Top 5 teammate fall-outs in the NBA over the last decade
In the NBA, sometimes players with the best on-floor chemistry do not necessarily share the best off-floor chemistry. And yet, being the professionals that they are, players keep their differences aside and make it work.
Michael Jordan didn't hang out with Dennis Rodman, but look at how many championships the two won together.
On the flip side, a lack of chemistry can rip teams apart, and some NBA franchises have been mired in mediocrity for years for this very reason.
On that note, let's take a look at the major teammate fall-outs that have happened in the NBA over the last decade.
#5 Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton
The damage of the Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton fall-out after an infamous card game of Bourré misplaced a great NBA talent in Gilbert Arenas and ended Crittenton's NBA career that led to an even worse spiral. The aftermath of the game has been documented many times over the years, and the biggest NBA gun scandal set back a Washington Wizards franchise that hasn't since been relevant.
Gilbert Arenas playing Javaris Crittenton in a game of booray was never a good idea. bit.ly/2vouNNz https://t.co/xvOahsHucO
#4 Kobe Bryant and Smush Parker
Kobe Bryant, the competitor, was not the nicest guy. There was a goal in mind, and nothing would stop Kobe Bryant from achieving consistent excellence. During the 2005-06 NBA season, the Black Mamba averaged a career-high 35 points per, and he made it known every chance he got about his lack of talented teammates. Smush Parker, unfortunately for him, was the focus of one particular dressing down of the Los Angeles Lakers roster that year:
"I almost won an MVP with Smush Parker and Kwame Brown on my team. I was shooting 45 times a game. What was I supposed to do? Pass it to Chris Mihm or Kwame Brown? Smush Parker was the worst. He shouldn't have been in the NBA but we were too cheap to pay for a point guard. So we let him walk on."
Smush Parker has said publicly that he regrets a lot of what happened (the beef began in '09 when Parker called playing with Kobe “an overrated experience”) between him and Kobe, and this Instagram post spells out his feelings on the subject.