Every team wants a superstar who can take over the game. But sometimes, those same stars are more likely to throw a fit than an assist.
These guys made drama part of their daily routine, whether yelling at coaches, blaming teammates, or refusing to pass because they weren’t getting enough shots. Here are 15 NBA players who treated tantrums like part of their offensive set.
15. DeMarcus Cousins
Boogie was as talented as he was temperamental, and that’s saying something. One bad call or missed play, and suddenly he was in full meltdown mode.
14. Russell Westbrook
Westbrook plays with intensity, but sometimes that intensity turns into icy stares and mid-game sulking. If things weren’t going his way, the ball wasn’t going anywhere
13. Latrell Sprewell
Sprewell had the skill to change a game and the temper to derail one. From heated exchanges to headline-grabbing outbursts, he never held back.
12. Kyrie Irving
You can feel it across the whole arena when Kyrie’s not in the mood. Some nights it felt like he’d rather disappear into the cosmos than make the extra pass.
11. Rasheed Wallace
The king of the technical foul always had something to say to the refs, his coach, or the nearest teammate. Passing the ball often took a backseat to venting his frustrations.
10. Rajon Rondo
Rondo’s basketball IQ is sky-high, but not so much his tolerance for drama. He’d rather call out a teammate mid-play than toss them the ball.
9. Kevin Durant
Durant’s greatness is undeniable, but when he’s unhappy, it radiates. Between burner accounts and locker room tension, he’s never been afraid to make things personal.
8. Dennis Rodman
Rodman didn’t throw tantrums so much as he created spectacles. Whether storming off or disappearing mid-season, the drama was always turned up to 11.
7. Jimmy Butler
Jimmy tells them loudly when he doesn’t think his teammates are on his level. He brings the fire and fury in practice or in the middle of a game.
6. Allen Iverson
Iverson gave everything on the court—except sometimes, the ball. If he wasn’t feeling the effort from others, he made it known with a healthy dose of ball-hogging and attitude.
5. Patrick Beverley
Beverley plays with an edge, but sometimes that edge becomes a tantrum parade. He’s been known to lose his cool faster than you can say “technical foul.”
4. Draymond Green
Draymond walks the line between passionate and unhinged. He yelled at coaches and teammates and was suspended during the NBA Finals.
3. Kobe Bryant
Kobe didn’t throw tantrums often, but when he did, it was epic. There were games he refused to shoot just to prove a point about how bad his teammates were.
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2. James Harden
Harden’s unhappy state is shown in his body language, shot selection, and complete refusal to pass. Entire seasons have collapsed under the weight of his discontent.
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1. Chris Paul
CP3 might be the president of tantrum diplomacy. He’s constantly barking at refs, teammates, and coaches like he’s running a team meeting mid-possession.
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