The NBA’s Most Embarrassing Players In 2023

The year of 2023 was always going to be an exciting one to follow considering the news of players constantly being shared across all forms of media. We have collected the 10 most embarrassing players of the NBA season so far involving some rather shocking stories.

We should not have insight into people’s private lives but in the modern world where everything is available online, it has never been easier to look into NBA gossip. The league is not only followed on the court anymore and 10 shocking stories have been followed in 2023 so far.

1. Josh Giddey With An Underage Girl

Josh Giddey is a talented young point guard who will only improve his basketball IQ, playmaking, and scoring ability with time. However, the Oklahoma City Thunder guard is caught in a rather unfortunate situation involving Liv Cook, an underage girl. Based on the allegations and even some videos that raise eyebrows, it seems Giddey has a relationship with a minor. The player has made sure to keep the heat off as much as possible by shutting down his social media page, but the fans are still talking. 

While these are still allegations and there is much to uncover in this story, this is not a great look for the 21-year-old Australian. Hopefully, these rumors and allegations are false and the girl is not underage because that could throw off the young man’s career considerably. If the allegations are indeed true, there will be major consequences although Commissioner Adam Silver has downplayed any suspension until more information is known.

2. Anthony Edwards’ Abortion Scandal

It doesn’t seem like Anthony Edwards’ allegations of forcing Paige Jordae to have an abortion are affecting the play of the Minnesota Timberwolves star. Anthony Edwards is averaging 25.2 points per game this season and has the team sat with the number one seed in the Western Conference. Ranking 18th in PPG and 1st in OPPG, the Timberwolves are an elite team right now and Edwards is the star player of the team.

However, things could get ugly with the abortion situation. Edwards seems to be a strong character so this story could start affecting the way he is viewed around the league. As this story unfolds, it could have a massive effect on Edwards’ image and the play of the Timberwolves as a result. We have seen the All-Star put up a statement about this situation but there seems to be more to follow.

3. Zion Williamson And Moriah Mills

Zion Williamson can’t seem to get out of the media spotlight even when he is playing high-level basketball. Whether the player cannot stay healthy, in shape, or focused on basketball, Williamson is always in the news. This year, it got worse with adult film star Moriah Mills starting to play with the big man’s image. The adult actress has made allegations that Williamson is making threats against her about their secret relationship.

Mills has been on a mission to throw dirt on Williamson’s name in terms of inappropriate behavior in their relationship which also includes some reputation-damaging habits including marijuana, and a lack of effort in maintaining a physique by drinking too much soda. Williamson should know better than to include himself in situations with people who could be more trouble than they are worth. So far, it has been very ugly and it could get uglier as time passes. At least the media will leave Zion alone about his weight, for now.

4. Draymond Green’s Constant Lashing Out

What in the world is going on with Draymond Green? The leader and protector of the Golden State Warriors, Green’s value to the team cannot be understated because he has been the vocal leader behind four NBA championships even without scoring the ball. However, things might be starting to get to Green’s head this season. He has not been able to control his temper, getting ejected three times and dealing with an indefinite suspension.

His latest “attack” involves a swinging arm to the face of center Jusuf Nurkic. Green cannot stop showing aggressive behavior as this follows a shocking grab around Rudy Gobert’s throat during an NBA game. It might seem that the player is struggling with some issues and even NBA players are coming out to support him and give advice. Despite Green’s reputation for being an enforcer, he has been an embarrassment to the sport when it comes to fair competition. It might be likely that the Warriors find a way to trade Green and start creating a harmonious environment.

5. Dwight Howard’s Private Life Exposed

Once again, it needs to be mentioned that an NBA player’s private life should not be discussed or analyzed. Much like an ordinary person, an NBA player must have some form of privacy. However, it has become known that Dwight Howard has a personal preference in terms of relationship partners that could be described as outside of the norm. Howard was caught in a scandal that involved an allegation of sexual assault on a male and a transgender person.

The former three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner categorically denies all claims and it seems to have passed over. Still, questions about Howard’s sexuality and the gossip on the internet continue to flow which might lead one to believe that the center might not ever play in the NBA again. Even former partner Royce Reed has come out to admit Howard has always been promiscuous with his habits but nobody could have imagined that the big man would ever deal with this information being spread all over NBA media outlets.

6. Ja Morant’s “Thug” Persona

Welcome back, Ja Morant. With Morant back from suspension, the Memphis Grizzlies have won three straight games and look to be climbing back to a .500 record. However, that does not gloss over the embarrassment that Morant has caused for himself, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the league as a whole. Finding himself stuck in a cycle of trying to prove he is a “thug”, Morant has tarnished his image.

From his allegations of punching a teenager to the multiple incidents of handling a firearm on social media after a strip club incident, Morant has tried his best to ruin his NBA career. For whatever reason, the superstar point guard is taking his status as an elite star for granted and that is truly a shame because he has the talent to be compared to the great Allen Iverson one day.

Morant needs to understand that staying away from firearms and possibly social media for good will only do him good because his potential greatness on the basketball court cannot be denied and he must stay focused to avoid more embarrassment.

7. James Harden Ruining His Reputation

James Harden is one of the greatest offensive players of his era and that cannot be disputed. He has a regular-season MVP award, three scoring titles, two assist titles, and averages a career 24.7 points per game while being one of the players to change the game to what it is now. However, The Beard’s popularity is decreasing by the season.

After forcing his way out of the Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets situations in the ugliest ways possible, Harden made it clear he wanted to be in Philadelphia with All-Star center Joel Embiid. Many of us assumed The Beard would be happy but despite being the assist leader in the regular season, he once again wanted to leave and made it as ugly as it could get.

Harden called GM Daryl Morey a “liar” in a public setting and doubled his stance by also making sure everybody knew how he felt. Even if his past is very shady, Harden once again seemed to kill a team’s chemistry and looked out of shape during his return to the court. He has picked up with the Clippers by spearheading an 8-2 record over the last 10 games. However, the fact that Harden made the 76ers’ offseason a nightmare before looking out of shape to start the season has diminished the legacy of one of the game’s brightest offensive players.

 8. Kevin Porter Jr.’s Domestic Abuse

Kevin Porter Jr was acquired by the Houston Rockets franchise with the knowledge that the player has some baggage. He caused a ruckus in the Cleveland Cavaliers locker room that got him traded in the first place and seemed to be on relatively good behavior until a domestic abuse allegation involving Kysre Gondrezick came up this year.

Domestic abuse needs to be shunned by all means and based on what we are hearing, they unfortunately seem to be true. That means the talented offensive guard’s career could be over and it is by his own doing. Whatever goes on in a relationship, a man should never put his hands on a woman. Porter Jr has had his issues with anger and that means he has been another case of a player not realizing the consequences of his actions. As of right now, Porter Jr.’s career could be completely over.

9. Miles Bridges’ Allegations And Canada Ban

Miles Bridges got off to a hot start for the Charlotte Hornets in the 2021-22 season, posting 20.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game over 80 games played. The forward showed athleticism, scoring ability, and formed a nice duo with All-Star LaMelo Ball on the court. However, Bridges faced serious allegations of domestic violence.

The NBA suspended Miles Bridges for 30 games following an investigation into 2022 domestic violence allegations against Mychelle Johnson, the mother of his two children. Images of the alleged abuse were shared online and they were shocking, to say the least. Miles Bridges pleaded no contest to one felony charge as part of a deal with prosecutors while the two other felony counts were dismissed.

Amazingly, the Charlotte Hornets franchise has decided to re-sign the player to give him a second chance following an internal investigation after Bridges came out and apologized. However, the story has continued because he was unable to travel with the team to Canada because he was banned due to the obscene allegations against him. It seems Bridges will never be able to get his career back and that has led to embarrassment for him and the Hornets organization.

10. Kai Jones’ Shocking Behavior

Kai Jones’ shocking video where he was spewing nonsense made the rounds heavily this season because the player was clearly out of his mind with his comments. While a 22-year-old is allowed to make mistakes, being a professional for an NBA franchise means that any viral moment of negativity could spell major consequences. As seen from the video, Jones was clearly intoxicated, spewing shocking statements.

For an NBA franchise that is trying to uphold an image for children and families, this is a very bad look. To make matters worse, days after the video, Jones was found criticizing his own teammates Mark Williams and Nick Richards on Instagram. Saying he could beat LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal was also simply ludicrous and unprofessional. Unfortunately, Jones is another example of a young man who seems to be struggling with addiction abuse because that is the only way to describe the fallout of this situation.