NBA players are some of the most competitive athletes in the world and it’s no surprise that their emotions can sometimes get the best of them. “Beef” between players can start for a multitude of reasons. Some even go beyond the basketball court and beef with their teammates. While there have been too many on-court feuds that have gone on in the NBA world, here are three of the biggest beefs in NBA history.
3. LeBron James and Paul Pierce
This feud seems like it’s one-sided, mostly with Pierce claiming he’s LeBron’s biggest rival, nonetheless, he does have a point. Before LeBron was drafted, Pierce was ascending himself to be the best small forward in the East or even the entire league. However, we all know his time in the limelight was short-lived. LeBron would dominate Pierce in nine of their next ten matchups after his rookie year, causing Pierce to pressure the Celtics front office to get him more help.
Pierce did get his wish granted and even got a bit of revenge by knocking out LeBron in the playoffs for two consecutive years. But Pierce’s reign was short-lived once again. LeBron would form a super team of his own and embarrass Pierce in the playoffs for two years in a row as well.
2. Joel Embiid and Marcus Smart
The feud between Joel Embiid and Marcus Smart makes it on this list for the fact that it’s been going on since the two were in college. It all started when Smart busted out a backflip on the Jayhawks logo. Even if Embiid didn’t play that game, he took it personally. In fact, Embiid’s first-ever post on Instagram was a direct shot at Smart. Their beef only got more intense when they were drafted by rival NBA teams in the same division.
In the 2018 playoffs, Embiid once stepped on Smart’s injured thumb and kicked him in an area no man should ever be kicked. Since Smart was a bit handicapped, he waited for the season to get his revenge and shoved Embiid on the back while he wasn’t looking.
Things simmered down for a few years, but on opening night of the 2022-2023 season, the beef entered a new chapter. In a skirmish to start the third quarter, Smart took exemption to Embiid trying to separate himself from Smart, causing him to go after his legs. Postgame, Smart didn’t mince his words when one reporter asked him what happened in the incident:
“I could have cracked his head wide open but I didn’t and that’s the maturity that I have,” Smart said.
1. Kobe Bryant and Ray Allen
We ranked this beef at number one since most casual fans probably never even heard of this beef. When you talk about feuds Kobe had in the past, most will only remember his beef with Shaq or even some of his former teammates, but his feud with Ray Allen was just as intense since it also started before they even played in the NBA.
For those who don’t know, Kobe was actually chosen for the lead role of ‘He Got Game’ before Allen. The only reason he turned it down was because he wanted to focus solely on basketball. That’s only chapter one.
In Kobe’s first preseason game as the number one option, he took it way too seriously and rubbed Allen the wrong way. Allen then went to the media and told everyone three things would happen to Kobe: he would get selfish, never get along with his teammates, and only win if he got 2 all-stars.
Crazy enough, in six years all of it became true. The media called him selfish. He went off on the media asking them why he would ever pass to Chris Mihm and Kwame Brown, then called Smush Parker the worst teammate he’s ever played with. And last on the list of Allen’s prophecies also came true when Kobe only won when he teamed up with Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom.