15 Moments from the Last Decade the NBA Would Like to Forget About

As much as I love watching basketball, the game is not without its moments that sometimes make me ashamed to be a fan.  The game should be one of honor, and men who tarnish its reputation or put it in a negative light just make me feel uneasy.

I remember the night that LeBron James made his famous "decision," I said (albeit with a few beers in my system) that I wouldn't watch any basketball that season simply on principle.

Some of these embarrassing moments are just sad, while others can actually be kind of funny.  That being said, let's look at the 15 most embarrassing moments in the NBA that occurred in the last 10 years.

No. 15: Jerry Sloan's Resignation Last Season

For the longest time, I was of the opinion that Jerry Sloan was the toughest coach in the NBA.  He manned the helm for the Utah Jazz for a whopping 23 seasons and was set to return this coming season for his 24th. 

This was a tenure that continued to last despite the fact that Sloan's teams had never won a championship, although they had been to the NBA Finals twice.

Suddenly, on Feb. 10, Sloan unexpectedly resigned from his position citing a "lack of energy."  On the same day, Yahoo Sports reported that the Hall of Fame coach's reason for leaving the team was repeated clashes with point guard Deron Williams, who was traded to the New Jersey Nets shortly afterward.

That story was denied by both Williams and Sloan, but the fact that Sloan resigned with such circumstances surrounding his choice is something that never should have happened.  He should have gone out with more dignity.

Thus, with its happening recently, Sloan's resignation is the perfect moment to kick off this list.

No. 14: Ron Artest Changes His Name

In a career that has been highlighted by confrontations, brawls and just controversy in general, I'm surprised that something like this didn't happen sooner.  Over the summer, Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest announced his intention to legally change his name to Metta World Peace.

Just when I thought the man couldn't get any odder after he thanked his psychiatrist on national television, he goes ahead and does something like this. 

More importantly, the name seems kind of an oxymoron considering how Artest...I'm sorry...Mr. World Peace...has had a reputation for being a volatile player throughout his career.

He'll always be Ron-Ron to me, but this announcement made me and I'm sure a few other fans want to go hide under a rock for a few days.

No. 13: The Gloria James Saga

During the 2009-2010 season, LeBron James' last year with the Cleveland Cavaliers, a nasty rumor came about.  Supposedly, James' teammate Delonte West had slept with the All-Star forward's mother, Gloria.  For those who believe that James was not at his best that year's playoffs, perhaps now we have found the reason.

I understand that professional athletes have their fair share of random trysts with women.  Believe me, it's become so frequent that we don't even get shocked by them anymore.

But to sleep with a teammate's mother, of all people?  First, that's not something we need to hear about.  Second, why would anyone admit that or even mention it to the press?

LeBron's mom probably embarrassed him enough when he was a child, and this just added insult to injury.

No. 12: Shaq Curses on Live TV

As much as I loved Shaquille O'Neal during his playing days, he was not without his flaws.  In this particular case, on Feb. 1, 2004, he let his passion for winning get in the way of his better judgment.

Shaq's Los Angeles Lakers had just beaten the Toronto Raptors that night by a score of 84-83 in a game that was rampant with foul calls and whistle-happy referees, and the future Hall of Fame center took it upon himself to let his opinions be known during a postgame interview.

Unfortunately for Shaq, he turned off his filter and let a few profanities slip on live television and every fan blushed.

WARNING!  THE VIDEO AT THE LEFT CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED NSFW OR UNSAFE FOR MINORS.  PLEASE USE CAUTION.

No. 11: Michael Jordan's Comeback with the Washington Wizards

After winning winning his sixth championship with the Chicago Bulls and thus competing his second three-peat, Michael Jordan retired for the second time in 1998.  At that point, everyone seemed to think he was done for good this time.

Yet, that was not the case.  Jordan made yet another comeback in 2001, when he was 38 years old.  This time, it was with the Washington Wizards.

While His Airness led the Wizards in scoring each of the two seasons he spent there (22.9 and 20 points per game), he was a shell of his former self. 

Instead of being the seasoned veteran who would lead the young team to the playoffs, the Wizards finished 37-45 both seasons that Jordan played for them.

It may have been fun at the time, but the fact that Jordan came back and was an aging, oft-injured veteran instead of the indestructible shooter we first fell for turned out to be just plain sad.

No. 10: The Close of Latrell Sprewell's Career

Volatile forward Latrell Sprewell last appeared in the NBA for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2004-2005 season.  Before that season started, team management offered him a three-year extension worth $21 million, a fair offer considering how Sprewell had been instrumental in helping the team reach the Western Conference Finals the year before.

However, Sprewell angrily turned down that offer with his famous words, "I have a family to feed."  Oddly enough, the 2004-2005 season (the final year of his current contract at the time) was the worst of his career.  He averaged a career-low 12.8 points per game.

Sprewell never appeared in the NBA again and today is beset by financial woes.  To date, he is the No. 1 delinquent taxpayer in his home state of Wisconsin, owing about $3.5 million in back income tax.

Considering how he was once one of the game's best, the end of his career was both embarrassing and sad.

No. 9: Charles Barkley's Gambling Problems

Once one of the game's best forwards, retired life has had its ups and downs for Charles Barkley.  After gaining a ton of weight, he has become an entertaining broadcaster for NBA on TNT.

Yet, in his legendary broadcasting career, Barkley has become known for some outlandish admissions about his compulsive gambling.  In 2007, he told ESPN that he had once lost $2.5 million in six hours of playing blackjack and had probably lost close to $10 million total through gambling.

His problem finally caught up with him in 2008, when he got into trouble over $400,000 he had failed to pay to the Wynn Las Vegas casino.  Considering how a civil complaint was filed against him, he finally decided to get the gambling under control

Still, basketball fans nationwide were surely in a bit of shock once they learned this unsavory tidbit about Sir Charles.

No. 8: Charles Barkley Arrested for DUI

As bad as Barkley's gambling demons are, they aren't nearly as bad as when he was arrested for DUI back on December 31, 2008.  This occurred in Scottsdale, Ariz.,and Barkley was pulled over for running a stop sign.  After failing his field sobriety tests, Barkley was arrested and taken into custody.

The embarrassing part is the reason why Barkley ran the stop sign in the first place.  According to the police report, via The Arizona Republic, he had a female companion in the car with him and was in a hurry to receive oral sex from her.

No. 7: Shaq's Time with the Celtics

Starting in 2006, Shaquille O'Neal's career began its downward spiral.  While still somewhat effective, he was not the absolutely dominating center he was when with the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers. 

The last five years of his career were spent with four different teams: the Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.

The year that tipped everyone off regarding his decline was his lone season in Cleveland.  He averaged just 12 points and 6.7 rebounds in 53 games, ultimately being too injured to help LeBron James bring the city an NBA championship.

That offseason, instead of retiring like he should have, Shaq instead decided to sign a two-year deal with the Boston Celtics.  He hit rock bottom there, averaging just 9.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in 37 games, all career lows.

Instead of bowing out with a shred of dignity, the man who used to be the best center in the league hobbled out of the NBA as someone who just looked old.

Oh well.  At least we got this video out of his tenure with Boston.

No. 6: Isiah Thomas and His Tenure with the Knicks

Isiah Thomas initially came to the Knicks when he was hired as team president and GM on Dec. 22, 2003.  At first, he helped jump-start the team by trading for guard Stephon Marbury and replacing then-coach Don Chaney with Lenny Wilkens.  Sure enough, the Knicks made the playoffs but were swept in the first round.

Then, the house of cards began to fall.  Thomas became known for signing role players or backups like Jared Jeffries and Jerome James to heavy contracts and thus creating major salary-cap problems.  On top of that, he liked to trade draft picks for ineffective players, most notably Eddy Curry.

Throw in the fact that he essentially ran Larry Brown out of town in 2005 and then coached the team into the ground, and the damage Thomas caused to the Knicks is borderline irreparable.

The fact that one of the most storied franchises in NBA history had to endure such damage is not only embarrassing, but traumatic.

No. 5: Tim Hardaway's Homophobic Comments

As a player, Tim Hardaway was one of the most talented point guards in the game.  Yet, in retirement, he found himself in some pretty hot water in February 2007.

At the time, former NBA center John Amaechi had just written a book in which he came out as gay.  On ESPN, Hardaway was asked for his opinion on the subject and instead of being diplomatic, he shut the filter off.  I won't go into too much detail, but he flat-out said, "I hate gay people."

Negative press surrounded him afterward and while he apologized for his comments and has since gotten involved in LGBT charities like The Trevor Project, Hardaway's comments put a black mark on the NBA from which it may never recover.

No. 4: The Gilbert Arenas Gun Fiasco

At one point, Gilbert Arenas was one of the NBA's most elite scorers.  Then, in 2009, he threw it all away.

After getting into a heated argument with teammate Javaris Crittenton on the team plane over a gambling debt, Arenas reportedly brought unloaded guns into the team's locker room at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. and left a note for Crittenton right next to them.  The message was simple: "Pick one."

Sure enough, both players were suspended for the remainder of the season and neither has been the same since.  Arenas was traded to the Orlando Magic last season and is a shell of the electrifying presence he used to be. 

Crittenton has had it far worse, as he is currently awaiting trial in Atlanta for the murder of a young mother.

No. 3: LeBron James' Decision

Last offseason, NBA fans were practically salivating with speculation.  Where would highly-touted free agent LeBron James sign?  Would he remain in Cleveland or go to another team like the Chicago Bulls or the New York Knicks?

What followed was quite possibly the most egotistical move in sports history.  Instead of quietly picking a team and then telling the press, James bought an hour's worth of air-time on ESPN that would be dedicated to his "decision," announced at the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, Conn.

About 10 to 15 minutes into the special, James announced that he would join the Miami Heat, who already had signed Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade to lucrative deals.  In a heartbeat, James was now the most hated player in the NBA.

Why is this embarrassing?  Well, whether he likes it or not, LeBron James is a role model and what he did here is the exact opposite of what a role model should do.  He should have handled this decision with class and humility and not talked about "taking my talents to South Beach."

No. 2: The Malice at the Palace

The date was Nov. 19, 2004.  The Indiana Pacers were facing the Detroit Pistons at the Palace at Auburn Hills just outside of Detroit.

With the Pacers winning handily with less than a minute to go, a fight broke out between both teams on the court.  A drunken fan, probably frustrated with Detroit's impending loss, then thought it would be a good idea to throw a drink onto the court.

This drink hit Pacers forward Ron Artest (later Metta World Peace), who flipped out and charged into the stands to fight the fan he thought was guilty.  Sure enough, he attacked the wrong fan, but teammate Stephen Jackson had already joined him at that point.

Another fight began when two fans rushed the court and tried to fight Artest, who had no problem fighting back.  Teammate Jermaine O'Neal helped him this time.

In the following days, Artest was suspended for the remainder of the season, including the playoffs, and lost close to $5 million in salary.  Jackson and O'Neal were suspended for 30 and 15 games, respectively.

The sad part about this is that people still haven't forgiven Artest/World Peace for his actions.  Keep in mind, he has since won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, but people still remember him most for his role in this brawl.

No. 1: Tim Donaghy Scandal

You know how as fans, we'll sometimes get frustrated with the officiating of a particular game and outlandishly claim that the referees are fixing the calls?  Well, in the summer of 2007, it turned out that such claims might not have been far off.

Former referee Tim Donaghy resigned from his officiating job that year and it was later uncovered that for the past two seasons, he had been betting tens of thousands of dollars on games he worked and made calls that would effect the point spread in his favor.  Not surprisingly, this shook the foundation of the league.

Say what you want about off-court problems of players, brawls or just flat-out weird stuff happening, but nothing is more embarrassing than the integrity of the game being compromised.  Fans take pride in basketball and all sports on the basis that each game is impartially refereed. 

The fact that we all of a sudden couldn't trust even one official to do that shook us to our core.  How many crucial games had our favorite teams lost at the hands of this monster?

That all being said, due to the damaging effect his actions had on the NBA and, more importantly, the fans, Tim Donaghy's actions are easily the most embarrassing in the NBA from the last decade.