
"They got one guy who keeps kicking people in the nuts."


"Dirtying up the game? I don't know about that," Smith said. He also didn’t make any friends on the Warriors during those championship series, with special vigor reserved for Draymond Green. Smith started his career as an insanely talented player who may have enjoyed the nightclub scene a little too much.īut once he was traded to the Cavaliers, he became a key piece of the championship puzzle around LeBron James (provided he knew what the score was).Ī quirky guy, he had a weird habit of untying opponents’ shoes at the free-throw line. The feud died down after both retired, but Bell said a few years ago that he really did harbor animosity toward Kobe at the time. He famously clotheslined Kobe Bryant during the 2006 playoffs, and the two had plenty of beef during their playing days. In fact, he was often more noted for his ability to tussle with opponents than for anything he brought offensively. Raja Bell was an old-school NBA tough guy. "I’ve had to fight for everything I’ve gotten in life. Thomas once explained his combative nature after punching Bill Cartwright. He would throw punches at much bigger opponents and refused to back down despite being much smaller than the rest of the NBA. Isiah Thomas might have been known as the quiet one on the famous Detroit Pistons "Bad Boys" teams of the 1980s, but the 6-foot-1 point guard wasn’t afraid of anyone. "You should learn Chinese because you’ll be in China soon," he would say to them after a bad game. He used to let new teammates know that they were part of the group by throwing a few one-liners their way. Instead, he would use it to make people more comfortable around him. One of the most beloved and jovial players in NBA history, Dirk Nowitzki didn’t often try to incite fights with his trash-talking. "Thirty-four in three quarters," he let Shaq Harrison know. Nothing intimidates him, so when opponents try and get in his head he usually has a quick response.Īnd it’s often about how much he’s been dominating them that game.
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Luka Doncic has taken the league by storm in his first few years.ĭespite being 19 in his rookie season, he was a veteran professional player in the Spanish league. Luka Doncic The next generation is now with Luka Doncic. "Tell that motherf-er about me!" he once yelled at James Harden. Then, he'll get mad that you left him so wide open. Ja Morant is a future star in the NBA, and his confidence has never been in question. Like when he went jaw to jaw with Draymond Green.īottom Line: Kristaps Porzingis 59. "You can be more intelligent and try to get some painful spots in that guy’s personal life," said Porzingis.Īnd he's not afraid to mix it up with anyone. Instead of just pure insults, he figured it would be better to find very specific things to say about his opponents. So he worked on his smack talk game as a young player.

The "Unicorn" grew up a massive NBA fan in Latvia and learned that the art of trash-talking was a key to survival in the NBA. Kristaps Porzingis Kristaps Porzingis got game. But throughout the history of the NBA, there have been some incredible smack-talkers.Ħ0. So fans only get a few glimpses of it, along with anecdotal evidence and stories passed down over the years. Something about the physical nature of the game, the proximity to the opponent and the crowd, and the constant one-on-one battles cause players to do whatever they can to get in an opponent’s head.įor the most part, trash-talking remains on the court. Trash talk happens in every sport, but basketball takes it to a whole new level of intensity. NBA's Greatest Trash-Talkers Gary Payton, right, has a few choice words for Jamaal Tinsley. These players turned trash-talking into a savage art form.
