The 10 Most Intimidating NBA Players Ever
Ben WallaceThe sports blog “The Sporting Muse” recently ranked the Top 10 Most Intimidating Players in every major sport - NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA. In doing so, they did one thing that I find to be completely ridiculous - they only picked guys who aren’t playing anymore. Just because guys are still in the League shouldn’t preclude them from being selected. Here’s their list:
Wilt Chamberlain
Bill Russell
Michael Jordan
Shaquille O’Neal
Charles Barkley
Alonzo Mourning
Patrick Ewing
Karl Malone
Bill Laimbeer
Dennis Rodman
I don’t think this list is all that bad, except - and I’m a Knick fan - Patrick Ewing shouldn’t be in there. He didn’t intimidate anyone. He was a good shot-blocker during his day, but his spot belongs to Ben Wallace.
He had two of the greatest defensive seasons ever, averaging 13 boards and 3.5 blocks per game during the 2000-01 season, and 15.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game during the 01-02 campaign. Those stats would be enough to get him a spot on this list, but throw in two more years in which he won the NBA Defensive POY award (to make four total), and he’s undoubtedly deserving.
What about some other active players? KG, Ron Artest, Bruce Bowen? Would you say that LeBron makes the list simply because he is such a physical freak? In a press conference at MSG, LBJ said that if he saw himself coming down the lane with a full head of steam, he wouldn’t stand in to take a charge. Should Kobe make the list for the same reason as Michael?
Would you add/subtract anyone from the list?
Source: The Sporting Muse
February 27th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
fallinup says:
This list is SHIT.
No Oak! You’re gonna put Ewing up there, but no Charles Oakley???!!!
Pure SHIT!
February 27th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Anthony says:
Shaq is still in the NBA.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
whitebob says:
Dwight Howard will be on this list in a couple of years
February 27th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
rpxxxiv says:
maurice lucas, charles Oakley and rick mahorn.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
tee says:
What about charles oakly and kevin willis? I don’t remember sing them play much, I was to young, they just look like they would rather beat your a** then talk to you
February 27th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
the scola says:
Vince Carter in his prime intimidated some of these big men. No one wants to get slammed on…
February 27th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
that's whats up says:
You misspelled Oakley at #5.
Oakley is spelled OA-kley, not bar-kley
February 27th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Prof. TX says:
If you want a defensive center from that era, I’d put in Olajuwon over Ewing. All those blocks made guys stop and shoot the mid-range rather than getting swatted at the rim.
And I’d agree that Oakley could take Rodman’s spot. Rodman took cheap shots and aggrivated people, but annoying isn’t the same as intimidating.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Kevin says:
Shaquille is still in the NBA. Just putting that out there
February 27th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
shake&bake says:
Kermit Washington.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
I was thinking Rick Mahorn too. Rodman. Moses Malone maybe. Chocolate Thunder when he was shattering backboards. I don’t know why but growing up watching the NBA, Xavier McDaniel always scared me.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
Oops Rodman was on the list.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
fallinup says:
Intimidating on the court?? Shouldn’t Mt. Mutombo get some consderation?
February 27th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
Ben Wallace should definitely be on the list as well. Even if his ball skills didn’t intimidate you his demeanor does. When he pushed Artest in The Brawl, Artest didn’t even want none. And Artest is no slouch. I don’t think there’s any NBA player who would step to Ben Wallace.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Joe says:
Shawn Bradley used to make players want to poop in their pants.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Three Stacks says:
Dime, if I find links to live streaming NBA games, would it be okay to post them here? Is that illegal in anyway?
February 27th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
I’ll agree with Mutombo. The Finger Wave is still the best after block celebration of all-time.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Alex "robocop" murphy says:
What about Mt. Mutombo or The Dream?
February 27th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Kobeef says:
Anthony Mason.
Brick shit houses were built like HIM and he looked like a member of the adams family.
http://www.nba.com/media/amason_300_080412.jpg
February 27th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
data187 says:
how about oakley, artest, and anthony mason?
gary payton might make the list also…
February 27th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Meica says:
A little off topic, but I don’t know where to voice my concern: YOU GUYS REALIZE BOTH JOHNNY “RED” KERR AND NORM VAN LEER DIED YESTERDAY, RIGHT?!!! Both Bulls legends, Kerr won coach of the year in the Bulls inaugural season when he took them to the playoffs. And van Leer, well he was a beast of a defensive guard. Look ‘em up, boys.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
QQ says:
Agree with the other posters. This list sucks. Well, not really. It’s just incomplete.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
crzywhiteboy02 says:
oakley and mahorn should definitely be included, no excuse, i’d tend to think that artest would get an honorable mention…but not have the X-Man is a damn shame, that fool is scary as hell…no reason that ewing should be on (maybe from his georgetown days he’d get an honorable mention), and i’m not sure i agree with karl malone being on there…and rodman loved to play mind games and stuff but was he really that intimidating with those clown-inspired hair dyes? anyone who dresses in a wedding dress and cries in every interview kinda loses that intimidation factor to me
February 27th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Benoit Benjamin says:
Craig Elho.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
bsteezy3 says:
Kobeef beat me to it: Anthony Mason…(at least Toni Kukoc used to get instantly intimidated by him…)
February 27th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Wilt and Shaq are on a different level of intimidation than the rest.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
MadSammyboy says:
“that’s whats up says:
You misspelled Oakley at #5.
Oakley is spelled OA-kley, not bar-kley”
Hahahahaha… awesome AND true.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
tahir says:
what about olajuwon?
February 27th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
calvin brodus says:
I’d go Korver, Nash, Manute, Darko, Kryptonate. Top five, all time.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Steve A says:
oakley. Gary Trent. Antoine Carr
February 27th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Mike C says:
Kobe makes it for the same reason as Mike.
February 27th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Stiffff says:
I give: Tony Parker, David West, Jamal Crawford
and
I get: Chauncey Billups, Pau Gasol, Shawn Marion.
Should i do it?
February 27th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
BasketUSA says:
Larry Bird. Remember the 3-Pts Shootout when Bird came out in the lockerroom and said, “Okay, who’s going to be second here?”. It’s a kind of intimidation.
February 27th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
rodnets says:
georghe muresan, manute bol, mark eaton im shitting my pants while writing.
from these days e-city, robert englund swift
if you don´t think those are intimidating try to cross them in a dark alley.
February 27th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
abpin says:
Keon Clark, Tyronne Hill, Sam Cassell, & Anthony Mason…
I wouldn’t go anywhere near those guys. Is scary/ugly looking the same as intimidating?
February 27th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Sho-Nuff says:
Agree with everyone.
Xavier McDaniel
Charles Oakley
Rick Mahorn
Rodman wasn’t itimidating as he was pure nucking futs. He kicked the shit out of a cameraman, and used to like getting hit in the face with elbows…
No Ewing, Karl Malone was kind of a punk, but if he asks I didn’t say that.
February 27th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Sho-Nuff says:
@aplin, Oakley slapped the shit out of Tyrone Hill.
February 27th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Diego says:
Andrew, why KG? Who does he intimidate–little euro point guards? KG is a puss of a big man who gets no buckets in the paint other than an occasional alley-oop.
February 27th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
nerditry says:
MOSES MALONE, Willis Reed, Karl Malone’s elbows, Elvin Hayes, Robert Parish, Wes Unseld.
Jesus, you guys would have us believe the NBA existed in the 60s and restarted in 1988.
MOSES FUCKING MALONE
February 27th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
hucklebuck says:
this is a very hard list to put together. its hard to not want to categorize what kind of intimidation. from what everyone has put, it can be defensively, offensively, verbal, or appearance. another thing to consider is the longevity of it. if Ben Wallace has those TWO seasons and a Defensive Player Of The Year while the rest of his career is mediocre, does that place him above a Patrick Ewing or a Hakeem Olajuwon who both did it steadily for over ten years? Or even Dikembe Mutombo? he may not look like an intimidating force, but he did win more than one Defensive Player Of The Year and he (ranked #2) along with Hakeem (ranked #1) and Ewing (ranked #6) are in the top 6 in career blocked shots? and
and these are only centers on D
still got forwards and guards offensive/defense and centers offense
February 27th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Vinny says:
if you’re going to go back and include wilt- how about willis reed, al attles, alvin robertson(who i heard the whole nba was afraid of) there was a dude who played in the aba who everyone was scared of- i think his name was warren jabali. gus johnson(from the bullets) xavier mcdaniel, bernard king
malone, barkley, ewing, lambieer and mourning didnt intimidate anyone.
February 27th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
nerditry says:
How could I forget GP. Glove could intimidate someone verbally to the point that they would start coughing up the ball.
February 27th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
control says:
No Reggie Evans shout outs? Ain’t no one want their junk pulled while they’re playing basketball…or their booty slapped like they are a fat chick at the club.
February 27th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
control says:
Mutumbo intimidated even his own team with his elbows. That guy used to sharpen those things before each game and would draw blood with them at least every third game. Guy even chopped down a few teammates with them.
February 27th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
vince says:
28 ftw
olajuwon had people scared to enter the floor.
February 27th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
hucklebuck says:
Wilt Chamberlain (50 ppg for a season? that alone is enuff)
Bill Russell (11 rings)
Jerry Sloan (he just looks like u don’t want to mess with him, even now as a coach)
Shaquille O’Neal (7′2” 300+ lbs. used Mutombo as elbow punching bag, reason for inventing Hack-a-Shaq)
Hakeem Olajuwon (broke ankles with his post moves, see series vs Admiral in conf. finals, all-time shot block leader, by almost 600)
Michael Jordan (most decorated player in history, changed game into what it is today)
Bird (most intimidating white guy EVER in the GAME, who tells the opposing coach during the game to put someone in who can guard him, or tell opposition when and where he is going to hit the shot when the game is on the line, or holding up his finger BEFORE the shot goes in at 3pt shootout)
Dr. J (if someone jumps to block his shot and midway decides to duck as he is about to demolish the rim sounds like intimidation to me)
Charles Barkley (dunking on someone, landing, then talkin trash to him while he is still on the floor? getting into a fight with Shaq?)
Dennis Rodman/Bill Laimbeer tie (players wanted to fight them BEFORE the game, Laimbeer would closeline you and leave you with charlies and bruises, Rodman would do the same but later on with the Bulls be more of a psychological intimidator, along with averaging 15-19 rebounds per game during a 6 year span)
honorable mention
Gary Payton
Karl Malone
Patrick Ewing
Dikembe Mutombo
Darryl Dawkins
*no current NBA players, aside from Shaq cuz they haven’t played their entire career yet
February 27th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
hucklebuck says:
wowww. BENOIT BENJAMIN say CRAIG EHLO?
February 27th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
I got hand speed ...GEE says:
XAVIER MCDANIEL
Mahorn
Oakley
Quiet as kept Kenyon Martin
and I’m done.
February 27th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
SteveNash says:
ANTHONY MASON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mase in your face baby
February 27th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
SaugaStar says:
I’d put kobe in there the same reason mike is in there: you step on the court, see these guys, and the moment you do, you know your team will NOT WIN. They have that “I know I’m better than you and you know it too” swag that makes grown men shit their pants.
I’d put LBJ and D12 in there too cuz theyre such physical freaks. Its a known fact LBJ is a genetic anomality and D12 is the closest this generation has to wilt minus the scoring (the size, he’s dieseled as hell but i doubt he “scored” 20,000 times)
The thing with these guys is that they’re all-nba caliber and mentally intimidate you. Anthony mason, Charles Oakley and Antoine Carr were all intimidating cuz they looked the part but they cant win games on their own. The 3 i mentioned above (kobe, LBJ and D12) are all so mentally intimidating that you feel that your team is gonna lose even before the ball is tipped.
February 27th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
robmo35 says:
Kermit Washington? Look at him wrong and he’ll break every bone in your face
February 27th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
SagJism says:
Artis Gilmore, and whoever that dude was the blew out Rudy Tomjonavich’s Face. and of course Mad MAx, no one messed with him, he would go i nthe stands and kick someone butt and still would play afterwards.
February 27th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
that's whats up says:
Mad Max used to have this white lamborghini. I delivered a room service order (drinks only) to his room once and I could barely see him behind his posse and all the smoke
I loved that dude
February 27th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
willmo says:
Maurice Lucas. The dude socked chocolate thunder.
February 27th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
DPGC says:
Ruben Patterson
February 27th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Al says:
Bill Laimber was dirty , but nobody was scared of or intimidated by him .
February 27th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
hucklebuck says:
Vernon Maxwell?
Ruben Patterson?
no way.
The Celtics were not intimidated last year when they saw Kobe walk onto the court with his “you will not win” swag.
February 27th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Bruce says:
JOhn Armeachi — That boy is gay.
February 27th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
Bowen’s not intimidating, he’s dirty.
Artest is intimidating, as is Ben Wallace, and of course Anderson Silva from the UFC.
February 27th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Vinny says:
@52- calvin murphy punked artis gilmore!
February 27th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
andy w says:
Oak should be on there
February 27th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
doc says:
I dont know who Id take out but Id add MosesFucking Malone, Big Ben,The Dream,Tum-Tum,Artis,Lucas,and the dude Marvin Barnes who brought burners to his ABA games.Just in case he gotta pop a cap in somebodies ass.
February 27th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
james says:
Laimbeer was a great intimidator, anyone who thinks otherwise needs an NBA history lesson. Its not just the fights (of which Laimbeer walked away from most of them) Its intimidating players minds and psyches. Of which Laimbeer was a master of doing. He clogged the paint, elbowed, pushed, clung, hacked, flopped, and fought. (he and Barkley shared blows with each other, and Laimbeer laid Brad Daugherty out on his arse)
Guys were afraid of Laimbeer, believe it. He made Larry Kristowiak blow out his knee on a break-away dunk attempt back in the 89 playoffs with Laimbeer just lumbering behind him. Just the thought of Laimbeer fouling him made Kristowiak tense up and blow out his knee. That’s mental intimidation. Just cause Laimbeer was an awkward player does not mean he wasn’t an elite NBA enforcer. He wasn’t labeled the baddest of the bad boys for his pastiness.
Peace.
February 28th, 2009 at 12:23 am
solomon (el latino machismo) says:
patrick ewing sweat alone would scare the life outta me… it’s grand rapids all the effin’ disgusting way…
February 28th, 2009 at 12:28 am
$filmoney$ says:
Shaq, MJ, Parish, Oak, Wilt, kb24, big ben, tru warrior, rick mahorn & alvin robertson
February 28th, 2009 at 6:03 am
inspiredworlds says:
ben wallace intimiated people with his jumpshot.
it’s hella scary.
mutumbo should be up there. that finger waving thing was a part of it. but i loved it when MJ dunked on him and waved it back lol
February 28th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
top_gun says:
What about Artest…he kept LeBron in check.
February 28th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
deeds says:
Chris Quinn has gotta be on there
February 28th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
matt says:
hucklebuck beat me to it, but I would have to include Jerry Sloan from his days playing with the Bulls. That man was one of the hardest defenders of his time, very little natural skill, but his tenacity more than made up for it. Same as today in Coaching for the Jazz, if you were to fight that man, you would have to kill him to win, as he wouldn’t stop.
I agree with most of the guys on the list, Russel, Wilt, Karl Malone, Jordan, and Shaq, but only in his prime when he won three straight with the Lakers. Malone was just so big and stayed healthy for so long, if he was running the court, I would get out the way.
The only two that really merit consideration that are playing today are LBJ and Ben Wallace, as Wallace would scare them out of the lane, and LBJ because he is just so imposing a player.
March 3rd, 2009 at 12:24 pm
hucklebuck says:
matt
I agree, I would also throw in Dwight Howard. He may not be as brutal looking, but he’ll throw ur shot in the 4th row just the same, and if not will alter it. have him learn a Ewing drive to the basket and dunk off one foot (he seems to have a Dominique habit of jumping off two feet all the time) and Ewing intensity for a whole 48 and u got an imtimidator.
*note*
I mention Ewing cuz he works with Howard everyday as an assistant coach added to the fact Ewing was a BEAST in his playing days.
March 4th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Andrew G says:
Where’s Bargnani on the list?!?!!?!?!?!?
March 12th, 2009 at 11:49 am
PDiddle says:
And Galllliiiinnnnarri!
March 12th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
bigTime says:
Top Enforcers:
Anthony Mason
Charles Oakley
Ron Artest
Ben Wallace
Rasheed Wallace
Larry Johnson
Chris Childs
Rick Mahorn
Latrelle Spreewell
March 14th, 2009 at 3:35 am
soydawg says:
Thank god, i read it here a few times:
Jerry Sloan
Charles Oakley
Mutombo
Mason
Olajuwon
+
Jordan
Rodman
Shaq
Russell
Wilt
March 30th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Holy_Grail says:
Charles Oakley, Xavier Mcdaniel, Anthony Mason, Robert Parish, Rick Mahorn, Charles Barkley,Ben Wallace this my list of most Intimidating (physically) NBA players i saw playing in the 80’s. Opponent needs to think twice before they push one of this guys lol. They have the size and intimidating faces and u seldom see them smiling (except Barkley lol).
April 29th, 2009 at 2:27 am
bill walley says:
bob lanier willis reed wes usnald terry cummings were very strong seen cummings throw down karl malone and barkley and those 2 were afraid to mix it up with terry cummings…bob lanier roughed up dawkins moses and lambieer…acctually knocked out lambieer
chamberlan to
June 11th, 2009 at 12:48 am
3243 says:
Top All-Time Enforcers (in no particular order):
Kermit Washington
Maurice Lucas
Rick Mahorn
Bill Laimbeer
Charles Oakley
Jeff Ruland
Al Attles
Gus Johnson
Calvin Murphy
John Brisker
Wendell Ladner
Warren Jabali
Lonnie Shelton
Hakeem Olajuwon (early in his career)
Wilt Chamberlain
Anthony Mason
Jim Loscutoff
Clyde Lovelette
Willis Reed
Bob Lanier
Xavier McDaniel
Dave Cowens
Kevin Willis
Wayne “Tree” Rollins
Dennis Awtrey
June 18th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
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