5 major NBA players whose off-court lives were marred by controversy
NBA superstars usually transcend the world of sports. Whether it is for good or bad reasons, elite players are constantly under scrutiny. It has been that way for a long time and under the current era of social media and endless media outlets, it has only increased. In NBA history, several stars have also become culture figures and images of controversy for their lifestyles or some unfortunate off-court situation.
While for some players it was and is rare to see them involved in controversial situations, other NBA superstars, from past and present, seemed to run into some kind of off-court trouble from week to week.
Right now, Kyrie Irving seems to be the one that is under scrutiny for any acts or comments he might have made on social media or during press conferences, as the Brooklyn Nets' guard is an outspoken individual.
LeBron James faces lots of scrutiny, but it is not normally about his private life or any thoughts he might have on specific public matters. He is usually under media pressure for his on-court actions and for simply being the face of the NBA.
Like Irving, many others have had to endure the media attention that occurred due to off-court situations, and he will not be the last to face it.
In this article, we will give you five NBA players who are or were big figures on the court, but also created lots of controversies because of their off-court lives.
Without further ado, let us start.
#5 Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson is definitely one of the most popular players in NBA history, and his career was full of great achievements and accolades, both individually and collectively.
With the LA Lakers, Johnson won five NBA championships, three Finals MVP awards and three regular-season MVPs, along with nine total appearances in the NBA Finals.
However, his career was cut short after he announced his immediate retirement from basketball after testing positive for HIV. The announcement came on November 7th, 1991.
The controversy around him was not totally negative though, as he is still going strong 30 years later and has become an advocate for HIV prevention and remains one of the most respected NBA figures of all time.
#4 Kyrie Irving
These days, almost anything negative surrounding Kyrie Irving has become a big focus point around the media and fans. Irving has become one of the most outspoken players today, and his quest to point out injustices and express his particular beliefs on several matters have rubbed some the wrong way.
He is one of the best players in today's NBA and is already a champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, but negatives or controversial situations seem to be regular with him, although he's done lots of positive acts off the court too.
Right now, Irving is in the middle of the anti-vax controversy surrounding the NBA, and if he does not take the Covid-19 vaccine, he is set to miss at least half of the Brooklyn Nets' games.
He stomped on the Boston Celtics' logo in last year's NBA Playoffs, has been away from his team for personal reasons, and also broke the NBA's health and safety protocols.
However, Irving has also done many positive things, such as donating money to WNBA players, New York city families during the Covid-19 pandemic and standing up to injustice almost every time he's had the chance.
Irving is one of the greatest players in today's NBA and one of the most skilled athletes ever, but controversy seems to be as regular for him as dribbling a basketball, and he seems to be fine with it as long as he stays real to himself and his beliefs. We can't really blame him for that.