Ranking the 10 most heated exchanges between NBA players and coaches

03/26/2025 03:27 PM

NBA coaches and superstars have to work together if they want to carry a team to a championship. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done. In fact, it’s never a good sight to see a player and coach go at it against each other, especially under the public eye. Here are the 10 most heated exchanges between NBA players and coaches, ranked.

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1. Latrell Sprewell and P.J. Carlesimo

Latrell Sprewell had all the tools to become a superstar. He was a four-time NBA All-Star who starred for the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Minnesota Timberwolves. However, the defining moment of his career didn’t appear on national television but behind the scenes during a practice session in 1997.

Sprewell was unhappy about not being able to express himself under P.J. Carlesimo’s coaching reign. The four-time All-Star eventually snapped at Carlesimo, putting him in a chokehold. Although the altercation was broken up by team personnel, Sprewell came back 20 minutes later to continue the assault. For his actions, he was originally suspended for 82 games before an arbitrator cut it to 68, which was the remainder of the 1997-98 season.

2. Isiah Thomas and Brendan Malone

In a game against the Chicago Bulls in February 1988, Isiah Thomas had been busted wide open by Bill Cartwright in a rebound play. Furious with the physicality, Thomas naturally went after Cartwright before being shielded by Pistons assistant coach Brendan Malone.

Malone pleaded with Thomas to decompress, convincing the NBA All-Star guard to take his anger on him. In response, Thomas placed Malone in a chokehold, which certainly garnered some attention. Years later, Malone did confess that he understood the entire situation as this moment helped the Pistons star stay in the game en route to an 89-74 win.

3. Markieff Morris and Jeff Hornacek

Christmas is usually a happy season. However, that wasn’t the case for Markieff Morris in 2015. When he was still playing with the Phoenix Suns, Morris was unhappy when his twin brother was sent elsewhere during the offseason, leading him to also demand a trade that the front office didn’t grant. This boiled over in the team’s 104-96 loss against the Denver Nuggets.

In the game, Morris only finished with six points on 2-of-8 shooting before being pulled out of the game by coach Jeff Hornacek. Frustrated, Morris said some words while throwing a towel at the head coach. Hornacek retaliated in front of national TV by doing the same. It was an ugly spat that led to Morris’ suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.

4. Jimmy Butler and Erik Spoelstra

Even before Jimmy Butler’s dramatic exit from the Miami Heat, things weren’t always smooth between Butler and the team. In fact, Butler had a heated public exchange in a timeout during the Heat’s 118-104 defeat at the hands of the Golden State Warriors in March 2022.

The scene was certainly dramatic, as both parties wanted to charge against each other, only to be separated by the players and other assistant coaches. Although Butler initially perceived it as the “breaking point”, the duo still stirred Miami to a Finals appearance a year later.

5. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Sean Sweeney

Sean Sweeney was largely responsible for Giannis Antetokounmpo blossoming into an NBA star. However, things got heated when Antetokounmpo looked angry during a timeout huddle and appeared to be targeting the Bucks assistant coach in a loss at the hands of the Utah Jazz in 2017. Fortunately, the situation was defused, and the Greek Freak clarified that things are good between him and Sweeney, citing that arguments between them are quite common.

6. LeBron James and Darvin Ham

LeBron James and Darvin Ham weren’t exactly the most successful players-coach duo outside of an NBA Cup title. In fact, their partnership was often haunted by the Denver Nuggets. In Game 4 in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, the Lakers avoided a first-round sweep at the hands of Jokic and crew. However, the same game also saw James blow his hat off against Ham for refusing the challenge a questionable call.

7. Kevin Durant and Mike Budenholzer

It has been another disappointing season thus far in 2025 for the Phoenix Suns. Despite having the biggest payroll in the NBA, the Suns find themselves struggling to secure at least an NBA Play-In Tournament spot. Things are taking a toll on Kevin Durant, who Phoenix decided to make available at the trade deadline. Things took a turn for the worse when a visible spat between Durant and newly installed coach Mike Budenholzer occurred in a timeout during the Suns’ win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

8. Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy

Aside from being a heated partnership with Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy, this was also one of the most awkward moments between coach and player. While addressing the media in 2018, Van Gundy confessed that Howard wanted him fired. Moments later, the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year entered the frame acting like it wasn’t true.

9. Rajon Rondo and Rick Carlisle

Any Dallas Maverick fan did not like Rajon Rondo’s tenure with the team. It was marred by injuries and a beef against Rick Carlisle. The beef started during a game against the Toronto Raptors in 2015. Carlisle had just called a play, and Rondo was doing an opposite version of that particular play, triggering the ire of Carlisle. This led to a shouting match between the two. After that event, Rondo’s tenure in Dallas basically came to an end.

10. LeBron James and JJ Redick 

LeBron James and JJ Redick had plenty of good moments in the latter’s podcast. In fact, that was the huge reason as to why Redick earned the head-coaching job with the Purple and Gold prior to the 2024-25 season. The partnership so far has been productive as Los Angeles aims to secure another NBA championship.

However, that doesn’t mean it has been smooth all throughout. Although they continue to be good buddies, Redick showed no signs of holding back when James made the Lakers commit a shot-clock violation for not taking a shot. The newly minted head coach wasn’t afraid of holding his best superstar accountable, even making use of profane language.

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