Much like any other team sport, basketball needs a collective effort to succeed. But this collective effort can sometimes be too intense, which produces animosity between teammates. The competitive drive of specific players is too much to handle for his colleague, which causes beef among them and a big blow to their NBA championship odds.
Winning the ultimate prize of an NBA title sometimes requires some sort of sacrifice that even teammate relationships are compromised. We have seen this kind of drama in the NBA where teammates hated each other for various reasons, either through competitiveness, gambling issues, or heated confrontations.
Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal
Despite forming one of the most dominant duos in the NBA during the early part of the 2000s en route to a three-peat in 2000-2002, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal never got along as teammates. Their major difference in work ethic bolstered by their egos has forced the franchise to split the relationship in 2005. O'Neal went on to win his fourth title in Miami in 2006, while Bryant ultimately won two more championships in 2009 and 2010.