Defense may win championships, but some NBA stars were far more concerned with putting the ball in the basket than keeping it out of their own. Whether it was a lack of effort, bad positioning, or simply choosing vibes over vertical contests, these guys were allergic to closeouts and defensive slides.
That doesn’t mean they weren’t entertaining. Some players below were so electric on offense that fans happily looked the other way when they let their man waltz to the rim.
20. Lou Williams
Lou could give you 25 off the bench without breaking a sweat, but he wasn’t exactly hustling back on defense. Let’s say perimeter containment was never his top priority.
19. Trae Young
Ice Trae might be a walking highlight reel with the ball, but he’s usually a traffic cone without it. If opponents could request matchups like DoorDash orders, they’d pick him every time.
18. Andrea Bargnani
He was a 7-footer who played like a shooting guard and defended like a ghost. Watching him try to protect the rim was a masterclass in late reactions.
17. Devin Booker (Early Years)
Before he became a two-way threat, Booker was primarily known for buckets—and very little else. Defensive rotations were more of a polite suggestion to him back then.
16. Carmelo Anthony
Melo could get you 30 in his sleep, but that same sleep seemed to show up on the defensive end. Help defense? Not in this lifetime.
15. Enes Freedom
He is one of the best offensive rebounders in the league, but on defense, he might as well have had an “Open For Business” sign hanging on his chest. Teams hunted him in pick-and-rolls like he was a clearance sale.
14. Michael Porter Jr.
MPJ can shoot the lights out, but guarding someone off-ball is not his ministry. He often looks like he’s solving a geometry problem mid-possession.
13. Steve Nash
A genius on offense who made everything look effortless, but lateral movement was never his friend. He tried, but defense just wasn’t part of the Canadian magic.
12. James Harden
He could lock in defensively at his peak when he felt like it, but he rarely felt like it. The memes write themselves.
11. Jimmer Fredette
College legend, NBA defensive liability. Jimmer was more likely to get crossed than to contest a shot.
10. Doug McDermott
He spaces the floor beautifully, but the other side of the floor usually features him pointing at someone else to rotate. Defense isn’t part of Dougie McBuckets’ portfolio.
9. Jamal Crawford
His handles were nasty, his scoring was elite, but he wasn’t exactly known for digging in on D. Defensive possessions were his built-in cardio break.
8. Lauri Markkanen (Pre-Utah Glow-Up)
Early-career Lauri wasn’t scaring anyone with his rim protection or perimeter defense. He’s improved, but earned his reputation the hard way—by not defending much.
7. Isaiah Thomas
At 5-foot-9, he was never going to be a lockdown defender, and he didn’t pretend to be. He gave you offense and hoped no one noticed what was happening on the other end.
6. Zach LaVine
Highlight dunks, smooth jumpers, and very little defensive awareness. Opposing wings circled his name on the scouting report like it was Christmas morning.
5. D’Angelo Russell
Regarding effort on defense, D-Lo prefers to conserve his energy for the pretty passes and deep threes. Defense doesn’t match his aesthetic.
4. Kyle Kuzma
You never quite know what you’ll get from Kuz, especially on the defensive end. Sometimes he’s there, sometimes he’s pointing, and sometimes he’s just vibing.
3. Kevin Martin
It was one of the strangest shooting forms ever, but also a guy who treated defense like a foreign concept. He probably wouldn’t have been involved if it hadn’t happened on the offensive end.
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2. Jordan Clarkson
Clarkson is instant offense and eternal motion on one side of the ball. On defense, he’s usually admiring someone else’s work.
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1. Stephon Marbury
He had the quickness to defend, but the desire? Not so much. Starbury was more into dazzling dribbling displays than staying in front of his man.
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