The NBA is arguably the most dramatic of the four major professional leagues in North America.
Every player in the league has a different image, from a model player like Curry to a "street rat" bad boy, but in the end, a story still needs a villain role to show tension. The "villain" mentioned here is only a relative title, in the following list, we only look at the player's on-court actions, as well as some off-court behavior related to the ball game, and do not delve into illegal activities that have nothing to do with basketball.
For example, all the controversial actions of garbage, fake fall, swing, inertia, dirty action, etc., the following players will all have his role as a "villain" in the NBA in the past 10 years, Bleacher Report selected 7 of them, I add 3 more and reorder, you readers may wish to see if there are any beads?
10. Trey Young
Bleacher Report Ranking: None
Villain masterpiece: 2021 playoff first round
Strictly speaking, Trae Young is not really infamous, and he may only be regarded as a big villain by Knicks fans.
One of the reasons why Trae Young will be hated by fans is his style of play, only 6 feet 1 tall, in addition to the oversized three-point shot, he is also quite good at using physical contact, or slowing down between the marches to create fouls, standing on the free throw line to easily score points, such offensive means In addition to being jokingly called "Blowing Yang" by fans, even Nets coach Nash has complained that "this is not basketball", and it may be commented that he lost the Star Game in his own city in the 2020-21 season.
Another big reason is nothing more than the kid's stinky goal gesture, in addition to a frozen action after throwing a difficult outside line (which also earned him the nickname Ice Trae), the key battle that makes him a villain is in the first round of the 2021 playoffs, the Hawks vs. Knicks Game 1, Trae Young at the end of the game with a successful throw to take away the victory, and the "boo" gesture to the raucous fans in the stadium has made the Knicks fans hate the teeth. After Game5 scored an oversized three-pointer, Trae Young greeted the fans at Madison Garden Square to send New Yorkers on vacation.
Since then, Knicks fans have remembered this feud as long as they see Trae Young, and even greet the Knicks with "F*** Trae Young" every time the Eagles visits, but the psychologically excellent Trae Young not only did not flinch, but quite liked this special treatment, which inspired him to play a more powerful performance.
In the following year, it was the turn of cavaliers fans to suffer, and Trae Young waved to cavaliers fans at the end of the game to say goodbye, and with this frequency, in the next few years, perhaps many team fans in the East will regard Trae Young as their biggest rival - Trae Young himself will even enjoy it!
9. Jimmy Butler
Bleacher Report ranking: 7
Villain masterpiece: 2018 Timberwolves departure storm
In fact, Jimmy Butler only spent a season or so with the Timberwolves, but before he was traded, the storm was enough to make him famous. In fact, Jimmy Butler has publicly named teammates and even coaches many times over the past few years, but these are not enough to compare with him in October 2018.
Weeks after asking the team to trade himself, he showed up in a training session and electrocuted all his teammates and turned ESPN's well-known journalist Adrian Wojnarowski into a wrestling critic, revealing the infamous training paragraph after section, which was simply immersive, and was one of his best revelations of the year.
After just 10 games of the 2018 season, Jimmy Butler was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. However, in hindsight, everyone should be familiar with it: the partnership lasted less than a season, the 76ers did not want to keep him and chose to sign first and then change, Jimmy Butler was subsequently traded to the Miami Heat, although his iron-blooded leadership personality seems to be quite compatible with the Heat culture, he still has hot scenes in South Beach.
In a video recorded by fans in March this year, he was found to have a serious dispute with Heat coach Eric Spoolstra and spiritual leader Uduñis Haslem; Although the Heat quickly quelled the controversy and climbed to the top spot in the East in the regular season, the playoffs were not eliminated until the Eastern Conference Finals Game 7, but it still reminds us that as long as we work with the "Sergeant Major", we must always be ready to learn his six-kissed dog fighting temper.
8. Ben Simmons
Bleacher Report Ranking: None
Villain Masterpiece: Refused to play for the 76ers in 2021
Ben Simmons didn't actually "do anything" with the villain; The problem is that he is hesitant to "do anything" and what everyone wants him to do until it finally gets completely out of control.
As a former New Hope for Philadelphia, Ben Simmons and Embiid have brought 76ers fans a beautiful vision for the future: reaching the playoffs for four consecutive years and reaching the second round three times; But in the last two years, Ben Simmons's flaws were completely magnified, he was unable to shoot three-pointers, and the free throws were unbearable, although the defensive and passing ability was top-notch, but it was a burden in the key moments of the game.
This was a deadly battle against the Hawks' Game7 in the second round of the 2021 playoffs, where he missed a dunk opportunity in a big gap after turning around and passed the ball to teammates with worse chances, and finally the 76ers lost the game, including Embiid and Doug Rivers, who voted no confidence in him at the press conference.
Ben Simmons' career in Philadelphia almost came to an end, with 76ers peddling him all over the offseason, but there was no market because the asking price was too high, and Ben Simmons also asked the 76ers to accelerate by withdrawing from training camp before the start of the season; Contrary to his wishes, 76ers general manager Daryl Morey did not think that there was a need to urgently trade Ben Simmons, the two sides fell into an awkward stalemate, Ben Simmons refused to show up to return to the team, until the salary was frozen, had to bend back for five buckets of rice, but claimed "mental health factors" and could not train, until the beginning of February of the following year, finally got the wish to be traded to the Nets.
But ben Simmons to the Nets, and because of the treatment of back injuries, the regular season can not play at all, the playoffs once claimed to be able to play in the Game 4 to save the Nets, but at the last minute because of the "back soreness" relationship shouted card, the Nets were also eliminated by the Celtics straight four.
From 2021 to now, just over a year, Ben Simmons has taken his momentum from a DPOY candidate to a team burden that is in the end, can he wash away his grievances and successfully save his reputation by starting again in the new season?
7. Kyrie Owen
Bleacher Report Ranking: None
Villain masterpiece: Refusal to be vaccinated in 2021
Kyrie Owen, who once declared himself to believe in the "level theory", has always been a figure that fans have no clue about, although his personal ability is beyond doubt, and he once shot the first championship in the history of the cavaliers, but the year after winning the championship, he asked to change the team because he did not want to be subordinate to James.
After arriving at the Celtics, Owen discovered that the leader was actually not good – especially when the rising star had his talent and arrogance, and Irving was deeply involved in heroism and emotion. His relationship with the Celtics has cracked in just two years and announced his move to the Brooklyn Nets in 2019; After eliminating the Celtics in the 2020 playoffs, he stomped on the stadium floor twice, which also made more fans resent him.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused Irving to attract more negative perceptions, and in the 2021-22 season, he said that he decided not to vaccinate because of his solidarity with the "freedom to fight the epidemic", and he could not play for the Nets, which were subject to the epidemic prevention norms of New York City at that time, and the Nets banned him for the sake of fairness within the team, resulting in Irving not allowing him to become an "away-limited" player until January 2022 because of the injury relationship in the team. Such individualism has also led harden to be dissatisfied and unundergeful, as well as the incomprehension of many fans.
6. Chris Paul
Bleacher Report ranking: 5
Villain masterpiece: "Empty City" period
On the fake wrestling power on the court, it is absolutely impossible not to mention the resourceful Chris Paul: his essence may not be outstanding except James.
In addition to the above-mentioned less discredited trick, CP3, although undoubtedly one of the best point guards in the history of basketball, is no less than his ability to break his mouth to the referee, complain, reprimand his teammates, and make small moves on the court, and the reason why he is even more hateful is probably that he can always lead the team to the final victory.
All of the above was most evident when he was captain of the Clippers.
After finishing his time in Los Angeles, CP3 came to the Rockets to fight alongside Harden, although the record was outstanding, and once became the biggest threat to the defending Warriors, but the "Haro Connection" did not look at each other, and the image of Chris Paul did not get much whitewashing.
Until 2019, Chris Paul was traded to the Thunder again, and from this year chris Paul was significantly restrained on the court, and what is even more incredible is that he led a team that was expected to be in disarray to the playoffs again, and also successfully won the respect of everyone; Since then, CP3's image as a "villain" has been whitewashed a lot; But it was still not enough to exclude him from the list.
5. Harden
Bleacher Report ranking: 3
Villain masterpiece: Rocket Period
Much of the hostility and disgust towards "bearded" Harden is attributed to two major factors: "offense" and the beauty of playing.
Harden is well known to be a master of master deception, and his reduction of the game to a singles tournament and the constant interruption of the game to the free throw line make it difficult for basketball fans to watch.
Of course, from his or the Rockets' point of view, it makes perfect sense to do so: In his 8 seasons with the Rockets, the Rockets' record ranks third in the league, and its scoring efficiency is the first in the league.
However, this "innovative" style of play has made him drift away from fans other than Rockets fans. In the end, even Rockets fans don't understand Harden.
Back before the 2020-21 season, Harden gave up Rockets camp and instead went to Las Vegas for celebrity birthdays; Then, he started the season like sleepwalking, and it wasn't until he was traded out that he returned to normal. A year later, when he was dissatisfied with the status quo, he treated work with this kind of negativity until he was sent to the Philadelphia 76ers again. After the deal, ESPN's columnist described Harden as an "elite quitter."
Like everyone else on the list, Harden should still have a chance to change the way people think about him, but his career in the post-Thunder makes it easy to see him as the representative of the league villain.
4. Patrick Beverley
Bleacher Report ranking: 2
Villain Masterpiece: Whole Career?
Unlike most other stars on the list, Patrick Beverley was not selected because of his top stars. That doesn't mean Patrick Beverley is underperforming, a competent point guard (Westbrook may disagree?). : He has started 438 games in his career and shot 37.8 percent from three-point range, as evidenced by this, but he has never been a star-level player.
What makes him fourth on the list is the kind of mad dog-like, constant interference defense that prepares opponents to accept the endless stream of output as soon as he sets foot.
Crazy physical contact, desperate and even dangerous defensive behavior, and constant clamor, and a desire to always provoke opponents, obviously make Patrick Beverley the typical player who "his teammates love him to death, and his opponents hate him".
On several occasions in his career, this style of play has pushed Patrick Beverley to the limelight.
His feud with (new teammate) Westbrook is no stranger to everyone: the latter called a timeout, but was hit by the knee by the former, resulting in the meniscus being torn apart; He has also been on Embiid and KD; He also stole Anthony Davis' shoes to get to the Clippers bench and was blown T.
In the Western Conference Finals the year before, he was even more criticized by everyone for sneaking up on CP3 behind his back when he was lagging behind a lot. Patrick Beverley's team will always be particularly good because of him, but this does not erase his villainous behavior and image.
3. James
Bleacher Report ranking: 6
Villain Masterpiece: The Miami Period
Turning back to 10 years ago, almost in the 2012-13 season, James had been playing in the Heat for about 2 years, when the overwhelming negative noise caused by "The Decision" two years ago had disappeared by most, but the fans never forgot.
However, at that time, the Heat 'Heatles' combination was still the top three in the league, and James was the soul of it.
Of course, he announced "homecoming" in 2014, moved back to the Cavaliers, and even won a championship for the Cavaliers, allowing him to regain the kind response of some fans; However, in 2018, he left home again for Los Angeles, which made many Cavaliers fans feel like they were left behind.
Multiple changes in his career are not the only reason James has become a "villain" in the league.
In terms of the league's most popular players, Zhan Huang may be the leader of this faction, and the number of times he has accumulated in his nearly 20 years career is also considerable.
In addition, James's complaints and exaggerated respites are also unceremoniously at the top of the league.
But at the end of the day, being the league's number one villain is actually a good thing to some extent, and in the past 10 or even 20 years, few people have been able to surpass James.
2. Durant
Bleacher Report ranking: 4
Villain Masterpieces: 2016 to present
As the Thunder's talented scoring king, the MVP awards ceremony choked up to thank his mother, earning countless tears, Durant's momentum was once a positive model for NBA players.
It wasn't until the summer of 2016 that he announced his signing with the Golden State Warriors.
Of course, as a fully free agent, he has the right to do so, and playing alongside Westbrook may not be so easy.
But a former MVP of the Year, who was at the peak, won 73 wins in the regular season and beat his super-strong team in a big comeback in the playoffs, still drew a lot of criticism for him.
In the next three years, the Golden State Warriors were almost indestructible, like the strength of the "Evil Empire", and also became the target of many fans; In addition to being ridiculed on the court, KD was also besieged by a large number of fans for using a "double account", and since then he has continued to play with fans on Twitter, and struggled with flawless teammate Curry, and finally left the Warriors after losing the defending title in 2019.
Durant during the Nets' time, because of injuries in three seasons, only played 80 games, after experiencing the disturbances of last season, the playoffs were swept by the Eastern Conference champion Celtics, Durant unexpectedly asked the Nets for a trade, and after more than a month, he proposed an ultimatum to the Nets: to fire the general manager and head coach, or trade him out.
Brooklyn refused to comply, and in the end Durant still could not find his next home, so he had to stay in the team to see if the new season could become his salvation. But at least American fans still have some good feelings for him, after all, he has also brought back two gold medals for the American team since 2016. But over the past five years, KD seems to have gradually begun to embrace the role of "villain".
1. Draymond Green
Bleacher Report ranking: 1
Villain masterpiece: The Warrior Dynasty
The Golden State Warriors' 2022 championship reminds us of how great the "Warrior Dynasty" was in the past.
In the five years since the 2014-15 to 2018-19 season, the Golden State Warriors have won at least 44 wins over other teams in their regular games and won three championships, and in the 2017 playoffs, they even won the championship with a 16-1 defeat.
The Warriors' dominance during this time made it easy for them to become targets for other fans, and the most often proposed representative of them was the Warriors' Draymond Green. Like Patrick Beverley's defensive style, he often plays very tough, often leading to clash scenes on the court.
In the 2016 Finals, he hit James hard, causing him to be banned, and indirectly making the Warriors pay the price of the 2016 championship, and he had the experience of playing against opponents many times, based on these famous scenes and technical fouls, Draymond Green has also been fined nearly $1 million by the league.
Unlike Patrick Beverley, he is a future 4-time All-Star in the Hall of Fame.
In the general story, the villain characters will eventually be picked up by the hero; In Draymond Green's version, however, the villains are afraid to have the last laugh. Although he didn't do the glamorous work of scoring and three-point shooting, Draymond Green controlled countless rounds with a defensive and offensive organization.
If the Warriors are the evil Galactic Empire in Star Wars, then Draymond Green is definitely Emperor Palpatine.