him. Washington have a powerful punch on Rudy Tomjanovich’s face which damaged his face and skull. Rudy Tomjanovich collapsed and blood dropped down.

The entire arena was silent and Abdul-Jabbar was impressed by the punch. Rudy Tomjanovich woke up and became furious. He had cerebral concussion and his jaw was broken. The punch was recorded and it was viewed 35 million times. Kermit Washington was suspended for 60 days with a fine of $10,000. Washington also missed 26 games.

Kermit Washington was criticized by everyone and the Lakers management were against him. Kermit Washington and his family were abused by fans. His wife revealed they were rejected by the society. Kermit Washington was traded to the Boston Celtics two weeks after the punching incident.

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