25 Biggest NBA Drama Queens of the Last 30 Years

In a league that consists of a rigorous 82-game schedule and boasts some of the most talented athletes in the world, the NBA sure has had a surplus of drama queens over the course of history.

These are players who find a reason to complain, whine and overreact at every whistle or absence of one. These are human beings that make a pile of money, often support families and are role models for impressionable children.

Case in point, at this level, these athletes are supposed to be adults.

But not all of them have always acted like it.

No. 25: Patrick Ewing

Considering he was one of the most respected players in the game even during his time, Patrick Ewing sure found a lot to complain about.

The 7'0" Ewing played some of the toughest defense we have ever seen and battled in the low post with the most physical of athletes. So why was he such a whiner?

Every whistle a referee ever blew his way resulted in Ewing flailing his hands and dropping his mouth in astonishment as if it was the worst kind of insult. And if a whistle wasn't blown in his favor when he thought it should have been, forget about it.

Pictured here, is Ewing attempting to pump up the Madison Square Garden crowd or reacting to a whistle?

I'll leave that up to you to decide. 

No. 24: Anderson Varejao

Anderson Varejao, as one of the game's biggest floppers, spends most of his time on the ground, but on the rare occasion he is on his feet, there's a better-than-good chance he's complaining about something.

Whether its no calls, bad calls, missed shots or if a lock of his hair falls out of place, Varejao is going to find a reason to whine. In fact, even when a call goes his way, he's bound to overreact with an exuberant self fist-to-chest pound.

He's got incredible size and has panned out better than most second-round picks, but he sure is oversensitive, which isn't exactly an admirable quality.

No. 23: Kendrick Perkins

See how Tyson Chandler is aggressively shoving Kendrick Perkins to the side? What are the odds he complained about that?

Pretty damn good.

Perkins is 6'10" and weighs 280 pounds, and you would think he bruises like a peach the way he is constantly complaining in the low post. He doesn't overreact so much that he gets angry, but rather he becomes surly and mopes around the court.

Perkins' exaggerated reaction to every whistle or no-call indicates that his life must depend upon referees and opposing players catering to his every need.

No. 22: Tim Duncan

Tim Duncan is one of the most respected players ever to grace the court, when things are going his way, that is. 

Whenever the whistle is blown against Duncan, he looks like a kid who got caught with his hands in the cookie jar. He immediately throws his hands up into the "Wasn't Me" position and looks around waiting for the refs to pick on someone else.

Ultimately, they never do, in which case Duncan runs up to said ref—hands still in the air—and pleads his case, no matter how blatant his actions were.

How he explains himself most of the time is beyond me. 

No. 21: Ray Allen

Some consider Ray Allen to be a gentleman and level-headed athlete when on the court. 

Those people are mistaken.

Allen's overly dramatic nature is often overshadowed by his prolific shooting. However, he is one of the more temper-tantrum-prone players the league has ever seen.

Allen's volatile nature has tapered off now that he is in the latter stages of his career, but it was not too long ago that a call he disagreed with would send him into a riot. His hands would flail about, and he would chase the refs around the court until his teammates would stop him.

Even now, Allen's facial expressions when things don't go his way are extreme, and he is not immune from yelling in disagreement.

Allen's talent is respectable, his drama-queen-like tendencies are not.

No. 20: Glen "Big Baby" Davis

Glen "Big Baby" Davis is one of the most physical big men in the game, which is fitting because he weighs nearly 300 pounds. That being said, even he does not pride himself on mature behavior when on the court.

With every call that doesn't go his way, Davis' attitude goes from intimidating to shameful. Seriously, if he hadn't made it in the NBA, there would have been a career for him in Hollywood. After all, from what we can see on the court, he could probably turn on the water works on command.

His obvious moniker aside, Davis really is one of the biggest drama queens in the league, and he is a testament to the negative persona of the current generation of players.

No. 19: Allen Iverson

Being only 6'0" in the NBA obviously creates a chip on one's shoulder, but most would be eager to prove themselves talented enough for the league by maintaining a certain level of class.

Not Allen Iverson.

Iverson definitely proved he belonged in the NBA, but to say he had class is a more than a stretch. Sure, he handled the rigors of playing against those much bigger than him, but he also whined about everything.

Whether it was about not getting enough playing time, actually having to attend practice, committing a foul as he went for a steal or because his rap career never took off, Iverson was quite the drama queen.

Knowing all this, an overly sensitive narcissist may be a better way to describe Iverson.

No. 18: Josh Smith

Josh Smith isn't exactly one of the more respectable players in the league, but one wouldn't expect him to overreact as much as he does while on the court.

Smith doesn't just overreact when a call isn't made in his favor, but he is liable to get upset if an opposing player dunks on him. He is a tenacious defender, and it is understandable to be upset if you get beat, but to throw a temper tantrum is just plain embarrassing.

Apparently, Smith isn't above such etiquette, though.

No. 17: Amar'e Stoudemire

Pictured here is one of Amar'e Stoudemire's 15 technical fouls from last season. Need I say more as to why he is one of the biggest drama queens in NBA history?

Stoudemire plays with a lot of heart and fire, but at what point does such style become overly dramatic? Based on his actions, I'd say that breaking point is every whistle that gets blown at him.

Tempers flare in a competitive setting like the basketball court, but Stoudemire's behavior often becomes obsessive and borderline babyish.

And to that measure, Stoudemire is lucky his technical foul total wasn't higher last season, as three of them were rescinded upon review.

No. 16: Stephon Marbury

Anyone who gives themselves the monicker "Starbury" is bound to have some ego issues, and have those issues Stephon Marbury did.

Over the course of his extremely controversial 13-year career, Marbury threw temper tantrums on and off the court. Whistles, coaches, opposing players, teammates, "ungrateful" fans and just his overall charmed life drove the point guard up a wall.

Someone who made as much money as he did wouldn't be expected to find so much to complain about. Better yet, someone who played as tough a style as he did and was as high on himself as he was would be expected to be immune to what happens around him.

Not Marbury, though. The drop of a hat, or rather drop of pass, could send him into an emotional, vaseline-induced tizzy.  

No. 15: Danny Ainge

Danny Ainge would instigate a scuffle over the most insignificant of occurrences.

Here, I think he went nose-to-nose with Michael Jordan because His Airness looked at him the wrong way. Some call that aggressive, but it is also dramatic.

Shouldn't NBA players be used to trash talking and controversial calls? Isn't that a part of their job?

You wouldn't know it by watching Ainge, as he refused to accept anything he didn't agree with wholeheartedly.

Hopefully, too many whistles didn't sound in this confrontation as that would have sent Ainge over the edge. Again. 

No. 14: Stephen Jackson

If this article was dedicated to the most violent players in NBA history, Stephen Jackson would be much higher, but its for the worst drama queens in history, something he is not at prominent at, yet still a part of.

Aside from proclaiming that he got technical fouls because he wants to, Jackson is known to react to every call, and I mean every call, even if the play doesn't involve him.

No-calls seem to perturb Jackson more than ill-advised ones, as he can be seen stomping his feet and pouting at the referee, all while the game progresses without him.

You would think he would have matured by this point in life, but I guess that is just wishful thinking.

No. 13: Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille O'Neal could often be seen having a sidebar conversation with referees, or perhaps tirade would be a better word describe it.

Here, we see O'Neal having what looks like a civil discussion with a referee, a rare occurrence at best. He had something to say about every whistle blown and he would do so in the most flamboyant of fashions.

At 7'1" and 325 pounds, O'Neal was one of the most massive and aggressive players in the low-post. That being said, he was also one of the biggest babies.

While many will miss seeing him on the court, the referees sure as hell won't.

No. 12: Alonzo Mourning

Alonzo Mourning remains one of the best big men the NBA has seen, but he also holds a reputation as one of the biggest drama queens ever.

Mourning is notorious for his low-post battles, especially with the likes of fellow drama queen Patrick Ewing, but such battles often consisted of him throwing a temper tantrum when whistles did not blow in his favor.

Whenever Mourning was whistled for a foul, especially on a block attempt, he covered his head with his hands in disbelief and proceeded to give the refs a piece of his mind. While he became very angry at times, most of these outbursts consisted of him pleading rather than resorting to violence.

It is slightly unsettling to watch a grown man who stands at 6'10" conversing with a referee like his lunch money was just stolen. Simply put, Mourning's dramatics were a testament to awkwardness.

No. 11: Dwight Howard

As the most feared low-post player in the league, one would expect Dwight Howard to be a mountain of seriousness, not a drama queen who, at times, doesn't even have a cause.

Howard earned himself 18 technicals last season, which should come as no surprise given that he acted as if every whistle signified the end of the world. In his defense, his aggressive style opens him up to more whistles than normal, but that's no reason to be up in arms, literally, at every single one.

Howard doesn't usually get called for a technical because he is especially volatile, he just doesn't know when to stop whining. His lockdown defense is admirable, but his tendency the play the part of the drama queen is unflattering, and will taint the legacy he leaves behind.

No. 10: Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce may be hated for his ability to come through in the clutch consistently, but he is despised for his incessant complaining. 

When whistles blow, Pierce has something to say. When he is fouled, he has something to say. When a rebound caroms off the rim and out of his reach, he has something to say. You see where I'm going with this?

Pierce's exaggerated facial expressions and over-the-top reactions to every play that takes place, have become famous, or rather infamous.

The dramatic fashion that is his on-court persona has become disturbing. Why exactly? Because he's 33, and still reacts worse than a nine-year-old when things don't his way.

No. 9: Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley was and still is best known for being a hothead, but he more than toed with the lines of being a drama queen.

Every call, or lack thereof, that went against Barkley would send him into a frenzy, more often than not a heated one. While these outbursts were often volatile, they bordered on temper tantrums more than intimidating episodes.

Even now it doesn't take much to get a rise out of Barkley as a TNT analyst. He seems wired to overreact too absolutely everything.

Whether it was barking at a referee or into a camera from a well-lit studio, Sir Charles—or for the sake of this discussion, Queen Charles—has always been at the heart of drama.

No. 8: Reggie Miller

Does this pose look for familiar? 

It should because Reggie Miller spent a great amount of time in it during his playing days. Whenever a whistle was blown against him or if he thought there was a no-call, Miller would go ballistic.

How ballistic? Aside from this trademark pose, he would look from ref to ref to ref screaming, as if his childish display would coerce them into reversing their decision. In fact, he turned his head from one to the other so quickly that its a wonder he never got whiplash.

When Miller wasn't coming through in the clutch or putting a dagger through the hearts of opposing fans, you could find him next to a referee or his coach, up in arms about how he could call the game better than anyone.

Oh, Reggie.

No. 7: LeBron James

Understandably, LeBron James draws a lot of fouls, due in part to the respect his game commands even from the refs. That being said, the drama queen in James still finds a way to rear its ugly head more often than we would care to see.

Despite generating a wealth of calls in his favor, James still overreacts when any don't go his way. His face reflects a bona-fide scowl and his hands are always up in the air wondering "Why Me?"

This behavior doesn't stay on the basketball court, either. When conversing with the media, he is liable to overreact at even the most innocent of questions. To be honest, some of them do get a bit imposing, but to be even more honest, he's a professional athlete who should handle it better.

James' tendency to overreact in all aspects of his life has earned him a reputation as quite the drama queen in the basketball circle. This reputation has only been furthered since he joined the Heat and reached a new level of self-involvedness.

And it doesn't appear he is going to slow down anytime soon.

No. 6: Bill Laimbeer

It's always puzzling when one of the dirtier players is also a drama queen.

Laimbeer implemented defensive tactics that were questionable at best, but he also had an on-court demeanor that was pitiful, to say the least.

While Laimbeer got away with murder on the court at times, whenever he did get caught, he turned it into a huge fiasco. This is especially puzzling because Laimbeer, of all people, knew he was guilty of cheap shots, yet he always wondered what he did wrong.

He was never easy going about calls against him, either. We would either see a full-blown drama queen or a raging tyrant. 

Few players over the course of NBA history have complained more than Laimbeer.

I'm not sure if that is something he prides himself on or not.

No. 5: Ron Artest (Metta World Peace)

Ron Artest truly has reinvented the role of the drama queen.

Artest may be best known for his volatile demeanor, and given how it took less than a little to send him into an episode of fury, this is more than reason for him to be considered one.

Recently, though, Artest has took it to a whole other level. Quite possibly because he was exhausted from being viewed as violent athlete, his public persona has undergone a major overhaul this past year.

Artest, or rather Metta World Peace, now prides himself on all things good and pure. I'm all for an image overhaul, especially for someone like Artest, but this is ridiculous. He was never ever able to find a balance between good and evil.

One minute we see an athlete ready to explode at any given whistle, and now we have a player trying to explain the rich history of our planet through his jersey number of choice.

Drama, drama, drama.

No. 4: Kevin Garnett

Kevin Garnett is a drama queen of drama queens. He always has to take his reactions to the next level.

Garnett can often be found up in arms, yelling at the referees, screaming to the arena at large, confronting opposing players, or if bellowing doesn't do the trick, taking shots at groins.

It takes very little to send Garnett into temper-tantrum mode. He whines like that's what he gets paid for, and he is relentless when it comes to questioning calls on the floor.

There are times when athletes do have a case for what they are attempting to plead, but the frequency in which Garnett does it is more like firing at will. Although he may have a legitimate argument once in a blue moon, those almost become void because he is a serial whiner.

Garnett is one of the greatest ever to play the game, but when it comes to the world of drama, he has his own gravitational pull.

No. 3: Kobe Bryant

What we love about Kobe Bryant is he is an elusive talent unlike any other. What we cannot stand about him is his constant complaining, game in and game out.

Bryant is a member of the flailing-hands club when he gets called for a foul, but the real dramatic antics ensue when he thinks he was fouled, but nothing was called. It is here Bryant is liable to jump, scream, use profanity, glare at the refs or even chase them.

As one of the greatest ever to play the game, Bryant gets a lot of calls, but if he had it his way, he would get even more. Most players probably feel the same, but very few of them react like Bryant does.

Bryant's on-court personality is not typically dangerous, but his temper tantrums earned him 15 technicals last season. 

The NBA made has made it clear they are not going to tolerate whining, and if the rules ever get harsher in that regard, 50 percent of Bryant's salary would have to be put in an escrow account so that he could easily fund his drama-queen tendencies.  

No. 2: Dikembe Mutombo

If you ask Dikembe Mutombo, he will probably tell you that a foul is something he never committed over his illustrious 18-year career.

Mutombo's reaction to fouls being called against him was priceless, and something no one else to date has matched. What made them even more entertaining is how genuine his bewilderment was.

All of the aforementioned athletes who threw their arms up in disbelief, were in fact, jumping on a bandwagon that Mutombo created and made famous. There was not a single call during his time that he didn't feel the need to give input on.

Mutombo complained constantly, and whenever his incessant ranting and raving turned into a technical, it just spurred him on.

He may have been a pioneer in low-post defense, but he was a drama queen at heart. Based on how he reacted, every whistle blown against him must have been a referee fulfilling a personal vendetta on the big man.

During his days with the Philadelphia 76ers, I sure hope the refs got paid overtime for having to put up with both him and Iverson. 

No. 1: Rasheed Wallace

If Rasheed Wallace had played last season after the NBA instituted the new technical foul policy, he would be reporting an Eddy Curry and Antoine Walker like loss for the fiscal year.

Wallace, the player with the most technical fouls in NBA history, is notorious for his addiction to overreacting. His outbursts were often explosive, but they were also hysterical.

No one in the history of the NBA ran up and down the court in the genuinely confused way Wallace did. He seemed to truly believe that he never committed a foul.

It wasn't just fouls either. He complained about, well, pretty much everything. I think once he even chastised a referee for letting his shirt come untucked.

If complaining was considered an art, Wallace would have thousands of masterpieces to his name.

You can follow Dan Favale on Twitter here @Dan_Favale.