During a game on December 9, 1977, Tomjanovich was punched by Kermit Washington of the Los Angeles Lakers. The blow shattered Tomjanovich's face and inflicted life-threatening head and spinal injuries, leaving him sidelined for five months. He eventually made a full recovery and was selected for the NBA All-Star Game the following 1978–79 season. The incident and its aftermath are recounted in the John Feinstein book "The Punch: One Night, Two Lives, and the Fight That Changed Basketball Forever", as well as in Tomjanovich's 1997 autobiography "A Rocket at Heart: My Life and My Team".