50 Most Compelling Personalities in NBA History

The most compelling players of all-time are each unique in a different fashion.

With so much personality in the league, there are a number of ways in which the players on this list have expressed themselves both on and off of the court.

There is a ton of variation when it comes to the 50 candidates on this list, and each one has made it for a very distinct reason.

50. Reggie Miller

If it weren’t for the fantastic rivalry between Miller’s Pacers and Spike Lee’s Knicks, basketball truly wouldn’t have been the same in the mid 90s.

In addition to his memorable performance of pouring in eight points in just 11 seconds, Miller ranks third on the list for career games with the same team, appropriately right behind John Stockton and Karl Malone.

49. Lamar Odom

When Odom’s Kardashian wife called him a “reality TV husband” rather than calling herself a “basketball wife," there were multiple eyebrows raised.

What really makes Odom interesting is his insane versatility on the basketball court, as he’s really proven to be an asset and integral contributor as he transitions between reserve and starter seamlessly.

48. Amar'e Stoudemire

Stoudemire’s career has gone through peaks and valleys as he’s battled back successfully from knee woes, but his appeal isn’t solely for what STAT brings to the game.

Having identified himself as a man with roots in Judaism, Amar’e has openly discussed his Israeli roots on Twitter and regularly expresses a Shalom to all of his followers.

47. Cherokee Parks

Cherokee Parks is a throwback name, but that doesn't mean that he shouldn't be highlighted for one of the more interesting tattoos that the NBA has seen.

Parks has the Statue of Liberty inked proudly and loudly on his arm, but it's not just a model of the famous piece of New York.

With a mean look on her face and with "victory" embroidered underneath, it's unclear as to where Parks may have gotten this artistic idea from.

46. Gary Payton

Payton was a unique talent on the court with his insane ability on the defensive end.

In fact, Payton is the only point guard in the history of the Defensive Player of the Year Award to take home the honors, and with his all-around attack flashing at both ends, he’s one of the most elite point guards that the game has ever seen.

45. Gheorghe Muresan

What’s not interesting about my favorite giant? Because that’s literally what Muresan was standing at 7’7” tall on the basketball court.

He was in Eminem’s “My Name Is” music video, was part of the tallest lineup ever for the Maryland NightHawks and has parents of average height.

44. Rick Barry

Barry’s uniqueness wasn’t just due to the fact that he was a solid foul shooter, but rather, his one of a kind style of shot.

Some may have mocked his use of the “granny style," but there’s nothing to laugh about when looking at his career 89.3 percent with that stroke.

43. John Stockton

When discussing the best point guards of all-time, it’s absolutely stunning that more don’t go instantly to Stockton.

He averaged a career double-double, was a 10-time All-Star, has more career assists than anyone in league history with 15,806 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

42. Jeff Hornacek

Hornacek was an impressive foul shooter for his career with an incredible 87.7 percent clip from the charity stripe.

Perhaps it was because of the unique cheek rub that he integrated into his routine, as it was the former Utah guard’s way of saying hello to his children watching at home.

41. J.R. Smith

Has there been a player in recent memory that has gone in and out of the doghouse as frequently as JR Smith?

Not only is Smith a member of “Young Money Athletes," but he’s also got an extraordinary love for ink, as evident by the mural all over his body.

40. Kenyon Martin

K-Mart was miscast as a former No. 1 overall draft choice because his talent simply wasn’t up to the billing of what a top choice should be.

He’s got a very interesting collection of art all over his body, but the best one has to be his (covered up?) lips tattoo that was supposed to be for Trina.

39. Kevin Garnett

Garnett’s trash talk has really been a central part of his game since he came into the league straight out of high school, but that’s not the sole reason that he’s here.

Any player that has a legitimate conversation with the hoop before tip-off and gets that sweaty in anticipation of the action is someone that’s got a lot going on in that big-time basketball cranium.

38. Manute Bol

In addition to sharing the honors for being the tallest player to ever be in the NBA, Bol was the only person in league history to have more blocks than points scored.

The great late big man was perhaps one of the most interesting players in league history because of his activism in charitable causes throughout his career, specifically in Sudan.

37. Jason Williams

The man known as "White Chocolate" really re-enforced the first part of his nickname by getting "White Boy" tattooed on his knuckles.

Back in 2001, Williams shouted racial slurs to a fan sitting courtside, he called his Memphis team out in 2002 by saying "we suck" and in 2005, got into a heated battle with Geoff Calkins of The Commercial Appeal, yelling in his ear and stealing his pen from him.

36. Carmelo Anthony

‘Melo is a very interesting character not only because he’s married to a MTV personality, but also because he successfully angled his way out of Denver.

Now that he’s underneath the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, all eyes are on him to see if he’ll be able to produce.

35. Stephen Jackson

S-Jax certainly hasn’t been afraid to speak his mind in the past, and he even indicated that the Bobcats purposely held him out toward the end of last season so the club wouldn’t make the playoffs.

He’s one of the most underrated veterans currently in the league, but his words off the court often trump his action on it.

34. Scot Pollard

Pollard is one of those veterans that seemed to be on a new team almost every season, and he certainly had a unique flair for every team that took a chance on him.

Although he wasn’t exactly a standout player during his career, he certainly drew attention to himself thanks to his stylistic flair.

33. Kermit Washington

Washington is most notorious for having popped Rudy Tomjanovich with a single punch to the front of his melon.

Since retiring, Washington claimed that American University cut off ties with him, and oddly enough, currently works as a regional representative for the National Basketball Players Association.

32. Damon Stoudamire

Stoudamire was nicknamed “Mighty Mouse” during his playing days and looked to be a rising superstar in the league after winning Rookie of the Year in 1995-96.

He kept his standards high, as evidenced by his incident with over 150 grams of marijuana when he was busted.

31. Joakim Noah

In addition to garnering a lot of dislike from his opponents on the court, Noah is someone who has been photographed in multiple instances where he probably wishes there wasn’t a camera.

We’ve seen him in a smoke shop, living the high life on the beach and frankly, who could forget his infamous outfit on draft night?

30. Michael Beasley

It’s pretty hard to imagine that there was ever a debate between Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley for the first overall selection in the draft.

Beasley was just cited for his third marijuana-related incident recently, while Rose is coming off of an MVP-winning season at just 22 years old.

But really, the most unique thing about Beasley is his very interesting tattoo of “Super Cool Beas” across his back.

29. Karl Malone

Malone is definitely one of the most interesting players of all-time, as his collection of Harley-Davidson motorcycles is impressive on its own.

What lands him on this list specifically is his willingness to enter the wrestling ring and compete against Dennis Rodman in a full-fledged brawl.

28. Muggsy Bogues

Bogues is the shortest player to ever play in the league at 5’3”, and the fact that he was the No. 12 overall pick back in 1987 is a testament to his incredible skill set.

Perhaps the most memorable part of Bogues’ career came when he blocked Patrick Ewing and lit the crowd on fire with cheers as a result, and his autobiography, In The Land of Giants, is a must-read for any basketball fan.

27. Dirk Nowitzki

Nowitzki was an interesting fellow long before he and the Mavericks secured the 2011 NBA Championship.

He really set a precedent for international players coming into the NBA, and on a much broader scale, completely evolved the way that power forwards are viewed in the league.

26. Blake Griffin

Has there been a more impressive and/or anticipated rookie season than the one that Blake Griffin delivered for the Clippers?

Despite the fact that the team had to wait a season to see Griffin deliver, they have a legitimate franchise player and one with some of the most impressive athleticism that a big man has ever been blessed with in his arsenal.

25. Walt Frazier

Walt Frazier has done phenomenal work as a spokesman alongside Keith Hernandez for Just For Men, but that’s not why he’s here.

A phenomenal player during his day, Frazier has really come into his own as a broadcaster dropping classic lines like “duping and hooping” among many, many others.

24. Greg Oden

In addition to looking like he’s about 20 years older than he actually is, Oden has been photographed several times at less than opportune times.

He could go down as one of the most talked about big men of all-time despite his inability to stay on the court for a prolonged amount of time, and his fascinating case is far from over after the Blazers extended him a qualifying offer of $8.8 million prior to the lockout.

23. Jason Kidd

Jason Kidd is a prolific point guard and has proven to be a leader within the huddle, but he drew some nasty attention away from his game earlier in his career.

Kidd plead guilty to domestic abuse in January of 2001 after he admitted to hitting his wife.

22. Charles Oakley

Oakley recently made some headlines after he filed a lawsuit against Arizona Resort and Casino in Las Vegas after allegedly being assaulted by security guards at the facility.

Prior to that, Oakley told Doug Smith of The Toronto Star that he wanted to make an NBA comeback right around the same time that Reggie Miller was flirting with the idea of teaming up with the Celtics.

21. Bill Laimbeer

Laimbeer was one of the most hated players during his prime when he played for a Pistons team that didn’t care about what the opposition thought of them.

The big men regularly found himself in the midst of disagreements, fights and downright mayhem on the basketball court, but he never sought to back down.

20. Spud Webb

He may have not been quite as short as Bogues, but Webb could jump anyone right out of the building with a 42-inch vertical at 5’7”.

He is one of the most impressive slam dunk artists of all-time despite his small stature, and it’s likely we won’t see another player quite like him for a very long time.

19. Darryl Dawkins

Dawkins not only knew how to dunk the ball in style, but he thought so much of his showcasing that he proceeded to nickname his slam dunks.

My personal favorite is the “Dunk You Very Much," but the man better known as “Chocolate Thunder” is really on this list because he claimed that he was an extraterrestrial and rocked the suits to support that argument.

18. Kobe Bryant

Although Bryant has had a Hall of Fame career, he’s drawn plenty of attention off of the court when he was younger.

There was the infamous Colorado trial, the comments that the Lakers should’ve traded Andrew Bynum for Jason Kidd and the awesome feud between he and Shaq O’Neal.

17. Chris "Birdman" Andersen

There isn’t a player currently in the league with a more interesting tattoo collection than the Birdman.
He’s made a triumphant return to the game after spending time away on a hiatus for drug-related charges, but he’s been able to overcome that and be a crucial contributor for the Nuggets.

With all of that light blue integrated into his art, let’s hope that he stays in the Denver fold for a solid amount of time. 

16. Jayson Williams

Williams went to trial for being accused of shooting his own limousine driver and ultimately plead guilty to the charge.

Williams was sentenced to five years in prison and will have to serve a minimum of 18 months before he’s even eligible for parole.

15. Allen Iverson

A.I. was supposed to be the franchise player and didn’t feel like practice was that big of a deal, and then things got really interesting.

After he was dealt out of Denver to Detroit, A.I. mailed it in, took his talents to Memphis for a three game stint, went back to the Sixers and then went on to try a stint for Deron Williams’ newest team, Besiktas.

And now, he wants to make yet another NBA comeback.

14. Delonte West

Between the beef between he and LeBron, his motorcycle adventure with loaded weapons and a blossoming rap career, it’s amazing that West hasn’t drawn even more attention than previously.

Add in the fact that he managed to get into a couple of scruffs with teammate Von Wafer last season with the Celtics, and it’s awfully hard to tell what’s coming next for the point guard.

13. Michael Jordan

Jordan’s intrigue was centered more around his game than his personality, as it seemed possible that he could do just about anything.

There was no stopping him on the court despite the opposition giving its best effort, and his effortless flow within the game is something that will never be replicated by another.

12. Charles Barkley

Barkley was a power forward who wasn’t afraid to engage in some trash talk around the rim, and it’s gotten even more entertaining since he entered the broadcasting booth.

A moment of hilarity ensued when Barkley got pulled over and was cited for DUI, and he gave the officer a pretty entertaining reason as to why he was in such a hurry.

11. Rasheed Wallace

Wallace set a single-season record that is unlikely to ever be broken when he registered a whopping 41 technicals in the 2000-01 campaign.

His on-court antics are secondary to none when it comes to his ability to argue with the referee, and his shenanigans were absolutely epic before (and after) the new rules around contesting a call.

10. Shawn Kemp

Kemp was a six-time All-Star during his tenure in the pros, and he truly had one of the most unorthodox shot motions that I’ve ever seen.

Additionally, he’s also fathered at least seven children (although the number could be even higher) and was implicated in a Washington drug ring involving an exorbitant amount of marijuana and some cocaine.

He plead guilty to the charge of drug possession.

9. Latrell Sprewell

Sprewell was a talented player, but anyone that claims he can’t feed his family with over $20 million on a proposed contract is in desperate need of a CT Scan.

On top of that, Sprewell couldn’t find common ground with ex-coach PJ Carlesimo and wound up choking him during practice, resulting in a lengthy suspension and completely deflecting attention away from his game.

8. Magic Johnson

There will never be another player like Magic Johnson.

A 6’9” point guard who could play any position asked of him, Johnson earned his nickname because he literally performed things that he shouldn’t have been able to with a basketball in his hands that left the crowd with their jaw on the ground.

7. Dwight Howard

There hasn’t been a more charismatic center since Shaq roamed the middle, and Howard is truly the epitome of a marketer’s dream.

With an enormous personality to match his impressive frame, there’s nothing that’s not to like about Howard and his dominance in the lane.

6. LeBron James

James was a human hype machine from the time he made it known he was coming to the league, and there won’t be a player that fuels this much attention again for a very long time.

Between his “Chosen 1” tattoo, questionable ability to articulate what’s on his mind and perceived arrogance, James is one of the most remarkable journeys to follow throughout the NBA.

5. Gilbert Arenas

Anyone who nicknames himself the red-headed stepchild of the NBA is definitely an interesting personality to say the least.

Arenas’ Twitter feed is the most entertaining one available, and his antics within the last few seasons have been well-documented.

4. Stephon Marbury

Anyone who gets a tattoo on the side of his skull is pretty much an automatic candidate for this list, but Marbury’s personality sends his seeding to an entirely new echelon.

Marbury was banned from the Knicks sideline, and even ate Vaseline live on YouTube when he was really at his peak of being an outcast from the league.

3. Ron Artest

It almost seems as if Ron Artest has been a different player in every city that he’s stopped in along his NBA tour, but there’s no doubting that it’s been entertaining to follow.

Now that Ron-Ron will be known as Mr. Metta World Peace, and I’m looking forward to the first time that he decides to devote a hairstyle to his new found moniker.

2. Dennis Rodman

“The Worm” certainly never refrained from being himself on the court, and he wasn’t afraid of what anyone had to think of him.

Between dressing like a woman, changing his hair color on a daily basis and being the best rebounder of all-time for anyone 6’7” and under, there was certainly no shortage of uniqueness in Rodman’s repertoire.

1. Shaquille O'Neal

Not only is Shaq the most physically dominant center to ever play the game, but he also had a grand personality to match his large frame.

From taking on different roles as a rapper, actor and general entertainer, O’Neal’s antics will forever be remembered as one of the most unique of all-time.