11Chris Paul
Chris Paul, one day after his 61-year-old grandfather was murdered, scored 61 points in a high school basketball game, intentionally missed a free throw, and asked his coach to pull him out. He then sat on the sideline and wept.
12Wilt and Ali
Wilt Chamberlain once challenged Muhammad Ali to a boxing match. Wilt was a foot taller,60 pounds heavier, and had a 92-inch reach. During a joint press conference, Ali answered every question with “Timberrrrr!” After breaking to meet with his lawyers, Wilt returned and called the fight off.
13Karl Malone
At the age of 20, NBA legend Karl Malone impregnated a 13-year-old girl. He refused to acknowledge his son and only spoke to him once, saying it was too late for them to have a relationship. The child went on to play in the NFL.
14Larry Bird
Before a game, Larry Bird told Chuck Person that he had Christmas present waiting for him. While Person was on the bench Bird shot a three-pointer right in front of him. Immediately after releasing the ball, Bird said to Person, "Merry f*%#ing Christmas!", and then the shot went in.
15Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan had a clause in his contract called “For the Love of the Game” that allowed him to play basketball anytime, anywhere, for any reason.
16Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen, of Chicago Bulls Fame, was given the nickname “No Tippin Pippen” for his lack of tipping waiters and once tried to haggle with strippers on the amount they were charging.
17Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar accepted his role in Airplane! because the money they offered him would cover the cost of a rug he wanted.
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18Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson retired before the 1991-1992 NBA Season after announcing he was HIV+ve, but fans voted him into the 1992 All-Star Game anyway, for which he returned and won MVP.
19Charles Barkley
NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley once tried to spit at a fan shouting racial slurs during a game, but his spit accidentally hit the little girl next to him instead. Barkley became friends with the girl and her family and gave them tickets to later games.
20Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing was close to signing a letter of intent with the University of North Carolina. While visiting the campus he stayed at the Carolina Inn and after witnessing a rally for the Ku Klux Klan ultimately decided not to sign with UNC.
