The Best NBA Trash Talkers of All Time

From Draymond Green to Kevin Durant these are the best NBA trash talkers of all time!

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant was one of the most skilled players in NBA history and also one of the best trash talkers. He was known for his competitive nature and would often get into tussles with opponents on the court. Some of his most famous trash talking moments include telling hall of famer Karl Malone “the Mailman doesn’t deliver on Sundays” during the 2004 Western Conference Finals, and calling former Portland Trail Blazer Rasheed Wallace a “ball hog” during a game in 2006. Kobe was also known for his trash talking skills off the court, as he would often get into arguments with members of the media. In one famous incident, he told a reporter to “shut up and dribble” after being asked about then president Donald Trump’s remarks about Lebron James

Kevin Garnett

In basketball, trash talking is a time-honored tradition. It’s a way to get in an opponent’s head and give yourself a mental edge. While some players let their game do the talking, others are more than happy to add a few choice words to get under their opponents’ skin.

Kevin Garnett is one of the best trash talkers in NBA history Not only is he one of the best players of all time, he’s also one of the most intense. He’s been known to say some pretty outrageous things on the court, but that’s part of what makes him so great. He doesn’t back down from anyone and he’s not afraid to speak his mind.

Here are some of Kevin Garnett’s best trash talking moments:

-“You can take your ass back to Connecticut. You fucking fraud!” -To Charlie Villanueva after a game in 2008

-“Kobe, tell me how my ass taste!” -To Kobe Bryant during a game in 2011

-“You piece of shit! I fucking killed you! I killed you! You hear me?! I fucking killed you! Die! Die! Die! Fuckin die already! What are you waiting for?! Fuckin die already, man! Fuck you, man. Fuckin die already! Fuckin pussies, man. Whatever, man. Fucking die already.” -To Kris Humphries after a Playoff Game in 2013

Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the best NBA trash talkers of all time. He is known for his playful and sometimes downright insulting comments towards his opponents. Shaq has been quoted as saying things like “I’m gonna take you to school” and “I’m gonna teach you a lesson.” He is also known for his willingness to back up his trash talk with action on the court.

Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley is widely considered one of the best NBA trash talkers of all time. He was famous for his quick wit and ability to get under his opponents’ skin. Barkley was also known for his colorful way of expressing himself, which often entertained fans as much as it irked his opponents.

Reggie Miller

Reggie Miller was one of the best NBA trash talkers of all time. He was known for his ability to get under the skin of his opponents and get them off their game. He was especially effective against the New York Knicks who he often taunted with his signature choke sign.

Gary Payton

Gary Payton is widely considered one of the best NBA trash talkers of all time. He was known for his ability to get under his opponents’ skin and get them off their game. Payton would often use graphic and suggestive language to try to throw his opponents off their game. He was also known for his trash talking antics during team huddles, which would often fire up his teammates.

Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce former small forward for the Boston Celtics is widely considered one of the best NBA trash talkers of all time. In an article for The Ringer, Pierce recounted some of his most legendary trash-talking moments, including when he told then-Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant that he was “too old” to guard him.

“I just remember Kobe giving me this look, like, ‘You’re dead,’” Pierce said. “It was crazy because we were in the process of winning a championship that year. We went on to sweep them in the Finals.”

Pierce also recalled a time when he got into a heated exchange with then-New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony

“Carmelo was just coming into his own at that time with Denver,” Pierce said. “We were in the Garden, and I’m like, ‘You’re not gonna do nothing today.’ And he goes, ‘Oh yeah? Watch this.’ And he goes out and scores like 40 points on me.”

Despite getting scored on by Anthony, Pierce said he never backed down from his trash talk and even had some choice words for Knicks legend and current president of basketball operations Phil Jackson

“I’m like, ‘You better put a stop to this,’ because Melo is running through our whole team,” Pierce said. “And PhilJackson looks at me and goes, ‘You shut the hell up and play.’”

Jason Terry

Jason “The Jet” Terry is one of the best trash talkers in NBA history A former All-Star and NBA Champion Terry is not afraid to speak his mind on the court. He has been known to say some outrageous things to get under his opponents’ skin, and it often works.

Terry’s trash talking abilities were on full display during the 2012 playoffs, when he repeatedly told then-Miami Heat players Lebron James and Dwyane Wade that they “were not going to make it back” to the NBA Finals His comments ultimately motivated the Heat to come back and win the championship, but that didn’t stop Terry from getting in a few more jabs.

While he may not be the most liked player in the league, there’s no denying that Terry is one of the best when it comes to talking trash.

Kendrick Perkins

As an NBA player Kendrick Perkins was never afraid to speak his mind. And when it came to trash talking, he was definitely one of the best.

Perkins was known for his physical style of play, and he wasn’t afraid to get in people’s faces. He was also known for his trash talking ability, which often got him into trouble with the league.

In 2011, Perkins was suspended for one game after getting into a verbal altercation with then-Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum. During the altercation, Perkins reportedly said to Bynum, “You ain’t sh*t.”

Perkins is also known for getting into it with then-Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green In 2016, the two were involved in a heated on-court exchange in which they exchanged multiple personal insults.

There’s no doubt that Kendrick Perkins is one of the best NBA trash talkers of all time.

Matt Barnes

Barnes didn’t just talk trash, he backed it up. In a 2016 interview with GQ, the former-NBA Journeyman said, “I’ve never met anybody that I couldn’t get in their head.” He was so successful at getting into opponents’ heads that players began to purposefully get physical with him to try and get him off his game.