Do you know teammates who for sure took steroids? That question has haunted NBA locker rooms for decades. From failed tests and wild excuses to superstar suspicions, here are the most jaw-dropping moments NBA players got exposed for performance enhancers.
On January 23, 2024, the NBA dropped the hammer on Tristan Thompson—25 games, two banned substances: Ibutamoren (a growth hormone booster) and SARM LGD-4033 (Ligandrol, a testosterone mimic).
Dr. Jesse Morse explained these aren’t traditional steroids, but they’re serious performance enhancers with risks like heart failure. The kicker? Thompson was averaging just 3.8 points and 3.9 rebounds. He lost $726,000 of his $3.3 million contract—paying premium for economy seats.
Thompson stayed silent—no excuses, no explanations. But both substances are banned for their performance effects, and their short half-lives mean recent use. He knew what he was doing—just didn’t expect to get caught.
Wilson Chandler: Recovery Gone Wrong
August 29, 2019: Chandler suspended 25 games for Ipamorelin, a growth hormone peptide.
He claimed it was prescribed during injury rehab and didn’t know it was banned. The NBA didn’t care. The 32-year-old lost $582,898, and his career fizzled out after just 35 games that season.
Chandler later admitted:
“Just stay level-headed. Don’t get too down, don’t get too up.”
Deandre Ayton: The Diuretic Disaster
October 24, 2019: Ayton, the Suns’ #1 pick, suspended 25 games for a banned diuretic.
He’d just posted 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks in the season opener. The violation cost him $2.17 million in salary. Ayton claimed “unintentional ingestion,” and even Scottie Pippen said it might be the trainer’s fault. But the NBA doesn’t care about excuses—rules are rules, star or not.
John Collins: Peptide Pioneer
November 5, 2019: Hawks forward John Collins suspended 25 games for GHRP-2, a growth hormone peptide.
He was having a breakout season—17 points, 8.8 rebounds. Collins claimed a “contaminated supplement,” but the NBA’s strict liability policy means you’re responsible no matter what. He lost $610,000, but rebounded with a $125 million contract two years later.
Hedo Türkoğlu: International Incident
February 13, 2013: Magic forward Hedo Türkoğlu suspended 20 games for methenolone (Primobolan), a real anabolic steroid.
Türkoğlu blamed a Turkish trainer and claimed ignorance. The league didn’t buy it—he lost $2.95 million, and his career ended soon after.
Rashard Lewis & OJ Mayo: Over-the-Counter Oops
Rashard Lewis (2009): Suspended 10 games for DHEA, a legal supplement you can buy at GNC. He lost $1.67 million.
OJ Mayo (2011): Also suspended 10 games for DHEA, blamed an energy drink from a gas station. Later received a two-year ban for drugs of abuse, ending his career.
Don MacLean: The First Ever
November 29, 2000: Miami Heat’s Don MacLean became the first NBA player suspended for steroids.
He lost $250,000 for five games, making history in all the wrong ways.
Matt Geiger, Soumaila Samake, Lindsey Hunter, Darius Miles: The Forgotten Names
Matt Geiger (2001): Suspended two games for a recently banned supplement.
Soumaila Samake (2002): Lakers center, suspended five games for nandrolone, blamed an African supplement and language barrier.
Lindsey Hunter (2007): Pistons guard, suspended 10 games for phentermine, a diet pill he claimed was his wife’s.
Darius Miles (2008): Suspended 10 games for phentermine while trying to make a comeback.
Joakim Noah: The Tesla of PEDs
March 25, 2017: Knicks center Joakim Noah suspended 20 games for SARM LGD-4033 (Ligandrol).
He claimed it was for injury recovery, didn’t know it was banned. Lost $3 million, but kept his career alive.
The Big Accusations: LeBron, Jordan, and the Dream Team
Now, we enter the conspiracy theory hall of fame—superstars accused but never caught.
Gilbert Arenas claimed on VladTV that 80s and 90s players used PEDs due to lax testing—one annual test on October 1st, then a full year to do what they wanted.
The highest-profile target? LeBron James.
UFC’s Chael Sonnen claimed they shared a “drug guy.”
Jeff Teague and Kevin Garnett have made allegations.
Arenas even included Michael Jordan and the Dream Team era (Malone, Robinson, Ewing).
“Everyone got tested October 1st. That means October 2nd, you got a whole year.”
Final Thoughts
From benchwarmers to stars, from international confusion to energy drink excuses, the NBA’s history with performance enhancers is wild, weird, and sometimes tragic. And while some players rebounded, others saw their careers end overnight.
