10 Best Player Beefs of the Decade

What a decade we've had in the world of sports beef. Call it a no holds barred match, because these had endless boundaries between the teams, players, sports, social media platforms and other settings in which they occurred. Ten years have passed and we're

10. Odell Beckham vs Josh Norman

For a period of time in 2015, Beckham and Norman were the best at their respective positions, and the duo's duel when Norman's Carolina Panthers took on Beckham's New York Giants was legendary. The two had to be separated several times after multiple punches were thrown, mostly orchestrated by Beckham. OBJ might have caught a touchdown in that game, but the Panthers took home the win. The two faced off regularly when Norman joined the Redskins, but there was more chirping in the media and less on-field fighting.

9. Jared Dudley vs Ben Simmons

Former Brooklyn Nets forward Jared Dudley was right in Ben Simmons' head for the entirety of their playoff series last year, which the Philadelphia 76ers ended up dominating. Dudley called Ben Simmons "average" when he was limited to a half-court game and made fun of Simmons' inability to shoot. Simmons responded by going 11-of-13 in Game 3 -- a Philly win -- and mocking Dudley when he air-balled a three. Dudley also started a massive brawl in Game 4. The sparks will fly the first time Dudley's Lakers take on the Sixers this year.

8. Aqib Talib vs Michael Crabtree

The infamous chain-snatching saga was just the beginning of one of thew most fiery wide receiver/cornerback beefs in the league. When then-Broncos corner Aqib Talib ripped off then-Raiders wideout Michael Crabtree's jewelry, that was a sign of the next few meetings to come, which would result in hand-fighting, wrestling, and plenty of laundry on the field. This beef has died down in recent years, with Talib currently inactive on the Dolphins and Crabtree out of work.

7. Jimmy Butler vs Karl-Anthony Towns/Andrew Wiggins

In one of the most public, stubborn trade demands in recent memory, Jimmy Butler forced his way out of Minnesota after a scrimmage in which he took a team of backups and third-stringers and beat a team led by Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. He later sat down with Rachel Nichols and outlined why he was so frustrated playing with these two hot shots. Butler was later traded to Philadelphia, and became a villain THERE when he left to join the Miami Heat.

6. Russell Westbrook vs Patrick Beverley

This one is still very much alive, and it's easy to see why. On one hand, there's Russell Westbrook, an explosive, often out-of-control point guard who goes 110% on every play. On the other hand, there's Beverley, the NBA's premier perimeter pest who is as tough as nails and doesn't take crap from anyone. Naturally, when Beverley dove into Westbrook's leg in a playoff game, it started a legendary beef in which Beverley would take shots at Russ' shooting percentage and Westbrook would mock Beverley after scoring tons of points against him. Oh yeah, and they get into fights all the time. A feud in the truest sense of the word.

5. Conor McGregor vs Khabib Nurmagomedov

These guys got into such a nasty feud that even among UFC fighters, this was particularly poisonous. With McGregor and his crew attacking (and throwing a dolly through the window of) Khabib Nurmagomedov's bus, the Russian superstar relished taking McGregor down at UFC 229. After winning, a fight spilled outside of the octagon between the two crews, much of which involved McGregor. These two are still eyeing another rematch, meaning we could see the beef renewed once again.

4. Rajon Rondo vs Chris Paul

Paul and Rondo have been at each other's throats for the last decade-plus. Paul was frustrated with his lack of team success as compared to a player in Rondo, who he deemed inferior, while the notoriously difficult Rondo bemoaned the fact that he was never respected like Paul. On the court, that manifested in several violent brawls, the most notable of which saw the pair suspended after the Lakers and Rockets descended into anarchy. Safe to say these two won't send each other a Christmas gift.

3. Ray Allen vs the 2008 Celtics

For some reason, Ray Allen is absent from any and all team activities as it pertains to the 2008 Boston Celtics championship squad, and there's no clear reason why. Was it because Allen held up a potential trade to Phoenix that would have brought them Amar'e Stoudemire? Was it because he and point guard Rajon Rondo (yeah, he's here again) didn't get along AT ALL near the end of his tenure in Boston? Was is because he took a pay cut to join LeBron and the rival Miami Heat? No one really knows, but Allen's attempts to reconnect with his old running mates have been shot down.

2. Antonio Brown vs Ben Roethlisberger

Brown, citing the notion that Ben Roethlisberger often talked down to other members of the team, had grown tired of playing with the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback despite the fact that Brown was the most productive receiver in the NFL for the better part of a decade with Big Ben. Brown pitched several hissy fits and got his wish of a trade out of Pittsburgh granted when the Oakland Raiders snatched him up. From there, his behavior, Twitter account, and sexual assault allegations made him too radioactive for any team to touch, and he hasn't played a down of football since Week 3.

1. Kevin Durant vs Draymond Green

This beef takes the No. 1 spot by virtue of breaking up the greatest dynasty since Michael Jordan's Bulls. Durant helped the Warriors to two championships in three seasons, but his decision to bolt for Brooklyn could have been motivated by the fiery Draymond Green, who was allegedly quoted as saying that "they didn't need" Durant to win. The sensitive Durant mixed in with the volatile Green likely would have exploded earlier if Golden State's constant winning didn't help smooth things over. Come free agency, however, the dam broke, Durant left, and Green was singled out as one of the main factors that pushed KD out of Golden State.