Olden Polynice revealed a surprising chapter from his NBA career this week, sharing how he once broke Bill Laimbeer’s face — and received an outpouring of support for it.
During an appearance on Byron Scott’s Fast Break podcast, the former center recounted the infamous preseason altercation with the Detroit Pistons big man. Polynice said the incident happened during a Seattle SuperSonics exhibition game at Michigan State when Laimbeer provoked him.
“I broke Bill Laimbeer’s face,” Polynice said, via HoopsHype. “As he hits me, I just walk up and ‘Pow!’ him with the shoulder, cracked him dead in the face. All you see is blood splatter everywhere.”
Polynice clarified that he didn’t throw a punch but used his shoulder to strike Laimbeer, who immediately fell to the floor bleeding. Officials ejected Polynice, but the league later rescinded his fine after reviewing the play and determining no punch was thrown.
The collision left Laimbeer wearing a protective mask — a now-famous image of the Pistons’ enforcer during that era. Polynice said the reaction he received afterward was overwhelming.
“I ain’t never received more cards and flowers in my life,” he told Scott. “The office called me and was like, ‘Yo, you got to come get all this stuff.’”
Scott responded, “Everybody hated Laimbeer,” highlighting the Pistons star’s reputation as one of the league’s most disliked players at the time.
According to Polynice, the physicality started after Laimbeer popped him while taking the ball out of bounds following a basket. Polynice then delivered the shoulder blow that broke Laimbeer’s face and forced him to don the mask.
