Survey: 32% of American NBA Fans Tab Dennis Rodman and Shaquille O’Neal the Scariest Players in League History

It's the season of spookiness, so we set out to unveil the scariest figures in NBA history according to over 2,000 NBA fans throughout the nation.

We asked them to name the five players who they believe truly invoked fear on the court. Brace yourselves as we reveal the results that emerged from their votes and unveil the NBA's most frightening legends.

T1. Dennis Rodman

Dennis Rodman is renowned for his colorful personality and exceptional rebounding skills. The former NBA star, and one of the most distinctive figures in basketball history, was nicknamed "The Worm." His tenacity on the court was unparalleled, earning him numerous NBA championships and defensive player awards.

Rodman had tremendous success with his inaugural team, the Detroit Pistons, with whom he won two NBA championships, before moving to the San Antonio Spurs. He later moved on to be successful with the Chicago Bulls, from where he moved to the LA Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks.

Towards the latter of his career, he played in Mexico, Finland, the United Kingdom, and lower-league American teams. 

Our survey says that Dennis Rodman is the most scary player to ever play in the NBA. He tops the list with 32% selecting him as one of the scariest, alongside Shaquille O’Neal. 44% of Rodman’s old fans from the Chicago Bulls have selected the former forward. 

T1. Shaquille O’Neal 

Shaquille O’Neal stands out as one of the most dominant and charismatic figures in the history of the NBA. Standing at 7-foot-1 and weighing over 300 pounds, his imposing presence on the court was matched only by his impressive skills and powerful dunks.

He spent the majority of their career with the Los Angeles Lakers, but started his career with the Orlando Magic. The former LSU grad also had stints with the Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Boston Celtics.

Shaq came in as the joint No. 1, as 32% of all NBA fans consider the big center to be amongst the scariest ever. Especially Utah Jazz fans, whom which 47% of them listed Shaq at No. 1.

3. Michael Jordan

Arguably the GOAT (a discussion for another time), Michael Jordan is an iconic figure in the world of sports, extending beyond basketball. His illustrious career with the Chicago Bulls included six NBA championships and numerous MVP awards.

Jordan is known for his unmatched scoring ability, competitiveness, and clutch performances. The North Carolina alumni spent his entire career in the league with the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards. 

In our survey, Jordan was selected by 27% of NBA fans; the Memphis Grizzlies have a particularly strong fear of No. 23. Among all Grizzlies fans, 45% of them regard him as one of the most intimidating players in basketball history. This percentage is the highest when it comes to fans choosing a single player, except for the 47% of Utah Jazz fans who had selected Shaq.

4. LeBron James

The only active player on this list. Often referred to as "King James," LeBron is a basketball superstar and one of the most dominant and versatile players of his generation. The superstar from Akron started off his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers before moving to the Miami Heat, back to Cleveland and then the Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron's illustrious career includes four NBA championships and numerous MVP awards. 

According to our survey, one quarter (26%) of all NBA fans consider LeBron to be amongst the most scary. It's especially the Toronto Raptors fans who are scared of the “King”. 43% of Raptor fans answered James to be their most feared opponent. 

5. Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant, or the "Black Mamba," was known for his unmatched work ethic and competitive spirit. During his impressive career with the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe achieved five NBA championships and earned numerous All-Star selections.

Bryant was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets and traded to the Lakers following the draft. He spent his entire playing career with the Lakers before retiring in 2016.

The Philadelphia born’s competitive spirit was something else, and that might be the reason why 23% of all NBA fans consider Kobe Bryant to be one of the scariest players.

It’s especially the New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks fans that are scared of Kobe: 35% of both team's fan bases selected him.

Some honorable mentions for the list of the top five scariest players, according to the NBA fans were:

• Charles Barkley (21% of NBA fans had him in their top 5=)
• Earvin "Magic" Johnson (15%)
• Kareem Abdul–Jabbar (15%)
• Wilt Chamberlain (15%)

Methodology: 

The research was commissioned by Action Network and carried out by Research Without Barriers (RWB).

The survey was conducted between Oct. 20 and 23, 2023.  The sample comprises 2,003 NBA fans across the United States of America.

All research conducted adheres to the Market Research Society (MRS) code of conduct (2023) & ESOMAR. RWB is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and complies with the DPA (2018).

The raw data can be found here, where you can filter the results based on teams, state, and demographics.