NBA Has No Room for Error: Which Stars Have Hurt Their Images the Most?
Everyone makes mistakes, some more than others. It's human nature. NBA players are no different than anyone else, from the last man off the bench to the star of the team.
The difference is compared to the average fan, they are celebrities. They are watched like hawks and scrutinized for every little thing. That is the price they pay for making millions of dollars playing a game that can just as easily be won in the driveway after dinner.
It's even harder for players who carry the burden of being a star. It's a package that carries a heavy reputation that is much easier to damage than fix.
In no particular order, here is a list of former and current NBA stars whose actions on and off the court have damaged their image the most over the last decade.
Michael Jordan
1 of 10
The Big Mistake: Revealing his dark side in his Hall of Fame Speech
Despite his failure to realize when it was time to quit after wasting several years of his prime with early retirement, Jordan will always be considered one of the best to ever play the game, and rightfully so.
However, where he really damaged his image was after retirement, specifically during his speech following his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Instead of thanking everyone who made this honor possible (family, teammates, coaches, etc), he spent most of his time talking about getting revenge on others who "did him wrong", like his high school coach who didn't start him for a game.
His speech bewildered an audiance who thought they were coming to honor the greatest player of all time, not listen to a 40-minute deluge of tears full of hatred and a dirty stare after his comment that he may return to the court when he's 50 drew laughter.
The Result: People finally got to see who the real MJ is: a vengeful, stubborn, arrogant man who will never be satisfied off the court. (As a side note, he's also a lousy CEO and majority owner.)
Stephen Jackson
2 of 10
The Big Mistake: A good guy with a bad temper.
It's a crying shame really. Jackson is a good man with good intentions who cannot control his behavior.
The first real blow to his reputation started with his role in the infamous Pacers-Pistons Brawl, where he followed fellow teamate Ron Artest into the stands to fight with fans. This earned him the second highest suspension (30 games) of all the players involved.
He also has a felony record with assult charges that seem to contradict the compliments many close to him have made. He has been labled as charming, engaging, and the ultimate teammate, but he cannot keep his temper and antics under control.
The Result: Ultimately Jackson has been a travelor who puts up good stats and apparently is enjoyable to work with, but he cannot find ways to help his team win thanks to constant technicals, ejections, and outside problems.
Kobe Bryant
3 of 10
The Big Mistake: Sexual Assault Allegations in 2003
After a disappointing end to the 2003 season that ended the Lakers' string of three consecutive championships, Kobe spent part of his summer in Colorado to undergo knee surgery. There, he was accused of raping a 19-year-old hotel employee, despite his claims it was consentual.
Even though the case was dropped after his accuser refused to testify in trial, he still had to settle a civil lawsuit with her and nearly lost his marriage.
The Result: Despite the dropped charges, Kobe experienced a huge plummet in his popularity and jersey sales, lost many endorsements, and had to work long and hard to regain the respect of the nation.
Note: Of all the players listed in this article, it is important to note that Kobe has probably done the best job of rebuilding his reputation on and off the court after such a damaging mistake.
Latrell Sprewell
4 of 10
The Big Mistake: Besides choking his coach? Claiming $21 million dollars would not feed his family.
Sprewell already had a troublesome past that included nearly choking P.J. Carlesimo to death at practice for telling him to make crisper passes, as well as attacking a teammate with a two-by-four.
Despite all this, he was still a four-time All-star known for leading the only eight-seeded team (1999 New York Knicks) to the Finals.
Then, in October 2004 he claimed that a $21 million, 3-year extention from the Kevin Garnett-led Minnesota Timberwolves was not enough to feed his family and had his agent state that he would rather retire than accept so little.
After that season, he and his agent tried to wait for teams to get desperate enough to sign him for more, but no one did. He did receive a couple of offers from Dallas and San Antonio but never responded.
The Results: Sprewell never played again and has been plagued by controversy and financial trouble including assault charges, law suits, and foreclosure ever since. Think he would take that $21 mil now?
Carmelo Anthony
5 of 10
The Big Mistake: Turning down a huge contract extension and demanding trade.
He was already labeled a coward after the Knicks-Nuggets Brawl in Dec. 2006. Just when order had been restored, he threw in an extra punch and retreated down the court. Even though the initial cause of the ten-player "argument" did not include him, he received the largest suspension of 15 games.
Now, four years later, he seems ready to chicken out of being a franchise player so he can head to a bigger market with more media spotlights than snowy Denver.
He has turned down a contract extension worth $64 million and ironically says he will only sign that extension if he is traded to the very team (though not the same players) that he brawled with.
The Result: He's become somewhat of the league's villain in recent weeks, and it looks like the closest he will get to NYC is New Jersey. Without signing an extension, he runs the risk of getting a pay cut after the seemingly inevitable lockout next summer.
Stephon Marbury
6 of 10
Big Mistake: Getting banned from his team because of stubbornness.
He was a star in the making who was virtually uncoach-able. While playing for the New York Knicks, he constantly feuded with coaches Larry Brown, Issiah Thomas (who didn't?), and Mike D'Antoni. If his team wasn't winning, he wasn't happy.
In 2009 he basically quit after he failed to earn the starting job as point guard in D'Antoni's first year as the Knicks head coach. He was put on the inactive list to avoid "embarrassment" and refused to play when he was offered the chance. After that he was banned from team events and told to stay home.
He was later bought out by the Boston Celtics for the remainder of the season but refused to sign a one-year veteran's minimum that summer.
The Result: After a troubling stretch highlighted by a 24-hr internet show that showed him eating Vasoline and crying (a lot), he finally agreed to sign a deal to play in China's lowly professional league.
Allen Iverson
7 of 10
The Big Mistake: Refusing to practice and come off the bench.
From the outside looking in, Iverson is a great player who has all the stats and awards to one day earn a spot in the Hall of Fame. The question is, do they really want him? There weren't any teams that did last summer.
He played with a score-first, all-about-me attitude making him uncontrollable. He often refused to practice, deeming it unnecessary. This led to his removal from the only two teams he really played well for in the Philadelphia 76ers in 2006 and Denver Nuggets in 2008.
After that, he constantly expressed displeasure from being a bench player on the Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies, who he only played a few games with before being terminated a couple of weeks into the 2010 season.
What was thought to be a rejuvenating move to recover his career by re-signing with the 76ers ended with him deciding to quit after the All-star break to spend time with his family.
The Result: Although he wanted to return to the NBA again, no one would sign him during the 2010 off-season, resulting in him signing a small contract with one the Turkish league's second-tier teams.
Gilbert Arenas
8 of 10
The Big Mistake: Bringing guns to the locker room (and into D.C.)
After several injury-plagued seasons that had limited this once promising star's career, Arenas finally had the chance to prove himself once again after entering the 2010 season healthy. However, he let his sense of humor get the best of him.
After an argument with a fellow teammate over a game of cards, Arenas presented him with unloaded firearms in what was meant to be a joke. Not only did he break the law of the league by bringing guns to the arena, but also the ordinance of the District of Columbia.
During on-going investigation, Arenas continued to be too light-hearted about the incident. He often joked about it and even mocked shooting guns at his teammates with his fingers during the pregame.
This led to Commissioner David Stern's decision that he was "not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game." He was suspended for the remainder of the season (50 games) and all memorabilia of him was stripped from the arena.
The Result: After being convicted for his crimes, he spent the 30 days in a half-way house. He started the 2011 season with the Washington Wizards with a much more solemn attitude (affecting his play) and has since been traded to the Orlando Magic.
Ron Artest
9 of 10
The Big Mistake: Pacers-Pistons Brawl
It was towards the end of an already decided but intense match-up between the reigning Eastern Conference Finalists in 2004. Artest committed a hard, unnecessary foul on Pistons center Ben Wallace, resulting in a shoving match between both teams.
It got ugly when Artest laid down on the scorers table, where he was hit by a cup of beer thrown by a spectator. He reacted by running into the stands and punching the man he thought threw the cup and was followed by several teammates, resulting in one of the ugliest scenes in sports history.
Artest was suspended for the remainder of the season: a total of 86 games making it the longest suspension for an on-court incident in NBA History. Many new rules were set for fans, such as alcohol assumption and increased security. Several players and fans, including Artest, received assault charges for their actions.
The Result: Artest had trouble finding a home after that despite his defensive ability, though he has finally settled down with the LA Lakers and continues to try to improve his image with (odd) charity events.
LeBron James
10 of 10
The Big Mistake: The Decision
He was everyone's favorite player and a like-able guy before he screwed it all up with one poor decision. No, it was not the fact that he left Cleveland to "take his talents to South Beach", but how he did it with his own grueling hour-long special on ESPN that he claimed was for charity.
Yes, it was at a Boy and Girls club in Connecticut that received the proceeds, but the children were obviously used as background props meant to soften the blow LeBron's image was about to receive.
His continuous stubbornness about how he did nothing wrong and that everyone else is the villain has only further tarnished his image. He even went as far as to say his race is the reason no one likes him anymore.
The Result: LeBron quickly became one of the most despised figures in all sports. He certainly has not helped himself with his self-absorbed commercials and cranky behavior on the court. He is no longer seen as a nice guy from a small town in Ohio, but rather an egotistical maniac who will never have enough time in the spotlight to satisfy his needs.
.png?w=600 "76ers Stat When Down 0-2 👀")
