Kobe let Kenyon have it (photo. Chris Sembrot)Part of talking trash is backing it up. So when DeShawn Stevenson taunted the Cavs with the John Cena “You Can’t See Me” after sinking a three to cut the lead to 16, he just looked like a clown. The same goes for Brendan Haywood pretty much every time he opens his mouth. Even if there hasn’t been much substance to back it up, all of the chatter coming from the Wizards through the first two games of their series with LeBron & Co. got us thinking - who are the biggest trash talkers in the League?
We’re not talking about using the media as a buffer zone to give your opponent an earful. On court, jimmie-in-your-face smack.
Rasheed Wallace - ‘Sheed has to be one of the most demoralizing guys to guard. It’s not just that he’s going to take his man to the place on the floor where they are most uncomfortable. It’s that he tells his guy about how badly he’s giving it to him. In late March, he was part of the way through a 23-point, 9-rebound game against the Suns when he started chiding Amare with the standard “He can’t guard me! He can’t guard me!” taunt.
“When we’re playing on the road and you might hear the one or two people behind the bench and they’re always in your ear,” said ‘Sheed. “That’s what I do out on the floor.”
Kobe Bryant - Mamba didn’t have much to say during the first half of Game 1 with Kenyon Martin smothering him for 4 points. But during his 26-point second-half explosion, he was letting KMart have it loudly and clearly enough to get T’d up.
“Just having a good old healthy conversation,” Bryant said.
Kobe also banks plenty of fire for some choice defenders. Every time he goes against Raja Bell, you can see him jabbering when he jab steps. And he doesn’t always use words. During his 38-point Christmas special against the Suns, the court mics picked up a strong “Uhhh” while one of KB24’s jumpers was still in the air, about to splash through the cup. And when he blew by Bell for that crazy reverse dunk, you could hear him from the other side of the Staples Center, screaming “Woooooo!!”
Sam Cassell - We included this story in Smack in November: “Announcer Mike Breen relayed an amazing Sam Cassell story. Back when Sam played for the Nets, John Calipari told him some guys on the team felt he was shooting too much. Sam harassed Coach Cal into admitting it was Kendall Gill doing the complaining, so in Jersey’s next game, Cassell purposely wouldn’t shoot and only passed to Gill, who went like 2-for-12. Finally Cassell went over to Calipari on the bench and asked, “So do you wanna win this game, or should I keep feeding this guy?” Sam ended up with 34 points that night…”
Kevin Garnett - The Ticket doesn’t always jabber at the guy trying to check him - unless that guy is Joel Przybilla. KG saves something special for Big Joel every time they play. It almost came to blows earlier this year when Przybilla hit Paul Pierce with a hard foul, and KG came over to lay down the law. Clearly this is something that has been brewing during the years that they faced off when KG was in Minny.
“I’ve been listening to that guy talk crap for eight years,” said Joel.
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:13 pm
ibleedgreen says:
i know he’s not in the L anymore, but you gotta give some love to the glove. probably the rawest trash talker in the history of the L.
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Reed Ewing Frazier says:
Yeah the Glove was Raw
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:25 pm
MJAX says:
Right now, it’s gotta be Sheed or The Big Ticket.. They are both so loud when they do it, that’s what makes it so devastating. They are killing you and the first 7-12 rows get a version of what’s being said… As far as the old school goes, GP may have been the Crown Prince, but it came down to Larry Legend and MJ. The reason I give the nod to Larry Legend, is because he used to tell you where he was going to shoot the ball from on the floor and DO IT!!! You can’t tell somebody how to guard you, and still LYTE EM UP!!!! He really played Jedi mind tricks on dudes on the regular. Just think you run to a spot to guard him, and he goes another direction - You are an idiot! But if you believe what he’s told you and he still hits you up, you and him know what’s really up!! Genius!!!!
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Diego says:
Got to agree regarding Payton.
While no doubt Garnett owns Przybilla on the court, off the court Joel would clean his clock.
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Prof. TX says:
One of the classics belongs to Jordan:
“How are you going to beat me when you’re wearing my shoes?”
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:52 pm
GEE..What goes up....Must come down..Not me clown! says:
Payton is the Dean of the school or at least a head teacher.
Gil talks.
A.I. will talk some but mostly talk back.
LOL The Junkyard Dog used to talk too lol. Where is he now (dude had a messed up grill fa real).
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Reed Ewing Frazier says:
MJAX- yeah Bird was on it I still hate that dude(lol)
Diego- Yeah you might be right about that(lol)
Prof TX- Yeah Jordan on the low talked mad smack
Gee- Haha JunkYard Dog did talk smack he works for the Knicks now and he got braces last time I saw him in D.C. he played for my Hoyas so he always gets love. Yo Gee don’t tell me you are using a L.O.T.U.G rhyme Chief Rocka was my joint
Knicks Up all the rest down
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Celts Fan says:
Come on Diego. What about Pryzbilla mkaes you think he’d be any better at fighting Garnett than he would be at playing him? Dude would get KILLED.
That Sam Cassell story is great. Dime, keep bringing that up every few months. It will never get old. Kendall Gill. What a chump…
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:29 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Knicks up… That’s hilarious.
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:32 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
I think Youngfed is the best trash talker in the world.
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Octopus Jonny says:
Pryzbilla crosstrains in Muay Thai kickboxing.
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:50 pm
GEE..What goes up....Must come down..Not me clown! says:
R.E.F. I had to take that one to the Lords. You the only one to catch that though, nice one. Do-it-All and Mr. Funky had me hype back in the day.
Yea as a loyal Hoya fan here too R.E.F. dude did ok at G-Town, but one of the funniest things me and my dawgs use to crack up at was when LeBron was coming in the L. The Junkyard dawg of all people was talking bout he is not ready and he needs to stay in school. Funny ish, with him going there, and that GRILL. I bet dude use to scare the hell outta his food before it ever got to his mouth. Just lookin at that grill probably gave his snacks the shakes lol. Glad to know he is employed though.
Dang this is making me miss the Glove and Reign man combo. You got a point guard that will go at you verbally and then back it up and then another dude that will dunk you every-which-way but loose. Just one of the sickest combos ever. I so used to enjoy them WAAAAYYYY MORE than Stockton and Malone ..Like sugar to shiii%.
Let us not forget Reggie Miller. Hate him or love him, he had moments you remember.
The wackest trash talker has to be Toine Walker.
WE DON’T SEE YOU SHIMMY-ING AND SHAKING NOW FAT BOY!
April 22nd, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Casey says:
Przybilla would have to catch KG first. Big Ticket backpedaled like his life depended on it when Antonio McDyess squared up with him. In his defense, maybe he was backpedaling home to pick up the uzis and tech 9s.
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Big Aaron says:
“WE DON’T SEE YOU SHIMMY-ING AND SHAKING NOW FAT BOY!”
LMAO! Nice, Gee. He is a fat bastard. I’m glad he’s rotting in Minny.
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
daquest?on says:
that quote from joel is priceless sounds like hes desperate for garnett 2 stop talking 2 him
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:38 pm
drewstar says:
the glove and larry legend were legendary trash talkers who could actually back up the smack.
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Tim says:
Casey….
Don’t forget when Jason Maxiell squared up and was gonna give KG something awful this year. KG wanted none of that.
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:36 pm
hotdog says:
@Prof. TX, the MJ thing was hilarious.
Thrash talking should only be allowed on people who can back em up. So when somebody like Deshawn does it, it just looks stupid. He sucks by the way.
April 23rd, 2008 at 2:56 am
QQ says:
Yeah, ya’ll have to give love to the Glove when it’s about trash talking, but my favorite would have to be John Starks.
Damn, nobody can spit poison like that kid. If you’re on the
opposing team, you better hope you’re not checking that guy, he’ll straight rip your heart apart.
April 24th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
BlazeMcHerbs says:
Top Trash Talkers? We should make a top 20 or something for this one. A lot people would be surprised at who some of the baddest talkers are in the game right now