Top 5 NBA players who have openly criticized their teammates

Social media has allowed more people to express themselves, and the same has gone for players in the NBA. Now that the NBA has become a revolving door of news cycles, sometimes players use this platform to call their own teammates out.

Being an NBA player is extremely difficult, and the training and comradery that goes into that with your teammates is a deep bond. However, NBA players are naturally hyper-competitive and alpha dogs because that is what you likely must be to get to that level of play.

Now almost nothing can be kept from the media, and often players openly go out to the media to vent their frustration with teammates. These are five times that a player has used the media to vent his frustration with teammates.

#5 Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose on the Chicago Bulls

When the team you are playing for is in a slump, most NBA players are not super excited about that, and Derrick Rose back in 2015 was not. After the team lost six out of eight games, Rose told the media that everyone needs to get on the same page and get their butt kicked.

Rose had already won his NBA MVP and has always been considered a team leader and player on every team he has been on. For the Chicago Bulls, it was even more so because when he was healthy, the Bulls had a chance at the playoffs and maybe even more.

For your star player and leader to make a statement like that is used to bring a team together to spark. The NBA season is long, and it can often have lulls, and it is up to the leaders to get the team out of that.

#4 Draymond Green

Golden State Warriors team engine Draymond Green

Throughout Kevin Durant’s last season with the Golden State Warriors, rumors started that Durant wanted out. A big part was because of the fight he had with Draymond Green. Green has always been a vocal player on the court who plays with a lot of passion. He also plays with a massive chip on his shoulder and can name every player drafted before him.

In a game in 2018, Durant and Green got into a heated argument that got the latter suspended. That argument was often seen where Durant officially decided to leave the Warriors in the upcoming offseason.

Green came out on Carmelo Anthony’s wine podcast and said that Durant would not talk to him after the game and often avoided him. The argument became such a big part of that season that it is often referred to as what broke up one of the best NBA teams. Green is a hyper-competitive player, and his emotions got the better of him at the time. It was something the team and Green dealt with all season.

The good thing about this is that Durant and Green got together after a few years and talked in-depth about the issue between them and this argument.

#3 Kobe Bryant

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant after hist last game

Rest in peace Kobe Bryant. Bryant was known throughout the league as one of the toughest competitors in the league. If you were on his team and didn’t match that energy, it did not go well.

Bryant had issues with Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard, both players who enjoyed having fun, while Bryant was strictly business. Early in Bryant’s career, he had problems with O’Neal that ended with them fighting once. With Howard, he just bashed him every time he could.

Despite those two situations, the best time for Bryant to be openly annoyed by a teammate was when he was live on Jimmy Kimmel. The host shared a video of Bryant’s young teammates celebrating a victory. The issue is that this broke a long losing streak and wasn’t worth celebrating.

Bryant does not say anything, but his face does all the talking for him. It was close to the end of his career, and he was sitting out due to injury, which might have made it worse for him.

#2 Joel Embiid

Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid hyping up the crowd

Joel Embiid might be one of the best trash talkers in the NBA. He uses his social media posts to bash appointments he has constantly beefed with or just recently dominated. This ties together with him being super competitive and wanting to win so badly. Embiid’s actions help make fun storylines of the NBA, but they also show that he can be raw with the media.

Now that the Ben Simmons saga is in full swing, it makes sense that Embiid would not like Simmons's actions. After Simmons was suspended for not trying in practice, Embiid was not happy.

After the news broke, Embiid was asked about Simmons, and well, Embiid said everything he was thinking. Embiid came out strong, saying, “he does not care about that man,” referring to Simmons. Embiid’s frustrations are rational, and the Philadelphia 76ers want to try to win a Championship, and it would help to have your second All-Star on your team.

#1 Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler on the Minnesota Timberwolves

When Jimmy Butler was on the Minnesota Timberwolves, he probably had the best practice ever. After missing some of the team’s offseason workouts, due to the fact Butler wanted out, he came back and put on a display in practice.

This practice has almost become an NBA legend. It is reported that Butler came out on the court, took the third-string players, and dominated the starters in a scrimmage. While humiliating his teammates, he yelled at head coach Tom Thibodeau and general manager Scott Layden.

Butler yelled at everyone, telling the franchise that they needed him to win. Butler eventually got his wish and was traded to the 76ers, but Butler's practice in Minnesota still lives on as one of the most incredible NBA practices.