National Basketball Association

5 scariest players in the NBA to defend

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Halloween and the NBA season are here, so let’s look at the five scariest ballers in the league to guard.

The last day of October has arrived, and that means one thing: Halloween, our annual opportunity to dress up as our favorite fictional characters and inanimate objects without fear of ridicule. October also marks the return of the NBA season. So in the spirit of the holiday, let’s take a look at the five scariest players to defend in the association. These gentlemen cause nightmares for whoever is foolish enough to stand in front of them, and even for some who aren’t.

BEIJING, CHINA – OCTOBER 12: James Harden #13 of Houston Rockets in action during the game between Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans as part of the 2016-17 NBA Global Games – China at the LeSports Center on October 12, 2016 in Beijing, China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

5. James Harden – Houston Rockets

James Harden is arguably the scariest shooting guard to defend in the NBA. It didn’t seem like that would be the case when he was playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but his role as their sixth man didn’t fully showcase the skills he possessed. We saw only flashes of his dominating potential while the Thunder ran the majority of their offense through Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. However, all of that changed when Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets prior to the 2012-13 season.

Ever since becoming the face of the Rockets franchise four years ago, Harden has averaged 26.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. He has clearly established himself as one of the premier scoring threats in the league and his improving distribution skills make him even more dangerous.

The first thing that stands out about Harden’s game is his ability to knock down shots from anywhere. That alone makes him scary to defend, but it’s the other elements of his game that make him truly frightening. James loves to score by driving into the paint and drawing fouls. He has a tendency to make contested layups with great body control and aggressive physicality with his 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame. Therefore, he tends to get a lot of “and-1” calls. Additionally, Harden is an excellent ball handler that can break any defender’s ankles whenever he chooses to do so. He’s also a much better athlete than he appears and will dunk on anyone who fails to realize that.

Whether it’s his dangerously unique style of play or his epic beard, James Harden is definitely one of the scariest players to defend in the NBA.

OAKLAND, CA – OCTOBER 04: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors points to the crowd during their game against the Los Angeles Clippers during their preseason game at ORACLE Arena on October 4, 2016 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

4. Kevin Durant – Golden State Warriors

Although his slim and wiry frame isn’t very intimidating, the same can’t be said for his game. Ever since arriving to the league in 2007, Kevin Durant has been an offensive juggernaut. He is a four-time scoring champion, seven-time All-Star and a former league MVP. His scoring ability is so great that some experts have compared him to Michael Jordan. However, what sets Durant apart is his size.

Standing at 6-foot-9 with a ridiculous 7-foot-4 wingspan, Durant’s jump shot is virtually impossible to block. Even the most athletic defenders can’t seem to get their hands on the ball once he elevates for the shot. It wouldn’t be too big of a problem if Durant made his shots once in a while, but that’s not the case. His field goal percentage has been over 50 percent over the last four seasons. Additionally, his career free throw percentage is .882. Players as long as he is should not be able to shoot so well.

Durant also has the ability to drive to the basket and easily dunk over defenders. Additionally, his ball handling ability is nothing to take lightly. KD can and will perform nasty crossovers on defenders. One might think his long arms would be a disadvantage in that case, but it’s not. He has the ability of a player several inches shorter than him while taking advantage of his incredible length. In short, Durant is a true freak of nature and one of the scariest players to defend in the league.

Oct 13, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) dribbles against Toronto Raptors guard Norman Powell (24) in the third quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

3. Kyrie Irving – Cleveland Cavaliers

The scariest things in life tend to be those that you don’t see coming. Although many people like surprises, it’s the good surprises they appreciate. The type of surprise Kyrie Irving gave the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals was closer to a nightmare. In particular, Stephen Curry must be having reoccurring nightmares about what Irving did to him during those contests. Let’s take a look at what makes “The Ankletaker” so scary to defend.

Everyone knows Curry is the greatest and most prolific shooter we’ve ever seen. However, Kyrie’s shooting ability is right up there with the best of them. His career field goal and 3-point percentages may not indicate that, but Irving tends to make many of his shots in bunches. Additionally, he seems to do it during critical stretches in very important games such as the finals. It makes him an extremely dangerous offensive threat.

Kyrie’s quickness and athletic ability also make him a dangerous player. However, the aspect of his game that can literally cause sleepless nights is his outstanding dribbling. When Irving begins to break a defender down with his dribble, it literally looks like the ball is on a string that he has full control of. He has a variety of crossovers, head fakes and spin moves that can make anyone dizzy when guarding him. This was on full display during the finals as he appeared to be dancing all over the Warriors. On one particular play, Irving made Curry spin like a top while looking lost trying to guard him. When a player has a deadly shot and has no problem making someone look foolish, it’s a scary combination that no one wants to be a part of.

Irving is arguably the best ball handler in the league. He also has that rare killer instinct to take over a game and make many of his shots in an offensive flurry. Along with his quickness and underrated athleticism, Irving is easily in the top three when it comes to scariest players to defend.

Oct 28, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after defeating the Phoenix Suns 113-110 in overtime at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

2. Russell Westbrook – Oklahoma City Thunder

We’ve seen our fair share of NBA players that are so intense it’s frightening. One player that immediately comes to mind is Kevin Garnett. For anyone that watched him during his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets, it’s hard to forget his behavior. He wore a permanent scowl on his face, let out loud roars after vicious dunks and seemed to curse all the time. Unless you were a teammate of his, it was pretty intimidating and it made matters worse that Garnett was an elite player for many years. We now have the 2016 version of KG, except this guy is several inches shorter, but way more athletic.

When Russell Westbrook gets a full head of steam on a fast break, he’s almost unstoppable. His world-class athleticism allows him to soar above the rim and throw down extremely violent dunks. At times, it appears as if Westbrook has a personal vendetta against the rim. It’s incredibly hard for defenders to keep him in front of them. If they back off, Russell has the ability to stop on a dime and pull up for a mid-range jumper. Even though he still needs to be more consistent with his jump shot, it doesn’t erase any fear that defenders have for him. Russell is also a better ball handler than some realize. The issue is he’s so quick and athletically superior that he doesn’t try to embarrass defenders with crossovers like Kyrie Irving or Allen Iverson.

Statistically speaking, Westbrook is a triple-double waiting to happen on any given night. He’s what you would get if you gave the legendary Oscar Robertson the athleticism of Michael Jordan. If that’s not enough to scare any and all defenders in his path, then I don’t know what is.

Russell Westbrook was already one of the scariest players to defend playing second fiddle to Kevin Durant. Now he’s the undisputed alpha dog in Oklahoma City, he might become the undisputed scariest player to defend by the end of this season.

Oct 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) dunks in the first half against the New York Knicks at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

1. LeBron James – Cleveland Cavaliers

Some might feel that LeBron James is slowing down at 31 years old, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. If anything, he’s become a smarter player and that makes him an even scarier. There should be no argument against him as being the scariest player to defend in the NBA. Let’s take a look as to why that is.

James is already a freakish physical specimen, standing at 6-foot-8 and weighing over 260 pounds with a 44-inch vertical. He’s built like an NFL tight end with elite athleticism. He’s a runaway freight train on fast breaks and only the really brave or foolish dare get in his way. Those that were unfortunate enough to stand in his path have found themselves on posters. This alone makes LeBron a true nightmare to defend, but it doesn’t stop there.

Along with his extraordinary physicality, James is an above average shooter from the field as proven by his career percentage of .498. Even though a large portion of his shots come from drives to the basket, LeBron is more than capable of hitting his mid-range jumper on a consistent basis. He also may be the best passer in the league and draws comparisons to the great Magic Johnson for his court vision. This makes him the ultimate weapon in the game.

Whether it’s a rim-rocking dunk on a fast break or a no-look pass that threads the needle between two defenders, LeBron can do it all. He’s a nightmare for coaches to plan against and an even worse nightmare for defenders to deal with. He’s easily the scariest player to defend in the NBA since the backboard-breaking days of Shaq. It may be a long time before another player comes along that can create fear the way he does.