There is a not so flattering term that basketball players like to associated with the Kardashian sisters called "The Kardashian Curse." The Curse refers to how badly certain players tend to regress, career-wise after they start dating a Kardashian sister. The regression typically happens during the relationship and sometimes even after it's over.
The reason why The Kardashian Curse concept has become so popularized over the years is because of how often that family has been seen dating former and current NBA basketball players. Which of these stars has fallen victim to the Kardashian Curse?
10 Rashad McCants
Let's start with not only one of the earliest names on the list but easily the most obscure and forgotten name on this list. Rashad McCants was first drafted by the NBA - 14th overall - in 2005. In the midst of all of this, during his stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he pursued a public relationship with Khloe Kardashian.
Years after the fact, McCants told the Charlotte Observer that he regrets going public because of how people doubted his ability and status in the league, leading to him becoming a flop. "Without that situation in play, I’m a $60-70 million player," McCants explained further.
9 Lamar Odom
Back in 2009, fresh off of winning an NBA Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers, Lamar Odom fell madly in love with Khloe Kardashian. So madly, in fact, that the two got married after they dated for only a month.
But alas, the quick marriage between the ball player and the elder Kardashian sister was never meant to be. They split up in 2015 before they finalized a divorce in 2016. Years later, they reconciled when she came to his side after Odom's drug overdose, but never evolved into a romantic reunion.
8 Rick Fox
Once upon a time ago, before he became a supporting actor after crossing over into Hollywood movies and shows like The Game, Rick Fox was an All-Star Laker who won championships during LA's three-year dynasty with Kobe Bryant and Shaq.
What better way to rebound away from Lamar Odom than with one of the best rebounders in the league? Granted, to be fair, after the two were spotted together frequently on dinner dates in 2015, the two seemed to have split before either had a chance to go public.
7 Kris Humphries
As far as his NBA career is concerned, spending over a decade bouncing around from team to team, much of Kris Humphries' uneventful career has been long forgotten. He is best remembered nowadays for partnering up with Kim Kardashian and even then, he is more so remembered less for the relationship itself and more so how fast their marriage ended.
After just 72 days of nuptials, Kardashian and Humphries broke up and divorced. Kardashian was lucky enough to bounce back into the arms of Kanye West afterwards.
6 Jordan Clarkson
Here's the first NBA player on the list linked to Kendall Jenner, but trust us when we say that he will not be the last. Back when he was just a rookie who played for the Los Angeles Lakers (he's on the Cleveland Cavaliers now), he found himself dating Kendall Jenner.
Upon their dating, it was heavily rumored that Kim K and co. did not approve of the relationship, simply because Clarkson was not very famous. But surely, the Kardashians wouldn't be so shallow, right? Right? In any case, for whatever reason, they broke up.
5 James Harden
These two dated in 2015 at a time when Khloe was hoping to find a way to recover from the pain of reeling from her ex Lamar Odom's overdose. James Harden was happy to be her rebound.
For those hoping for a bit of insight into their relationship, one look no further than Harden's comments in an issue of Sports Illusatrated: he called it "the worst year of my life." Not because of Khloe herself, but because of the attention, it gave him, similar to McCants. Contrary to the quote-on-quote Curse, Harden's been doing well since the breakup, moving on to win the MVP award.
4 Blake Griffin
Blake Griffin may be playing for the Detroit Pistons now, but his heart always has been and always will be in Los Angeles. The former LA Clipper used to date Hollywood royalty in the form of the Kardashian clan. Specifically, Kendall Jenner.
During their relationship, while his mainstream crossover status - which included a stint as an aspiring comedian - flourished, his NBA career diminished due to injuries, failing to make it to the NBA Finals, and getting traded to the Pistons. It's been rumored that the two broke up because they didn't want a long-distance relationship after he left LA.
3 Ben Simmons
The number one NBA Draft prospect of 2016 and eventually the Rookie of the Year, Ben Simmons dated Kendall Jenner between 2018 and 2019. They broke up and judging by how he's played since the breakup, there may be some credence to that Kardashian Curse we were talking about.
In 2019, he and the Philadelphia 76ers were chucked out of the semifinals of the NBA Playoffs thanks to a lucky shot from Kawhi Leonard in Game 7, then the following year when the 76ers were bounced out the first round, Simmons wasn't even on the floor due to an injury. His status for the impending 2020-21 season is questionable.
2 Kyle Kuzma
Last summer, the 6'8 power forward was spotted on a yacht with Kendall Jenner shortly after she split from Ben Simmons, per a TMZ report. Additional reports suggested that the two were just friends, but how many friends would you bring on for a romantic evening on a yacht?
Anyway, it looks like it doesn't matter because it seems the two have indeed split and haven't been seen together since the yacht situation. Since then, the LA Laker has gone from one model to the next, now dating Winnie Harlow.
1 Devin Booker
The most recent Kardashian victim - oops, we mean "partner" - on the list is the star leader of the Phoenix Suns. Word on the street is that he and Kendall Jenner are getting pretty serious, to the point that they went on vacation together in Arizona at the height of the novel coronavirus pandemic in America.
At the start of the renewed NBA season, Devin Booker and his Phoenix Suns failed to make it to the Playoffs, despite being the only team on the roster to go undefeated in the bubble. Is Booker a victim of bad luck, questionable NBA rulings, or the Kardashian Curse? You be the judge.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErZ%2Bippeoe6S7zGilm5ldqMGivtJmrqGnXZmutbHDZqKaqpSWwKm1wKeqaA%3D%3D