50 Most Controversial Figures in NBA History

As much as I love watching the NBA, it's easily the league that has had the most controversy surrounding it in recent years. From the reckless "decision" of LeBron James two summers ago to the infamous Portland "Jail Blazers," the NBA has not been without its fair share of negative and/or interesting press.

At the same time, however, some of this controversy fuels the fans' interest. Some of it is born out of team rivalries, while at other times it is brought on by a good old-fashioned bad decision. Either way, some players' careers are made or broken by controversy.

That being said, let's dive right in as we take a look at the most controversial figures, both players and non-players, in the history of the NBA.

Oliver Miller

Kicking off our list is Oliver Miller, a center from the 1990s who initially broke into the league as a big body who could work the 5-spot well.

Yet here's where the controversy enters. If I had to compare Miller to a player from today's generation, it would be Eddy Curry, simply because both made horrible decisions regarding conditioning and didn't seem to care.

Despite being already kind of heavy at 6'9" and 280 pounds, Miller simply refused to do anything about his weight. By the end of his career, he was at 315 pounds and practically unable to consistently run up and down the court.

Simply put, I don't understand how an athlete can have such a sheer disregard for how he takes care of himself. Keep in mind, we're talking about a player who reportedly showed up late to practice and carrying a McDonald's bag.

If that isn't a controversial image of a pro athlete, then I don't know what is. Thus, Miller kicks us off.

John Starks

As much fun as John Starks was to watch during his career, there's no denying that he was a hothead on the court. The 6'3" shooter played with the heart and tenacity of someone much bigger, and at times it got him into trouble.

My favorite instance of Starks' emotions getting the better of him occurred in a playoff game against the Knicks' longtime rivals, the Indiana Pacers. When legendary Pacers guard Reggie Miller did some trash-talking, Starks responded by head-butting him.

It may seem like a bush league move, but to a kid who was absolutely obsessed with the Knicks, watching someone do that to a pest like Miller was just one thing: AWESOME.

DeMarcus Cousins

DeMarcus Cousins has only been in the NBA for a season, and he's already made headlines. Just so you all know, I'm not talking about headlines that result from a rim-rocking dunk. In just one year with the Sacramento Kings, Cousins has already developed a reputation as something of a head case.

In a game against the New York Knicks last season, Knicks broadcaster Walt "Clyde" Frazier made an interesting point about the former Kentucky Wildcat: When someone is trying to coach him, he takes it as an attacking criticism and gets moody, both in practice and in games.

Yet this young man's attitude made headlines in an even bigger way last February, when he was actually removed from the Kings' plane following an altercation with teammate Donte Greene. Last I checked, rookies in any professional sports league are supposed to know their place and not call out teammates for whatever reason. In doing so, Cousins wrote the first chapter in what may be a career full of controversy.

Hopefully, he adjusts his attitude and does not waste his talent.

Jason Kidd

Don't get me wrong—Jason Kidd is one of the game's most legendary players as well as one of its most charismatic. With a championship ring finally on his impressive résumé, he's definitely bound for the Hall of Fame.

Yet Kidd's off-court life has not been without its share of controversy. Like my grandmother always said, behind every hero is a dark shadow.

In Kidd's case, it is the supposed history of domestic abuse against his ex-wife, Joumana. In 2001, Kidd was arrested and charged with domestic abuse for assaulting her during a fight. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six months of court-mandated anger management therapy.

In 2007, however, more claims surfaced when he and Joumana were getting divorced. He cited that their marriage featured "extreme cruelty" on her part, while she counter-claimed that her All-Star point guard husband had numerous adulterous affairs and once broke her rib and damaged her hearing when he smashed her head against a car.

We may love him as a player, but if those reports are indeed true, Jason Kidd truly does have some skeletons in his closet.

Dan Gilbert

Here we have a man whose controversy needs no introduction. Dan Gilbert is the passionate owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers whose love for his team borders on the stalkerish.

After LeBron James decided to leave Cleveland for the Miami Heat, Gilbert must not have gotten the memo on wishing the star player the best and that it was a privilege working with him.

Instead, Gilbert published a letter to the fans on the team's website and called James' buildup of his decision "narcissistic" and a "cowardly betrayal." While many believed his statements to be true, the NBA higher-ups did not, and Gilbert was fined by commissioner David Stern.

Still, the fact that Gilbert had the cojones to call out a star player in that manner instead of being politically correct about it is just...well...badass. His actions generated so much debate and controversy that the commissioner's office actually had to step in.

Sure, the man is controversial, but that could be a good thing.

Delonte West

Speaking of Cleveland and controversy, let's talk about Delonte West. The controversy with this guy just never seems to end, whether he's having an affair with LeBron's mom or speeding on a three-wheeled motorcycle with three loaded guns in a guitar case.

No matter which case you look at, West is someone who trouble just seems to follow. It doesn't matter whether it's getting in trouble with the law or pissing off a teammate by doing the unthinkable with said teammate's mother. The fact of the matter is that controversy is controversy, and West is no stranger to it.

Hedo Turkoglu

It's no secret that Hedo Turkoglu wasn't happy in his lone season with the Toronto Raptors. Still, although some players may be unhappy with their current teams, that isn't an excuse to be short with the press.

That said, I'll be blunt.

Rule No. 1 of postgame interviews: Say more than just "ball" after scoring 26 points and being a key player in your team's victory.

Derrick Coleman

Considering how the New Jersey Nets took him with the first overall pick in the 1990 draft, Derrick Coleman sure didn't play like the team savior many hoped he would be. In five seasons with the team, he quickly developed a reputation for being lazy and ignoring team rules.

In one infamous case, when then-coach Butch Beard instituted a dress code and other rules, Coleman handed his coach a blank check to cover all the fines he planned on accruing.

Coleman also developed a reputation for quitting during games once he felt he had met his stats quota for the contest.

Worst of all, however, were his remarks about then-teammate Kenny Anderson simply disappearing for a day and not reporting to practice. When asked about it, Coleman's response was terse and simple: "Whoop de damn do."

Though I wasn't aware of them at the time, these actions disgust me now. Here was a man who was expected to be a team leader and instead did the minimal amount of work just so he could seem like he was earning his paycheck.

Players without passion are not just controversial, but just plain sad.

Bill Laimbeer

Here we have the first mention of the Bad Boys of Detroit, and I've decided to go with Bill Laimbeer. The 6'11" center's legacy is one defined by physical play that bordered on dirty for years. Laimbeer flopped, hacked and bumped his way to two NBA titles and four All-Star berths as one of basketball's most dominant defenders.

Still not convinced that this guy was controversial? Well, let me offer further proof. He actually put his name on a Super Nintendo game that was aptly titled Bill Laimbeer's Contact Basketball, which offered a futuristic game where physical play was encouraged.

There you have him, folks. Bill Laimbeer, a player so controversial that his brand of controversy got him a video-game deal.

Isaiah Rider

No matter where he went, Isaiah Rider found trouble. Remember how his nickname was J.R.?  It should have been J. Controversy. Here is a short summary of the negative PR that Rider generated throughout his career.

In Minnesota, he was insubordinate towards team management and was convicted of assaulting a female bar manager. On top of that, he was caught with an illegal cell phone and also arrested for marijuana possession.

In Portland, he set the tone for the future "Jail Blazers" by being caught with marijuana again, as well as being suspended three games for spitting at a heckler. Those three games were three of a total of 12 games he would miss due to suspension over three years.

In Atlanta, he was insubordinate towards team management and was once again caught with marijuana. Upon being ordered to attend drug counseling, he flatly refused.

Simply put, if you want someone to captain the NBA's all-controversy team, this might be your guy.

Rick Mahorn

Don't let the goofy and innocent-looking smile fool you. Rick Mahorn was one of the dirtiest players of all time, making his name as one of the Bad Boys of Detroit. As it did with his teammate Laimbeer, Mahorn's physicality was the subject of the controversial debate titled, "Just How Physical Is Too Physical?"

Need a better idea of how dirty Mahorn was? Detroit Pistons broadcaster George Blaha called him "the Baddest Bad Boy of them all."

P.J. Carlesimo

When you're the reason one of the most controversial and shocking moments in NBA history occurred, chances are you'll make a list like this one. Such is the case with former NBA head coach P.J. Carlesimo, whose incident we will get into very shortly.

Simply put, Carlesimo was not the most popular coach in the NBA due to the fact that he was labeled an "unrepentant screamer" by some, and it is believed that was the sole reason for his fallout with the one...the only...

Latrell Sprewell

Although his legendary "I have a family to feed" statement was certainly a controversial moment, we're instead going to focus on Sprewell and his strained relationship with his former coach, P.J. Carlesimo. Why? Well, it was an incident between the two that gave Sprewell the label of being controversial.

It was December 1997, and the Golden State Warriors were holding practice. Carlesimo simply asked Sprewell to make crisper passes, and the volatile forward became combative, saying he "wasn't in the mood for criticism" and for Carlesimo to "keep his distance."

Sure enough, the unrepentant screamer did not take kindly to this and approached his star player. What resulted was Sprewell dragging Carlesimo to the ground and then choking him.

Sprewell was first suspended for 10 days without pay by the Warriors, and then the NBA suspended him for the remainder of the season. At the time, the 68 games he missed due to that was the longest suspension ever handed out.

Patrick Ewing

Though some may view him as a pillar of morality for his generation of players, Patrick Ewing's off-court life was not without some controversy. In 2001, he testified in the famous Atlanta Gold Club prostitution trial.

In his testimony, Ewing admitted that he had gone to the club twice and had received oral sex in the club each time.

How is this controversial compared to other athletes who did the same thing? Well, it should be taken into account that Ewing is a father of three. He may have been divorced at the time, but there's just something wrong with that picture.

Reggie Miller

Here we have someone whose controversy comes in the form of talking trash. Reggie Miller became notorious for this throughout his career, and at times it got him into trouble. We've already gone over the head-butting incident with John Starks, so here are some more controversial highlights from Miller's career.

In Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals, Miller famously made a choking gesture at film director and diehard Knicks fan Spike Lee.

In 2000, he drew the ire of Knicks fans when at Madison Square Garden, he shouted an obscenity at the crowd as they chanted, "Reg-gie sucks! Reg-gie sucks!"

In 2001, in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Miller was fined $5,000 for making an obscene gesture at the fans. That same year, he was fined and suspended for a game after throwing a wad of chewing gum at a referee.

The man was a troublemaker, but he seemed to embrace it.

The Jail Blazers

All right, folks. It's time for the slide that I'm sure you all knew was coming.

First, allow me to give the backstory.

In the early 2000s, the Portland Trail Blazers were looking to rebuild following a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals. While they did have some talented players during this period, there was a problem. These guys were known more for getting in trouble with the law off the court than they were for doing well on the hardwood.

That being said, here are six of the most controversial Jail Blazers and their actions that earned them said label.

Shawn Kemp: Cocaine abuse, alcoholism, weight problems.

Rasheed Wallace (pictured): Arrested for marijuana possession, set NBA record with 40 technical fouls in one season.

Damon Stoudamire (also pictured): Multiple marijuana-related arrests.

Ruben Patterson: Pleaded guilty to attempted rape of his child's nanny, convicted of assault, arrested for domestic abuse.

Qyntel Woods: Caught running an illegal dog-fighting ring.

Zach Randolph: Arrested for driving under the influence of marijuana.

Still need further proof as to why this group is controversial?

Shaquille O'Neal

Though he is easily one of the game's most charismatic figures, Shaquille O'Neal is not without controversy. He was once caught cursing on live television, and his enormous presence at center led to some physical play that some considered dirty.

On top of that, Shaq got into his share of on-court skirmishes throughout his 19-season career. In an era where the higher-ups in the commissioner's office were looking to clean up the game, the former LSU Tiger adopted an old-school on-court philosophy that if he felt shown up or disrespected, he would disrespect the guilty party right back.

Call me crazy, but I'm going to miss that from the Big Fella now that he's retired.

Stephon Marbury

Stephon Marbury has been controversial and outspoken throughout his career. When he was with the New Jersey Nets, he wrote the words "All Alone" on his sneakers as a way of saying he felt he didn't have his teammates' support.

Such was the case, as he was traded to the Phoenix Suns for Jason Kidd and the Nets underwent an immediate turnaround.

He wasn't any better in Phoenix, but his time with the New York Knicks was easily the most controversial. Marbury famously clashed with then-head coach Larry Brown when he was simply asked to play defense and pass the ball more.

Later, after Brown was fired, Marbury clashed with then-head coach Isiah Thomas about his attitude and ultimately left the team after being removed from the starting lineup. He later underwent a season-ending surgery on his ankle that was reportedly deemed unnecessary by the team.

The following year, Marbury refused to play even when in uniform and was subsequently banned from the team in every aspect. After dragging out the process as much as he could, he finally agreed to a buyout of his contract.

Marbury's controversy may not seem so in the most literal sense of the word, but the fact that he had such a blatant disrespect and disregard for his team, especially the one from his hometown, is just astounding. Also, let us not forget the Vaseline incident.

Steve Francis

Steve Francis' NBA career was marred by controversy before he even set foot on the court.

The Vancouver Grizzlies drafted him with the second overall pick in the 1999 draft, and shortly afterward, he publicly announced that he did not want to play for the team. He eventually got his wish and was traded to the Houston Rockets, but the saga was far from over.

Francis demanded a trade out of Houston when Jeff Van Gundy took over Rudy Tomjanovich's position as head coach. His reason was not wanting to play in his new coach's defensive system. He was then traded to the Orlando Magic, and his attitude barely changed.

He spent the remainder of his NBA career with the New York Knicks and then had another stint in Houston, but weight problems had robbed him of his once electrifying talent. Controversy and bad attitudes had prematurely ended the career of "Stevie Franchise."

Michael Beasley

Like Francis, Michael Beasley's career was marred by controversy before he even stepped on the court.

While attending the mandatory rookie symposium prior to the start of the 2008-2009 season, Beasley was caught possibly smoking marijuana with fellow rookies Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur. Though he was not dismissed from the camp as those two were, Beasley was still fined $50,000 for being involved.

A year later, he checked into rehab for "stress-related issues," and his career has been highlighted by a flashy personality to go with a lackadaisical attitude.

The controversy may seem small now, but something tells me it will be back with a vengeance soon.

Allen Iverson

Whether he's ranting about practice or his unwanted role as a bench player, Allen Iverson is no stranger to controversy. At this point, his outspokenness has alienated himself from the entire NBA, as no team will give him a contract.

On top of that, Iverson has had his share of run-ins with the law. In 1997, he and his friends were pulled over in their car, and he was arrested for possession of both marijuana and a concealed weapon. In 2004, he was caught urinating into a trash can at Bally's Atlantic City casino and thus banned from the resort.

The fact that controversy follows him both on and off the court is a perfect reason as to why the three-time scoring champion is now out of the league.

David Kahn

David Kahn has been the general manager of the Minnesota Timberwolves since 2009, and when it comes to summing up why he is controversial, all we need to do is look at his decision-making in that year's draft.

In the first round, he selected three point guards: Jonny Flynn, Ricky Rubio and Ty Lawson. He then proceeded to trade Lawson, the guard with the highest ceiling, to the Denver Nuggets.

May I ask which brand of crazy pills the man was taking when he thought that was the best idea for the franchise's future?

Oh, and let's not forget that Flynn is a bust and Rubio won't be making his NBA debut until this season, whenever that may be.

James Dolan

As a Knicks fan, some of the decisions James Dolan has made as the team's owner have physically hurt me.

First, he gave Allan Houston a $100 million contract and thus killed the fans' hopes of the Knicks somehow attaining multi-talented power forward Chris Webber.

Then, he thought it would be a good idea to extend the contract of the man he seems to love so much...

Isiah Thomas

Here we have Dolan's best friend (at least it seems so), who basically ran the Knicks right into the ground. Yet Thomas's controversial moment came towards the end of his tenure with the team.

In 2007, both he and Dolan were named as defendants in a sexual harassment suit filed by former Knicks executive Anucha Browne Sanders. Ms. Browne Sanders alleged that Thomas sexually harassed her and that Dolan fired her out of spite following her complaint. A PR nightmare ensued, and the courts eventually ruled in her favor to the tune of $11 million.

That same year, Thomas held some secret and illegal pre-draft workouts for potential prospects. The incident was not uncovered until this past February, and the Knicks were fined $20,000.

Oh, and let's not forget the possible suicide attempt that happened in 2008.

Donald Sterling

Besides the fact that he's cheap and seems uninterested in putting together a winning team, Donald Sterling has generated controversy with some of his actions away from his courtside seat.

The real estate mogul has been accused of housing discrimination and in one instance was accused of racism by former GM Elgin Baylor.

Throw in multiple sexual harassment suits and his refusal to pay for then-assistant coach Kim Hughes' out-of-network cancer operation, and Sterling is not just controversial, but perhaps borderline evil.

Karl Malone

As great as he was on the court, Karl Malone was controversial in the sense that he was more open about his political views than the rest of his fellow NBA players.

A staunch Republican, Malone appeared in ads for the NRA and was once called an "Uncle Tom" by Derrick Coleman.

Kermit Washington

Although he was a decent rebounder in the early stages of his career, Kermit Washington will always be remembered for one unfortunate and controversial incident.

In 1977, when his Los Angeles Lakers were playing the Houston Rockets, he infamously sucker-punched Houston guard Rudy Tomjanovich. The punch hit so hard that Tomjanovich's face was fractured and spinal fluid was leaking into his mouth.

Washington was suspended for two months and fined $10,000 before being traded to the Boston Celtics. It was the longest suspension in league history at the time. Afterward, Washington was never really the same dominating presence he was at power forward, forever tainted by the incident.

Stephen Jackson

Putting aside the fact that he is about to play for his seventh team in what is about to be his 12th career season, Stephen Jackson is controversial for one reason: his attitude.

Let's not forget that this is the same man who was a key guilty party in the infamous Malice at the Palace in 2004 and was suspended for 30 games as a result.

Just two years later, Jackson and three teammates were involved in an altercation at an Indianapolis strip club that involved him getting punched by another customer as well as hit by a car.  He then thought it was a good idea to take out a gun and fire several rounds into the air. These actions earned him a seven-game suspension.

Chris Washburn

The look on Chris Washburn's face in this picture is a perfect example of his attitude during his brief NBA career. Simply put, the man just didn't care. The 6'11" center was the third pick in the 1986 draft and is considered one of the biggest busts in league history.

The controversy associated with him began during his college ball years at North Carolina State, where he was rumored to never attend classes and was caught stealing televisions and stereos. Those actions earned him a couple of days in jail and a five-year suspended sentence. He wasn't much better on the court, having a bad work ethic despite respectable stats.

Once he got to the NBA, however, his image was further tarnished by underperformance and a cocaine problem. By 1989, he was banned for life after three failed drug tests.

Pat Riley

Putting aside the fact that he's easily the cockiest executive in the NBA, Pat Riley is controversial for one reason. Call me a hater, but I think there's something fishy going on with the Heat's finances simply because they so easily signed Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James to long-term contracts last summer.

I know some would call that efficient management, but how did the team even get that much money? Could it have been from basically gutting most of the roster? Either way, as much credit as Riley deserves for making it happen, something seems a bit out of sorts from my point of view.

Andrew Bynum

We can go on and on about how Andrew Bynum is controversial because of his dirty hit on J.J. Barea last playoffs, but I would instead like to focus on his attitude. Never before have I seen a player take a serious injury so lightly.

Since becoming a Laker in 2005, Bynum has been constantly injured, and after the team won its second consecutive championship in 2010, he opted to delay having surgery on his already torn meniscus. Instead, he went on vacation for a few weeks and had the procedure upon his return.

As a result, his recovery took longer, and he chose to inform team management hours before the start of training camp last year.

Talk about a PR nightmare involving a player with a bad attitude. And I thought the Allen Iverson situation was bad!

Michael Jordan

Easily the greatest player in basketball history, Michael Jordan was the player some of us dreamed of being as children. Yet the six-time champion was not the picture of perfection some saw him to be.

In fact, in 1993, it was uncovered that Jordan had lost $57,000 gambling in a short period of time. The controversial part is that he was seen gambling in the early morning hours of the same day Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals was to be played.

Some have even speculated that MJ's first retirement was, in fact, a year's suspension as a result of his gambling addiction.

Kevin Garnett

Already one of the league's biggest trash talkers, Kevin Garnett became Mr. Controversy this past season when he made some disparaging remarks about Detroit Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva.

In a tweet following a loss to the Celtics, Villanueva claimed that Garnett called him a cancer patient due to his bald head. Villanueva suffers from a condition called alopecia, which results in hair loss.

Garnett claimed that he called Villanueva "cancerous to your team and the league," but that seems too clean for him. If I had to guess, he hit well below the belt, as ESPN's Player X claimed he does regularly.

Mark Cuban

Easily the most passionate owner in the NBA, Mark Cuban has been controversial and outspoken since taking control of the Dallas Mavericks in 2000. Since then, he has become famous for his enthusiastic reactions at the team's games, as well as his sometimes annoying exuberance.

His controversy comes from his brutal honesty, which sometimes gets him into trouble with the Commissioner's Office. In 2006, ABC News reported that Cuban had been fined a total of $1.65 million for 13 separate incidents. That number has grown since then.

Still, Cuban's controversial attitude is part of the reason Dallas has done so well recently, particularly with winning a championship this past summer. The man simply loves his team and hates to lose. Some may call his attitude controversial, but I call it admirable.

Wilt Chamberlain

On the court, Wilt Chamberlain was one of the greatest centers of all time. Off the court, he was controversial to the point where some people's jaws dropped. In his book A View from Above, Chamberlain claimed to have slept with 20,000 women.

I'm sorry, but the fact that he would admit something as private as that in a book is just controversial and ballsy in itself. I mean, come on. Even if he didn't name names, why would he go public with that?

Either way, the man's brutal honesty was part of his charisma, and people still admire him to this day.

Dennis Rodman

Ever since entering the NBA as a member of the Detroit Pistons in 1986, Dennis Rodman has been controversy's best friend. The rebounder of the Bad Boys, Rodman basically gave up on playing hard in Detroit once head coach Chuck Daly resigned.

The remainder of his career was defined by an ever-changing hairstyle, disputes with team management, clashes with his teammates and on-court assaults.

Then again, when your nickname is "The Worm," I guess controversy just follows you wherever you go.

Charles Barkley

Whether NBA players like it or not, they are role models. The fact that Charles Barkley made this commercial and said the exact opposite with such a deadpan look on his face caused outrage among the parents of young fans. Still, one must admit that Barkley's points were valid.

Yet controversy has followed Barkley into retirement, as he once had a well-documented gambling problem and just a few years ago was pulled over and charged with DUI in Arizona. He may not consider himself a role model, but the fact that he is now a well-known television personality makes it all the more controversial.

Kobe Bryant

Though he is personally one of my favorite players, Kobe Bryant is considered by many to be one of the more controversial players out there. Despite being a fan of his, I actually agree with them. The man is a flashy player whose defense sometimes borders on dirty.

On top of that, some people still don't seem to have forgiven Bryant for the alleged sexual assault he committed in Colorado back in 2003. For those unfamiliar with the incident, a hotel employee accused him of raping her in his hotel room in Eagle, Colorado. The criminal charges were eventually dropped, and the two sides settled in civil court.

Also, let's not forget this juicy tidbit from last season.

LeBron James

Although many love LeBron James as a player, he has had his share of controversy off the court in the past year.

To date, many fans still don't seem to have forgiven him for his infamous "decision" that alienated him from all but one fanbase and basically turned him into the NBA's biggest villain. The worse part is that he has not really apologized for his arrogance, even after royally choking in the NBA Finals.

To add insult to injury, he brought even more controversy on himself with some arrogant remarks to his haters.

Ron Artest/Metta World Peace

Ron Artest has been no stranger to controversy throughout his career. He has demanded trades, confronted players on the court during games and was the man who took the "Malice at the Palace" over the top. Most recently, he legally changed his name to Metta World Peace.

On top of that, since coming to the Los Angeles Lakers, Artest has been a regular on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and when the Lakers won their second consecutive championship in 2010, he was sure to thank his psychiatrist. His controversy résumé spans wide, from "What was that?" to "Who does that?"

Gilbert Arenas

In some cases, controversy just finds players by accident. In the case of Gilbert Arenas, he brought it on himself.

After getting into an argument over gambling debts with teammate Javaris Crittenton, Arenas brought unloaded guns into the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. and more or less challenged Crittenton to a gunfight. I'm not going to lie; this was a pretty stupid decision considering the strict gun control laws of D.C.

While he has since apologized and moved on to another team, people still don't seem to have forgiven Arenas for what happened. The sad part about controversy is that sometimes it just doesn't go away.

Javaris Crittenton

Poor Javaris Crittenton can't seem to catch a break from the cruel mistress that is controversy. First he gets into the aforementioned altercation with Arenas, and now he's facing more serious charges.

This past August, Crittenton was charged with the murder of a mother of four in Atlanta, and the fact that he fled the city all the way to California isn't going to help his case.

He has denied involvement, but even if he is found innocent, chances are that this is a controversial mark that Crittenton will be unable to shake if he's looking to get back into the NBA.

Len Bias

Out of all the men on this list, Len Bias is the lone one whose controversy was unfairly attained. The former Maryland Terp was the second overall pick by the Boston Celtics in the 1986 draft and was expected to be a star in the NBA.

Tragically, just two days later, Bias was found dead of a cocaine overdose in Baltimore, Maryland. He was just 22 years old.

In an instant, media speculation tried to figure out just how regularly he used drugs, was he an addict, etc. I understand there was controversy surrounding his death, but to put his family through that was just plain disgusting and unfair. The sad part is that when one dies under those circumstances, the controversy remains forever.

Rick Barry

Rick Barry was a phenomenal player at one point who decided to turn to broadcasting once he retired. He already had a reputation as a volatile player, but he found himself surrounded in controversy in this particular game.

Watch the video to the left and listen to what he says about 30 seconds in.

Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson is easily one of the best guards in NBA history, if not the best. Yet in 1991, he found himself at the center of what is quite possibly the most controversial moment in all of sports.

Just before the start of the season, Johnson announced that he had tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. He retired immediately.

As controversial as this made Johnson, it was not in a negative way. While some would probably go into hiding after receiving such a diagnosis, Johnson was very open about it and has since devoted himself to fighting the disease and educating people about it.

Fans were so moved by Johnson's openness that he was voted an All-Star starter that very season. Despite protests from others, including fellow players like Karl Malone, Johnson played and was named MVP of the contest.

This is, quite possibly, the one instance where something good came out of a controversial moment in NBA history, as Johnson continues his fight today and is one of the game's most charismatic individuals.