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Any season will see hundreds of active players in the NBA. This means that the league is home to plenty of different personalities and attitudes. For the most part, this has not caused any problems since it is very rare that a player has a destructive personality, and people usually pay more attention to a player's on-court performance than their off-court activities.
However, there are a few individuals who have stood out in the league's history not because of their stellar play but more so because of certain action or actions that have been deemed as highly controversial. Because these players are few and far between, they tend to leave an imprint in the memory of NBA fans everywhere.
Here are five players who can be considered as the league's most controversial players.
5 NBA players who have been branded as controversial
#5 Magic Johnson
There is no doubt that Johnson is one of the greatest point guards in NBA history and a bonafide LA Lakers legend. He is one of the most decorated players in the league due to his contributions to the rich history of the Lakers franchise.
However, his career was cut short in one of the most shocking twists in the league's history. While it is not unheard of for a player to retire in his prime due to injuries, Magic had to step away from basketball due to HIV.
At that time, there were still plenty of misconceptions about how a person could contract the virus. His sexuality was unfairly questioned, and it seemed like the league even turned on him as some players simply refused to play with him. This event led to a falling out between Magic and Isiah Thomas.
Magic became a controversial topic not because of any disgusting actions as a player but simply because of a general misunderstanding of the virus he had.
#4 Enes Kanter Freedom
Freedom is a controversial NBA player who is perhaps known for changing his name legally to support his cause. He was simply known as Enes Kanter, but his last name became his middle name after he added Freedom as his legal surname to represent himself as an activist.
Freedom, who is only 31 years old, could be one of the league's premiere rebounders. Instead, he finds himself out of the league due to his activism, according to him.
According to Sopan Deb of the New York Times, Kanter believes that the reason he has not received a single offer from any NBA team is that he has spoken out about what has happened in China.
Deb also mentioned that Adam Silver, the current NBA commissioner, dismissed all allegations of Kanter getting blackballed by the league.
#3 Metta Sandiford-Artest
Sandiford-Artest is another player who is remembered for having his name changed. He has had his name changed twice before: he was first known as Ron Artest and then later as Metta World Peace. However, he is under controversy for reasons other than changing his name.
His most infamous incident in the NBA was the "Malice at the Palace," a fight that occured during an NBA game between the Detroit Pistons and the Indiana Pacers, two teams famous for playing aggressively at the time.
The fight that had started among the players eventually resulted in an all-out brawl that involved several Indiana Pacers players and some fans.
Aside from this, Sandiford-Artest also became infamous for elbowing the side of James Harden's head while the former was celebrating a slam dunk. These are just two of the most memorable moments that have contributed to his reputation.
#2 Dennis Rodman
Rodman has gone down in history as one of the NBA's smartest rebounders and one of the key contributors to the Chicago Bulls dynasty. However, he is also remembered for his colorful hair, colorful personality and controversial actions.
Rodman has provided some of the most entertaining moments when he married the singer-songwriter Madonna only to part ways after some months or when he married himself.
Some of the things he did were documented on the Bulls dynasty docu-series, which also included the time when he had disappeared from the team to go party by himself. Rodman has also found himself surrounded by some legal troubles long after his team's dominance.
It is well-documented that he was struggling with alcoholism and even appeared on the show called "Celebrity Rehab." He has been accused of sexual assault, arrested for drunk driving and public drunkenness and was even involved in a hit-and-run case once.
#1 Ja Morant
The most recent player to become the subject of controversy is the Memphis Grizzlies' rapidly rising star, Ja Morant. He is facing a 25-game suspension that will start at the beginning of next season. Additionally, he will be required to meet certain conditions before being allowed to set foot on an NBA court again.
The controversy surrounding Morant has stemmed from his irresponsible behavior with firearms. He has been spotted toting a firearm on an Instagram Live several times. He was also reportedly involved in an incident wherein his companions allegedly aimed a red laser, which was attached to a gun, at some members of the Indiana Pacers.
He was also reported to have been involved in a physical altercation involving some teenagers at a volleyball game. Another incident involved him punching a 17-year-old boy during a pickup game.
The NBA star has already been involved in several controversies despite only being 24 years old and having only played in the league for four seasons.
Guess the Bulls players in this quiz and it's not going to be easy!
