When it comes to the NBA, you simply can’t escape the thrills and spills associated with the world’s greatest basketball league. Whether you are a Celtics or a Lakers fan, you just know that there will be some major drama awaiting you prior to the start of a season. Even if your team doesn’t make the playoffs, fans will still be glued to TVs around the world on the basis of pure entertainment alone.
When we think of the greatest entertainers of all time, players like Michael Jordan and LeBron James tend to be at the top of most fans’ lists. Well, at least when it comes to what happens on the court. For off-court drama and pure controversy, over the years, some players have just attracted heat like a lightbulb entices moths. For whatever reason, these players have made the back pages and front pages in equal measure.
From the baffling to the bizarre, these five players will always be remembered for their reluctance to walk the line. Although some of the greatest players to have ever played the game, these men will never be able to shake off the “controversial” tag that will continue to be attached to them for as long as they live.
Former New Jersey Nets and Philadelphia 76ers power forward/center, Jayson Williams, made a lot of headlines in his time. Unfortunately for the Ritter, South Carolina-native, one tragic night in 2002 seemed to be the source of his erratic behavior.
Williams was charged in 2002 of covering up the death of a limo driver, Gus Christofi, he was showing around his mansion. While providing a tour of his home to his driver, Williams was showing off a shotgun to Christofi that he believed to be unloaded. It was not. The gun fired off, killing the driver immediately and sending Williams into a panic that saw him desperately try to cover his tracks and spare himself from the consequences.
The story sent shockwaves throughout the sport and led to an 18-month prison sentence for reckless manslaughter. The NBA star was convicted on four counts of attempting to cover up the death of the 55-year-old limo driver on that fateful night of February 14, 2002, in Trenton, New Jersey. It was six years before the decision to imprison Williams was finalized, given a succession of retrials and appeals.
On April 27, 2009, the NYPD confirmed that they had stunned Williams with a taser in a New York City hotel following reports that the 6ft 10 star had become suicidal and violent. When police arrived, Williams was said to be intoxicated and that there were empty medication bottles strewn around the room. The following month, Williams was arrested for punching a man in the face at a bar in Raleigh, although charges were later dropped.
On January 5, 2010, Williams crashed his Mercedes into a tree while driving under the influence. He served almost two years in prison for the infraction, having been sentenced to five years in prison with an additional one year for the DUI incident.
Williams served just 8 months of his sentence prior to being released. According to the player, he is now focused on being sober and helping other addicts overcome their addictions.
These days, “Sir Charles” is a respected pundit and voice in the NBA community. However, that was not always the case for the hall of famer and legend of the 1980s and 1990s. A member of the iconic “Dream Team,” Barkley was, without question, one of the most gifted players of all time. It just so happened that he was also one of the most controversial players to have ever stepped on a court.
A hothead and mercurial player, Barkley received frequent fines for fighting with other players during games. In a controversial advert for Nike, Barkley announced to the world that he was no role model, claiming “just because I dunk a basketball, doesn’t mean I should raise your kids.” For the Leeds, Alabama-native, the constant pressures of living up to clean-cut, All-American standards were nothing that he would lose any sleep over.
While playing for the Sixers in March 1991, Barkley made the headlines for something pretty outrageous. Barkley’s team were playing the New Jersey Nets during a regular season game, and one that clearly got to one of the biggest names on the court. According to Barkley, a front-row seated fan had been heckling him for most of the game. During a stop in play in the fourth quarter, Barkley lost his cool and spat at the fan, only to miss and hit a little girl watching the game.
Barkley’s exploits landed him in hot water with the national press and saw him suspended without pay. As a corrosive figure, Barkley also rubbed up pretty much every other player in his team, never mind those of the opposition. Following the spitting incident, however, Barkley needed years to rebuild his image in the NBA and later claimed that the incident was “life-changing,” and helped him become a better person.
On New Year’s Eve, 2008, Barkley was stopped in Scottsdale, Arizona, for running a stop sign. The officer detected the scent of alcohol and administered an alcohol test that Barkley failed to pass. He was later charged with drink driving and saw his car impounded. Barkley reportedly told police he was in a rush as wanted to receive oral sex from his female companion when he ran through the stop sign.
Following the arrest, Barkley was sentenced to a total of ten days in jail and fined $2,000. However, Barkley had the sentence reduced to three days following cooperation with authorities in entering an alcohol rehabilitation program. The arrest saw commercials featuring Barkley temporarily removed from circulation.
Magic Johnson was a game changer, in more ways than one. As one of the most esteemed players to have ever played the game, the Lansing, Michigan-native will always be remembered for his contributions to the LA Lakers throughout an extraordinary career that saw him win 5 NBA championships, among other achievements. While Johnson was the consummate professional, he made global headlines on November 7, 1991.
“Because of the HIV virus that I have attained, I will have to retire from the Lakers,” Johnson stated. “Today.” The Lakers’ point guard was careful to stress that he did not have the AIDS virus, also commenting that his wife had not contracted the virus. Johnson was adamant that he was going to put up a fight for his life, which at the time was stunning, given the preconceptions surrounding HIV and AIDS.
The controversy surrounding Johnson’s admission sent shockwaves through the sport. There had been a number of deaths due to AIDS and most people did not understand the difference between AIDS and HIV. Throughout the 1980s, there was widespread panic about the disease. It was considered something that only gay men could catch, ignorantly enough, and part of the reason this was is the lack of funding afforded to battle the illness and the almost negligent level of coverage.
Just weeks after Johnson proved to the world that even straight, rich, heterosexual stars could contract HIV, Queen singer Freddy Mercury died at just 45 from complications of AIDS. While many were shocked at the news, Johnson’s admission saw something of a change in the attitude most had when it came to HIV. There is no doubt that, even with the controversy, Johnson was widely praised for his bravery.
27 years later and Magic Johnson is still going strong, and is currently the President of Basketball Operations at the NBA. A loving father and husband, the former Michigan State standout is respected for his work in drawing more awareness to HIV and for his several business interests.
Former Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics star, Delonte West, is just one of those players that seems to have a proclivity for drama. In May 2010, the Cleveland Cavaliers suffered a shock exit from the NBA playoffs, with star player LeBron James having one of the worst games of his career. While basketball fans scratched their heads at what could have led to such a downturn in James’ performance, rumors had already started to fly.
The source of these rumors was that Delonte West, James’ teammate, had been engaging in an affair with the star’s mother, Gloria. According to reports, James had found out about the relationship prior to Game 4 and, well, was understandably distracted. Delonte West was the only player that performed worse than James on the night, which only added further fuel to the speculation.
As the rumors continued to gain traction, more and more details of the alleged affair came out. According to some reports, James allegedly returned to a hotel following a night out in Boston to find his mother and West together. The internet was soon awash with rumor after rumor, and, to make matters worse, James left the Cavaliers that year for Miami Heat.
As controversial as it was, the allegations were never proven. However, the Cavaliers were broken up and the most talented player in the division had already headed down south to Florida. West moved to the Celtics in 2010 and both men would never play in the same team again.
West was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2008, something that the former basketball star put down to depression and stress. The following year, in September 2009, the former Celtics and Cavaliers man was found with a 9mm Beretta pistol, a Ruger .357 Magnum revolver strapped to his leg, and a Remington 870 shotgun in a guitar case that was strapped across his back following a stop for a traffic violation on his motorbike.
As a result of the arrest, West was sentenced to electronic monitoring, probation, and 40 hours of community service. This was not the last of West’s bizarre behavior, as he was filmed allegedly panhandling in Temple Hills, Maryland. West refuted claims that he was homeless, instead, confirming that he was helping a homeless man when he was caught on camera.
What can be said about the most colorful NBA star of all time that hasn’t already been done? Dennis Rodman is simply one of those once-in-a-generation athletes that transcend a sport (albeit, Rodman did so for the most bizarre reasons). In fact, Rodman’s exploits were often just downright crazy. Given the number of head-scratching incidents the Trenton, New Jersey-native subjected fans to, I think it is probably easier to just list them, one by one.
Yes, you read that right. In 1997, Rodman made the bizarre decision to slam his foot into the most tender of tender areas of a cameraman during a game. The cameraman dropped to the floor as though he had been shot by a sniper and Rodman earned an even greater reputation as a wild man.
According to Rodman, Celtic’s legend Larry Bird was “overrated” and only got the recognition he clearly did not deserve (Rodman’s words, not mine) because he was Caucasian. Of course, this attracted a lot of attention to Rodman back in 1987 and helped to feed his voracious appetite for attention that would become his driving force in years to come.
When Rodman announced that he was bisexual and was going to marry himself, most of us laughed our asses off. I remember the incident, and being the typical 12-year-old boy, thought it was the funniest thing I had ever seen. Rodman in a wedding dress. Who would have thought it? According to reports, Rodman was paid millions to wear the dress around the same time that he was releasing his autobiography. It seems he had the last laugh.
In 1996, Rodman introduced his head to the nose of a referee. Unfortunately, his head and the referee’s nose did not exactly hit it off and the introduction was seen as a failure. Instead, Rodman and his head got kicked off the court and instead, he tore he jersey off and tried to introduce his foot to a couple of water coolers on the way out.
Yes, Dennis Rodman “fought” Hulk Hogan when he teamed up with the New World Order in WCW. Of course, pro wrestling isn’t real and the whole thing was based on a script. Surprisingly enough, Rodman’s appearance made some headlines.
When a weirdo meets a weirdo, there is only one thing to do: make more weirdos. Well, that was the plan, at least, when Rodman was summoned by the demonic “Queen of Pop” to impregnate her. Unfortunately for Rodman, he could not quite do the job and, thankfully enough, a Madonna/Rodman half-breed never really happened. While the thought of a child between both is quite entertaining, it is also slightly scary.
Classic Rodman. During a Hamptons party in 2010, Rodman was hooked up to a cordless microphone while he allegedly had sex with six different women. The whole thing was broadcast to the world, and for many, Rodman’s profile as an absolute crazy man catapulted even further.
The weirdest bromance in the history of the world? You cannot get any stranger than former basketball star, Rodman, and the basketball-crazy leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Il. According to reports, Rodman was a crucial part of forging a peace deal between the USA and North Korea, via President Trump.
Weird, huh? Controversial? Absolutely.
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