2010-2011 NBA Predictions: 25 People With The Most Pressure This Season
"I screwed up again, so I just want to say sorry. I wasn't really thinking that this was going to be another media outburst. It's like everything I do now, someone, tit for tat, tries to blow it out of proportion."—Gilbert Arenas
Oh, how Gilbert Arenas always finds a way to amuse the NBA crowd one way or another. If you hadn't heard, Arenas faked an injury recently to give Nick Young, a backup from USC, extra playing time. The point is, Arenas makes the NBA what it is today and acts such as these only make the anticipation toward the season come even closer.
The problem is, someone like Arenas only puts more and more weight on his back every time he decides to make a fool of himself. I know he doesn't care, but ESPN and the NBA world will be looking forward to, and will be looking out for, every little mistake these types of players make throughout the season.
LeBron with 'The Decision,' Miller with the weight of being the roll player for the Heat, Arenas with his Arenas-type actions, and Kevin Durant looking to carry his Thunder this season. A lot of players will have a huge chip on their shoulder. But out of those players, who will feel as though the world is on their back?
Here are the top 25 players with the biggest chip on their shoulder. Hope you enjoy!
#25: DeMarcus Cousins
1 of 25
As the fifth pick in the 2010-2011 NBA Draft, DeMarcus Cousins came into the league with an infamous attitude. In Cousin's mind, he should have been the first pick, not fifth, but the fact is, Cousins is in way over his head.
The worst way to come into a league is to act as though you have already made it. I cannot tell you of how many talented players that came through the league, coming in as the so-called "next M.J.," or the "next Shaq." More often than not, those players end up getting injured or they end up getting into trouble.
I'm afraid Cousins may become one of those players. Confidence is one thing, but ego is another. Cousins has been hyped ever since he entered the draft and it is obvious that he has major potential, but his attitude has always held him back as an NBA prospect.
We will see if Cousins can live up to his hype. In the meanwhile, Cousins will have a lot of pressure on himself to perform at a very high level, as a rookie.
#24: Matt Barnes & Steve Blake
2 of 25
Playing for the Lakers will always be hard for newcomers. For this team, Steve Blake, Matt Barnes, and Theo Ratliff will be the newcomers, trying to find a role on this returning championship team.
The biggest problem for new players is learning and applying the complex triangle offense into their game and Lakers fans aren't the type to be very forgiving. Yes, Ron Ron survived the season without learning a thing from the triangle offense but his game allowed him to do so. Can Blake and Barnes do the same, or will they have to learn the offense?
Heading into the season, every Lakers fan will be looking to see how Blake and Barnes do right off the bat and if they for whatever reasons don't do well, it won't be pretty. As a Lakers fan myself, I hope to see them thrive as crucial role players this season.
#23: Goran Dragic
3 of 25
Goran Dragic, the Slovenian sensation, the white kid who can play, the Suns future. All of these labels have been put onto Dragic, the young guard out of the country of Slovenia, the question is, will he live up to them?
Last season, Dragic proved to the NBA world not only that he could play, but that he could play great. Playing under Steve Nash proved to have tremendously helped Dragic grow as a player, but has he grown as a person? I don't think so.
Throughout the season it seemed as though Dragic had trouble with keeping his emotions in the jar and in some cases it was blown out of proportion. It didn't effect his play, but being a punk never helps, especially when other players now know who you are.
By acting like a young kid, Dragic has added even more pressure to live up to, and this season will prove to be what you call a make or break season.
#22: Portland Trail Blazers Medical Staff
4 of 25
To be part of the Blazers' medical staff must be tough. Basically every player has been injured one way or another and because they are solely responsible for preventing and curing injuries, all of the fingers are usually pointed at the poor medical staff.
Whatever the reason may be, the Blazers cannot afford to have as many injuries as they did last season The pressure will be on the medical staff to do all they can to prevent injuries, though having Greg Oden does not help.
If the Blazers' medical staffers wants to keep their jobs, they are going to have to hope that the players stay healthy, otherwise, they're gone. Unlucky huh?
#21: Chris Kaman
5 of 25
"I've tried to tell him that he doesn't need to worry about all the pressure. I want to take some of that off him, and I think we have a good chance to be one of the best 4-5 combos in the league."
Here's Chris Kaman for ya, optimistic and overly confident. Because Kaman decided to pull out that quote, it will only put more pressure on himself and Blake Griffin, a rookie who still hasn't played due to injury.
I can understand why Kaman said it, but it may come back to bite him sometime during the season. It also does not help that Kaman is one of the laughingstocks of the NBA, with his decisions to play on the German national team instead of the U.S. Everyone knows the reason why he didn't play for the U.S. and it wasn't due to his nationality.
For Kaman, his quote has formed a chip on his shoulder. It will be interesting to see how that pressure effects Kaman and Griffin this season.
#20: Blake Griffin
6 of 25
It's only fitting to have Blake Griffin right after the very man that added even more weight on his shoulders. The Clipper curse is wearing off and Griffin seems ready to go this season. But will he live up to his hype?
I mean Griffin came into the NBA as one of the players who were supposed to make an instant impact. Instead Griffin injured his patella and he was out for the whole season. Now it is time for Griffin to prove he belongs among the best in the league.
It has to be hard coming off a yearlong injury and to be expected to come out and be a 20 points,10 rebounds guy right off the bat. It may be unfair, but it's reality.
#19: Hedo Turkoglu
7 of 25
Do you remember the 2008-2009 Eastern Conference semifinals between the Magic and Boston? That was when Orlando was at its best and that was also when Turkoglu was "the man" for the Magic.
Turkoglu was virtually unstoppable in the post season and though the Magic lost a tough series to the Lakers, Turkoglu made a huge name for himself, drawing attention to various teams. His contract was expiring and he was in search for more money, even though he probably knew the Magic were going to continue to be successful.
He decided to head to Toronto to play with Bosh and everyone knew Turkoglu was way in over his head. A little more money was the mere reason for Turkoglu's departure and now sitting with a questionable match, Phoenix Suns, Turkoglu has to utter the words, "what if..."
#18: Dirk Nowitzki
8 of 25
Heading into his 13th NBA season, Dirk Nowitzki is still in search of his first title. For many years now, the Dallas Mavericks have done well in the regular season but have come short many times in the playoffs. Now Dirk is getting old and Mark Cuban is adding on the pressure by predicting his Mavs to beat the Lakers in a seven-game series.
For Dirk it has to be hard being such a good player, but always being unsuccessful in the postseason, when it matters most.
That is why this season will be a huge test for Dirk. We will see if he can carry that weight on his shoulders just one more time.
#17: The Heat Bench
9 of 25
When you have LeBron, Wade, and Bosh, the focal point of the team will be the bench. Will they perform at a high level, can they help, will they be enough? All of these have been valid questions towards the newly formed Miami Heat and it will cause a lot of tension and pressure for the rest of the guys.
For Mario Chalmers, Mike Miller, and Joel Anthony, the pressure will seem endless and though LeBron, Wade, and Bosh will carry the load, it won't be easy for the Heat bench.
The mere reality is any Heat failure will either be pointed at Erik Spoelstra, or the bench, and more often than not it will be on the man carrying the dry erase board.
Trust me, the Miami Heat bench will feel as though the NBA world is on its back.
#16: Gilbert Arenas
10 of 25
"I screwed up again, so I just want to say sorry. I wasn't really thinking that this was going to be another media outburst. It's like everything I do now, someone, tit for tat, tries to blow it out of proportion." — Gilbert Arenas
As we come back to the quote of the day and the reason that sparked this topic, he weighs in at a overwhelming 215 pounds and he skies over other guards at a height of 6'4".
Why does it not surprise me that Arenas always finds himself adding more and more pressure to his life? First with the guns and now with faking injuries, what's next, fake death?
I mean Arenas is still somewhat human, so he should be feeling a lot of negative pressure from the media and basically every NBA fan. But why does he continue to put himself in a horrible position?
I'll tell you why. He does not care and he will continue to not care for the rest of his life. Nonetheless, he has added yet another planet to carry on his back and with the No. 1 prospect in John Wall alongside him, Arenas will be under a lot of pressure this season.
#15: Paul Pierce
11 of 25
It has to hurt losing to the Lakers in the finals, for the Lakers second straight championship. As the former leader of his Celtics team, Pierce has got to be feeling a little pissed off.
Heading into his 13th season, Pierce is starting to, as we call it, "go over the hill." That is the process of aging and losing the touch on the game of basketball.
Pierce is now a role player along with the rest of the Celtic team to Rondo and it has to have dawned in his mind that he doesn't have much time left to stay on top of his game.
That is why Pierce will be feeling some extra pressure to prove to the NBA world that he can still play, and that he isn't becoming a scrub that used to be a star.
#14: Brandon Jennings
12 of 25
Now in his second year, Brandon Jennings is in the time where he will either become a star in this league, or he will be a one and done type player.
Jennings became a very well know guard last year by scoring in high numbers and by leading his Milwaukee Bucks to the playoffs. Now that everyone knows about Jennings, the pressure is definitely going to add in this upcoming season.
Defenders will pay more attention to him and some teams will start to double team Jennings. It's a matter of Jennings finding a way to fight through those new challenges and to keep his motivation running.
This year will be the ultimate test for young Jennings and it will feel as though the world is on his shoulders for this rising star.
#13: Mike D'Antoni
13 of 25
Amare Stoudemire and Coach D'Antoni are now reunited for better or for worse and this is supposed to be the comeback year for the New York Knicks. How can Coach D'Antoni not feel pressure when the New York media is waiting for him to slip and fall?
With the Knicks getting better, it only adds to the pressure to be successful. Knowing Coach D'Antoni, it wouldn't be a surprise if he cracked under the pressure.
This season will be the testing year for Coach D'Antoni and it will be pass or fail, nothing more.
#12: Monta Ellis
14 of 25
Why would you cause problems with a promising prospect such as Stephen Curry? In the words of the band War, "Why can't we be friends, why can't we be friends....etc...?"
Monta Ellis only made things worse by saying he couldn't play with somebody like Curry and now that Curry is on the rise, Ellis only looks worse then he already did.
Ellis can't handle being the No. 2, but he knows Curry is taking over the team. Can he handle it?
#11: Joe Johnson
15 of 25
Six years for $123 million is a lot of money. In fact that's too much money for anybody in the league, and Joe Johnson has the privilege of receiving it? Is this a joke?
Whether it was Johnson's idea or it was Atlanta's, the deal is set and now Johnson is going to have to prove he is worth every penny of the contract. When we're talking about $123 million, it brings tremendous pressure.
Johnson will be under high watch throughout the season and he will be constantly evaluated and referred back to the contract. If people don't believe he is living up to the expectations, all hell will break lose in Atlanta.
If I were Joe Johnson, I'd be peeing in my pants as we speak, thinking about the season ahead of him.
#10: Brandon Roy
16 of 25
“I want the ball a lot more. I want to be maximized every game. That’s a position that I’m strong with, with the basketball, and I’m extremely confident with it.”—Brandon Roy
Wow is what I have to say to that. For once in my life, I think I may have found someone worse than LeBron.
By saying, "I want the ball a lot more," Roy has dug himself a deep hole and that is a horrible way to begin the season when the Blazers are going down this year.
As the leader of the Blazers, Roy should have seriously considered not saying something like that, but the reality is, he did and now he will have to live with the consequences.
These words will haunt Roy throughout the season and it may be a factor in Roy's success and his image as a leader.
#9: Greg Oden
17 of 25
Once again it's only fitting to have teammates right after one another and of course Greg Oden is the perfect candidate for this discussion.
Oden is the definition of overrated and injury-prone. Every season Blazers fans seem to try harder to ignore the reality of what Oden is. Finally this year will once and for all silence Rip City and show Oden's true colors.
It's sad to see a good prospect being wasted through injuries, but it's what the Blazers get for choosing Oden over Kevin Durant, the soon to be best in the world. Can you say Sam Bowie?
Though Oden may have a better year this year, he will start to feel the pressure of being over-hyped and he won't have the strong Oden believers behind him this year. We will see how Oden reacts to what is about to become his reality.
#8: Chris Paul
18 of 25
New Orleans' once cherished superstar, Chris Paul is now being questioned by his own fans. Recently, Paul announced his interest to leave the Hornets and though it did not happen, it had to have hurt the fans in New Orleans.
Now Paul is going to play a season with the thought of people knowing his disapproval of playing in New Orleans and that can't feel good.
This will most likely be Paul's last season with the Hornets and it may be the most artificial. Paul will feel the effects of betrayal and sadness from his once beloved fans and though there will be some that will continue to support him, it won't be the same this year.
#7: Rodney Stuckey
19 of 25
"On paper, we are the best team in the league. We are deep and athletic. All we have to do is play to our abilities. We don’t have the biggest roster, but if we share the ball, we’ll be alright."—Rodney Stuckey.
I can understand if Kobe or LeBron said this, but Rodney Stuckey from a rundown Detroit Pistons team said this.
As soon as Stuckey said this he agreed to play with a huge chip on his shoulder and I guarantee he will regret saying this at the end of the season when the Pistons don't make the playoffs again.
Stuckey was so childish for saying such things and though it may have been a way to pump his teammates up for the season, it was a mistake that may come back to haunt him.
#6: Carmelo Anthony
20 of 25
Melo's interest in other teams in the east has led to much tension in Denver and it will only get worse until he actually leaves the Mile High City of Denver.
Melo is a great player, so the pressure will most likely not get to him, but nonetheless he will still be carrying a huge load. With his Nuggets slowly degrading, Melo is going to have to step his game up and lead his Nugget team out of this hole. If he can do this, maybe the Nugget fans will be more forgiving.
This season will be a heart breaker for Nugget fans. It may be hard for Melo to see his city struggle to watch him leave in the future.
#5: Erik Spoelstra
21 of 25
Erik Spoelstra will be on the hot seat the entire season, unless he gets fired, which could be highly likely. The first sign of failure in the eyes of Heat fans, Spoelstra will be the first to go and waiting to replace him is Pat Riley.
It will be extremely hard for Spoelstra to keep his job this season. The only way to ensure a guarantee on his job is the win 60-plus games and to win a championship. If he doesn't mark my words he is gone.
Coach Spoelstra will experience the most pressure he has ever had in his entire life. Let's see how he does.
#4: John Wall
22 of 25
As the No. 1 pick of this year's draft, John Wall will feel the natural effects of being the No. 1 young prospect of the NBA and for some it is sometimes too much to handle.
At Kentucky, Wall led his team deep into the NCAA tournament, and it was obvious he was the most talented player heading into the draft. But is he really going to dominate as many experts say?
Well, we'll just have to wait and see, won't we? Wall is just a rookie, so he will have time. But for many NBA fans, the first year is everything, and if Wall doesn't live up to the hype, many may lose faith in his potential.
#3: Kevin Durant
23 of 25
Kevin Durant: leader of the world championship-winning U.S.A. team, superstar, Oklahoma City Thunder guard. Everything that is great relates back to Durant.
Durant is coming back from winning the gold medal in the FIBA World Championships and being a young leader, Durant is living up to all the hype as a player heading into his third season.
Now it is the season where the Thunder are supposed to make noise and Durant is in the center of the attention. He is even being considered to be the best in the league, over Kobe and LeBron.
The opportunity is there and Durant is more than capable of achieving anything he wants. But will the pressure prove to be too much for young Durant?
Honestly, I don't know. Only time will tell.
#2: Amar'e Stoudemire
24 of 25
Amar'e is now in the Big Apple, the center of news central. He will be playing in the great Madison Square Garden and all of his wishes have so far come true. But with benefits come the risks tagged along with them.
New York is arguably one of the nastiest places for the media, and for someone like Stoudemire, it will be near impossible to avoid bad publicity.
Stoudemire will have to deal with the haters all year long and making the transition from the smaller market Phoenix Suns to the big time market Knicks without his star guard Steve Nash, it will be a lot harder than Stoudemire thinks.
Stoudemire will be in for a huge wake-up call this season, and it is a matter of whether or not Stoudemire responds to the call. If he doesn't, he will be eaten alive by the New York media.
#1: LeBron James
25 of 25
'The Decision,' the burning of his jerseys, the lowering cost of his Fat Head Posters, all has led to the bad rep of LeGone James.
Without any doubt LeBron will be under the biggest pressure of all. Now that everyone knows of what kind of person he really is, he only has his teammates and his father Delonte West, whoops I mean his mom, and his crew of friends.
If LeBron does not win a title this year, he will lose even more respect and I don't know what he would do if he doesn't win even in a couple years.
The biggest challenge for LeBron will be to handle being the second option for the Heat with Wade there. LeBron isn't exactly the giving type, so it should be interesting this season to see how well that works out.
I cannot tell you how excited I am to see LeBron and the Heat play because everyone is waiting for LeBron to fail.
