While some fans may think that NBA players have a certain aura or swagger, former NBA guard Patrick Beverley believes that a majority of players in the league are “lame.”
During an episode of his podcast, he explained his rationale behind that belief.
A lot of your favorite players aren’t as cool as they seem 😅 pic.twitter.com/MKgx4NlGsq
— Pat Bev Pod (@PatBevPod) March 7, 2025
“Let’s go percentage: 83,” Beverley said when asked how many players are actually “lame as f—” in the NBA. “… I’m sitting at dinner like, let me see how this motherf—– use his cutlery. Why isn’t his napkin on his lap? Where was he raised? Lame as hell. They gave him the max. He don’t even know how to use his cutlery. He don’t even know how to put his fork back on a plate. I look at everything.”
Beverley himself hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2023-24 season. He most recently played ball internationally. It’s possible that he will return to the NBA in the future.
He’s known as a defensive-minded player with a reputation for being a pest. He holds career NBA averages of 8.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game on 41.3 percent shooting from the field and 37.1 percent shooting from deep.
He is a three-time All-Defensive selection, and during his time with the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers, he received some Defensive Player of the Year consideration (though he never finished in the top five of voting for the award).
Beverley has played for seven NBA teams. Given his status as a journeyman, he’s been around a lot of players in the league, so he may be qualified to offer his opinion on how much of the league is “lame,” but that doesn’t necessarily mean his opinion is objectively accurate.
The Chicago native will turn 37 this summer, so his days as a pro may be limited. He is currently without a team of any sort, whether it be in the NBA or an international league.
His situation will be worth keeping an eye on moving forward. If he does land with an NBA team at some point, he will have to serve a four-game suspension before playing as a result of an incident that came while he was playing for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
Maybe if Beverley gets another shot in the NBA, he’ll pay even closer attention to how much of the league he finds “lame” and circle back with an updated estimate. There are probably some players in the league who don’t appreciate his comments.
