Coaching can be very challenging when you have to deal with a player whose ego is off the charts
Some players believe they have the last word, and sometimes they are right
Among them is LeBron James, NBA’s finest yet super difficult to deal with
Coaching athletes is no joke and it can be very challenging when you have to deal with a man whose ego is off the charts. This is the story of the hardest players to coach in NBA history.
Their fantastic performances, their well-known talent, their enormous fan base, and of course, that big and juicy paycheck comes with a lot of headaches. This is because these men always believe they have the last word, and sometimes they are right.
This is one of the most challenging aspects of being a coach because you have to deal with more than a dozen different people. Each of them has powerful characters, personalities, and tempers. In addition, you also have to deal with the pressure of playing important games and personal issues.
These are the players who coaches have a hard time with.
LEBRON JAMES
LeBron James dribbling. Photo/ Encyclopedia Britannica
LeBron James is quite a good teammate and even a pretty kind guy. But he is unquestionably the most challenging player in the NBA for a coach to work with. He is among the most intelligent players in the world at the moment.
On the other hand, he is so focused on winning and can be a pain for some of his coaches. He likes to point fingers and call the shots himself, regardless of whether or not that strategy is successful.
The current lineup of the Cavaliers was pretty much built by the King himself. He has famously refused to run the sets that some of his coaches drew for him over the years. On top of that, his success as a top basketball player makes him hardest players to coach in NBA history.
CARMELO ANTHONY
Carmello Antony. Photo/Sports Illustrated
Carmelo is always polite to the media, but it appears he’s quite a jerk behind closed doors for the majority of his career. He has a history of getting into fights with his coaches.
His ball hogging, ball stopping, and shoot-every-time-you-get-the-ball technique are also problematic to his coaches. He also has a history of refusing to play along with some sets and preferring to isolate pretty much every time he has.
DWIGHT HOWARD
Dwight Howard. Photo/The New York Times
Since making his first professional appearance with the Orlando Magic a few seasons ago, Dwight Howard has a reputation. He is among the hardest players to coach in NBA.
He is physically gifted – the best NBA ever had. But, he often acted weirdly making him ‘a huge baby’. Howard has had a number of issues with his coaches and even his teammates. He had a personal dispute with James Harden, despite the fact that the two were apparently good friends. It appears that the only thing that Howard lacks more than post moves is actual character. His personality erodes his memories as an elite player in NBA history.
DEMARCUS COUSINS
Denver Nuggets center DeMarcus Cousins Photo/Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
After his draft a few years ago, Demarcus is one of the league’s most famous crybabies. His abrasive and explosive temper, makes him one of the hardest players to coach in NBA.
This is despite the fact that he possesses an incomparable talent. Although he was ultimately successful, hic coach Vlade Divac grew tired of his explosive anger and fired him from the team.
He had conflicts with each of his coach. This kind of character hurdles him from being a legend. He wants to win more than his teammates although he is arguably the best center in the league.
RAJON RONDO
Rajon Rondo. Photo/Marca
Rondo is one of the worst teammates in the NBA. He is one of the most obnoxious players in the history of the game. However, he was a skilled defender but his stubbornness in criticizing is a turnoff.
During his time with the Celtics, Rondo became the most knowledgeable ball player in the league. Despite this, he consistently disobeyed the coach’s instructions to run certain sets, believing he had a more effective strategy.
After having issues with a long list of other players and coaches, he earned a bad reputation as the hardest players to Coach in NBA history. Eventually, his stubborn nature soiled his illustrious NBA career.
Teresa is a journalist with years of experience in creating web content. She is a wanderlust at heart, but an outgoing sports writer with focus on tennis, athletics, football, motorsports and NBA.
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