John Starks Commits a Whole Slate of '90s Fouls in One Game

May 20, 1994 - A few notes:

1. This is not indicative of how every game in the '90s played out. The game above comes from Game 6 of a contentious 1994 playoff series between the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls (in the midst of Michael Jordan's first retirement).

2. The league first revisited its flagrant foul rules in 1990, following the Detroit Pistons' second NBA championship. Prior to 1990, the flagrant foul was nearly non-existent, as it came with a mandatory ejection, which officials were collectively reluctant to administer. 1990's reassessment of the rule led to the implementation of a two-tiered system—Flagrant 1 violations, which did not result in ejection; and Flagrant 2 violations, which did necessitate an ejection.

3. The threshold for what constituted a flagrant foul in 1994 differed greatly from what is considered a flagrant foul in 2024. In part, there was much greater leeway for contact considered circumstantial. That is to say, contact to a player's upper body (even shoulders or higher) in the midst of appearing to make a basketball play was often considered a common foul and nothing more.

4. There was no in-game video review on potential flagrant foul violations. This often led to officials erring on the side of common foul rulings unless the act committed was particularly intentional and/or heinous.

5. Upon its initial rollout, the new flagrant foul rule did bring about a semblance of confusion, most clearly exemplified just weeks prior to the game above when Atlanta Hawks forward Danny Manning committed two flagrant fouls within minutes of one another and remained in the game (i.e. he was not ejected). This event ultimately led to one of the most violent postseason brawls in modern NBA history. The NBA clarified its rule following the season, mandating that any player committing two flagrant fouls would be ejected from the game in progress.

Manning's flagrants:    • Danny Manning Commits Two Flagrant Fo...  

Subsequent brawl:    • Hawks & Heat Throw Down in One of the...  

6. Despite fouling out, Starks finished with 18 points (6-of-12 shooting, 4-of-7 from three) and 7 assists in a 93-79 loss.

7. The Knicks went on to eliminate the Bulls with a grimy 87-77 win in Game 7.

8. The game above is the same contest in which Scottie Pippen baptized Patrick Ewing:    • Scottie Pippen Baptizes Patrick Ewing...  

9. No. 20 on the Bulls is Pete Myers, Michael Jordan's replacement in the starting lineup following Jordan's retirement in 1993. Myers started 81 of 82 regular season games for the Bulls in '94 (and all 10 in the postseason). He averaged 7 points and 2.8 assists that season.

Game 6 box score: https://www.basketball-reference.com/...