All sorts of characters from different backgrounds, domestically and internationally, have made it into the NBA over the years.
Most players assimilate nicely into, shall we call it, “millionaire-athlete culture,” there are always the resisters who remain tied to suspect people from their younger days—or fall into the traps of fame and fortune.
Let’s look at 10 men who reside in Springfield who had the sketchiest lives off the court.
Dennis Rodman
Well… Dennis Rodman is—and has always been—just about as sketchy as it gets. Between his crazy partying and his political missions to North Korea, no one does sketchy like The Worm.
Paul Pierce
The Celtics legend has long tended to put himself in compromising situations, like when he went live on Instagram during a stripper-filled bender. If that’s what he posted—we can only imagine what he’s been getting into off-camera through the years.
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Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson was one of the most electric players to watch on the court during his prime, but he regularly found himself under scrutiny off it. Iverson could blow through money like no one’s business, and he always seemed to be doing it in sketchy ways, like hanging out at sketchy nightclubs, strip clubs, or gambling. Iverson was routinely in the news for the transgressions that stemmed from these hobbies and had several run-ins with the law.
Chris Webber
Chris Webber has been tied up with sketchy characters from his days at the University of Michigan. Granted, much of that controversy could—and should’ve been avoided if the NCAA had adopted more moderate and player-friendly policies, but alas.
He continued to find himself embroiled in controversy as his career progressed, catching multiple charges in 1998 stemming from a traffic stop that turned into an assault.
Charles Barkley
Now that he’s in his 60s and settled into a cushy TV gig, Charles Barkley has lost some of his edge, but the Alabama native used to be just as brash off-the-court as he was on it. Whether it was bar fights or DUIs, Barkley always seemed to be living life on the edge. He is also believed to be a compulsive gambler, even to this day, which often comes with some rather questionable relationships and sketchy situations.
Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd was always portrayed as this team-first, team-leader type of player, but there has always been a clear divide between who he was on the hardwood and off it.
Not only has he had many issues with teammates and coaches in the locker room, but he’s also had a handful of run-ins with the law.
Scottie Pippen
With each passing week, Scottie Pippen’s off-the-court life is looking more and more sketchy, largely thanks to his very public fallout with his now ex-wife Larsa Pippen. It appears the two had all sorts of skeletons in their collective closet.
Magic Johnson
There isn’t much about Magic Johnson’s life we don’t know about at this point. The man lived it up in every way imaginable during the 80s. All of that partying and philandering seems to have crossed over into sketchy territory.
Not to mention all of the big business he’s involved in now—it is hard to imagine he’s been able to get this far by delving into some sketchy dealings.
Isiah Thomas
The former standout point guard for the Detroit Pistons has been all over the map. He was a great basketball player and after his playing days finished, he seemed to have been a successful businessman—and got his hands on many high-profile projects.
But for some reason, it seems like everywhere he’s been, he’s left a wake of chaos. During his playing days, he was edged out of the Dream Team because so many other stars, namely Michael Jordan, couldn’t stand him. Then, when he was the President of Basketball Operations for the Knicks, a female executive filed harassment charges against him.
There’s no denying how accomplished Thomas has been, but his successes generally seem to have a shadow accompanying them.
Karl Malone
Unfortunately, Karl Malone’s “sketchiness” has crossed over some horrendous lines. In his younger days, he fathered multiple children around Louisiana, allegedly including one to a girl, who was 13 when she gave birth.
