East vs. West: The 20 Most Painful Cars Driven by NBA Superstars

The NBA playoffs are finally here and the same old questions are starting to pop up. Can the LeBron Playoffs take their team to the Finals again? Is there another team in the East that has a chance? Are the Toronto Raptors really real? Can anyone really beat the Warriors?

Of course, this year's NBA is a different league than last year's, with massive trades taking place before the season and up until the trade deadline. Warriors are not even in the first place! Add to that a host of injuries to key team stars across the country, and this year's playoffs will be anything but set in stone.

However, here at HotCars, we are less interested in who can lift the big gold championship trophy in a couple of months, and much more interested in the cars that all these super-rich athletes drive. Keep in mind that these are both some of the richest and some of the biggest people on the entire planet! They can dunk from the free throw line and can afford a Bugatti, both feats that should make every kid (and maybe some adults) jealous.

With a playoff field, many pundits and commentators seem confident that one of the all-star teams in the West can win it all, but let's look at the league and see if the teams in the Eastern Conference can. keep up when it comes to their amazing cars.

20 DeMar DeRozan — Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG

Toronto Raptors star Demar DeRozan will face a strange challenge in Game 1 against the Wizards. His Raptors lost ten consecutive games in Game XNUMX, including six in a row at home. DeRozan will be leaning on teammate Kyle Lowry and the NBA's top bench to try and get a quick streak against what should be an easy opponent.

Given Toronto's harsh winters, it looks like DeRozan needs something with a little more ground clearance than the exotic sports cars most NBA players own.

He drives the most expensive Mercedes G63 AMG, an all-wheel-drive beast with a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 engine under the hood. Despite a curb weight of just over 7,000 pounds, Mercedes' flagship SUV can hit 60 mph in just over 4 seconds.

19 LeBron James - Ferrari 458

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Eastern Conference fourth-seeded LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers will take on the fifth-seeded Indiana Pacers on Sunday. James has a heavy burden to bear as he tries to make it to his eighth consecutive NBA Finals. The Cavs have struggled this season but remain optimistic after a series of last-minute roster changes that will help LeBron in the playoffs for another deep run.

Like many NBA players, LeBron is familiar from TV commercials for Korean automaker Kia, and while he sometimes drives a top-of-the-range luxury Kia sedan, the king has cars constantly spinning in his garage, including this red Ferrari 458 seen around Cleveland. It's good that the 458 comes in hardtop convertible form, as it's unlikely that 6ft 9in forward-facing will be able to cram its frame into the tiny Italian coupe.

18 Dwyane Wade — McLaren MP4-12c

LeBron's former teammate Dwyane Wade was one of the players the Cleveland dropped due to this year's trade deadline. Wade was sent back to his longtime team, the Miami Heat, in exchange for only a protected second-round pick in the 2024 draft, a testament to both the relationship he has built with James and the power James has in Cleveland. The Heat are currently in sixth place in the East and face the young Philadelphia 76s in the first round.

Wade cruises South Beach in his McLaren MP4-12C, the first fully built McLaren car since their F1 debut in the 1990s. With a lightweight carbon fiber chassis and mid-mounted twin-turbocharged V8 engine, the MP4-12C is hailed as one of the best sports cars on the market today and costs around $230,000, depending on option packages.

17 John Wall - Ferrari 458

Washington Wizards point guard John Wall will lead his team against the Toronto Raptors, who just made it to the playoffs with an eighth-seed finish in the Eastern Conference after a 43-39 season. Wall is one of the fastest players in the NBA and will use his quick pace change to help his team when they face the powerful Raptors lineup.

However, Wall's speed is nothing compared to the Ferrari 458 Spider. The 458 lineup debuted in 2009 with a mid-mounted 4.5-liter V8 engine producing 562 horsepower.

Weighing just 3,450 pounds, the car can accelerate from 0 to 60 in less than three seconds and has a top speed of 210 mph. Hopefully Wall can get his adrenaline pumping on the way to the arena as his team has a tough job ahead of them in the first round.

16 Giannis Antetokounmpo - BMW i8

Giannis Antetokounmpo drives a BMW i8 in Milwaukee. This is BMW's ultra-efficient sports coupe with a hybrid engine. Both electric and gas turbocharged powerplants deliver power, the Greek Freak's i8 should sprint to 0-60 in less than 4.5 seconds while keeping emissions to a minimum.

BMW touts the i8 and its younger sibling the i3 as the only cars built in a fully solar-powered factory, making them one of the greenest cars in the world.

The Bucks will go straight to the field against the Boston Celtics, a bruised team that just lost their star point guard Kyrie Irving before the end of the season. Even before the injury, no one wanted to face the Bucks, thanks in large part to Antetokounmpo's versatility and impressive development that led to him being MVP of the season this year.

15 Blake Griffin - Tesla Model S

Former LA Clippers big player Blake Griffin must have been the surprise of his life when he found out he was traded to the Detroit Pistons in a seven-player, multi-draft deal shortly before this year's All-Star Game. Griffin had endured a series of injuries, scandals, and coaching in Los Angeles, and after losing Chris Paul to the Rockets, the high-jumping Griffin seemed like the future face of the franchise.

It's unclear if Griffin took his Tesla Model S with him to Detroit, a city with a rich history of internal combustion engines. Despite that, his Pistons narrowly missed out on a playoff berth in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, so apparently Blake returned home to Los Angeles enjoying the weather and plenty of charging stations.

14 JR Smith - Ferrari 458

LeBron James teammate JR Smith is well known for his car collection. In the past, Smith was known as a passionate shooter who could score 30 just as easily as he could miss every shot in the game. However, the flamboyant sharpshooter has found a new home in Cleveland, honed his defensive mindset, and now enjoys the backing of a loyal LeBron as one of the main cogs in the Cavs machine.

Like LeBron, Smith drives a Ferrari 458, but it's white instead of red. Another highlight of his collection is the Bentley Continental convertible, also in white. Smith is known to love the finest champagne and always sport flashy accessories, but his game has matured enough to make him an effective part of a Cleveland team looking to extend their playoff success this postseason.

13 Jordan Clarkson - Porsche Panamera

JR Smith and LeBron James acquired the young Cavs rookie in their latest deal with the Los Angeles Lakers this year. Jordan Clarkson will make his first playoff appearance on Saturday after honing his all-round game over four seasons with the Lakers.

After signing a $50 million contract in 2016, Clarkson entered the world of high-end sports cars by purchasing a Matte Black Porsche Panamera.

Clarkson isn't big, but he's taller for a security guard, so hopefully he'll have enough room in the low four-door Panamera to recline the driver's seat.

The young player's contribution will be essential to the underdog Cleveland team if they hope to have a chance to reclaim the crown they gave away last year to the Golden State Warriors.

12 George Hill - Custom Oldsmobile Cutlass

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Among this impressive list of the biggest, fastest and most luxurious cars on the market today, George Hill's custom Oldsmobile Cutlass is a refreshing tribute to the days of American muscle cars. Hill is now the point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers following a three-team deal that included the Sacramento Kings and his former team, the Utah Jazz.

This offseason will be a welcome relief for Hill, who lost numerous times to LeBron James (against both the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers) in the Eastern Conference playoffs during his five years with the Pacers. Hill's Cutlass is fully customised, with a two-tone paint job, matching wheels and interior. I hope he and his car can give a breath of fresh air to his almost desperate team.

11 Dwight Howard — Knight XV

Dwight Howard and his Charlotte Hornets will not be in contention for this year's championship trophy, finishing tenth in the Eastern Conference this season. However, the always entertaining big man drives one of the most unique vehicles in the NBA, the limited-edition Knight XV by a company aptly named Conquest Vehicles.

XV (which stands for Extreme Vehicles) is a line of 100 hand built SUVs equipped with military grade armor, optional front and rear mounted FLIR night vision cameras, built in survival oxygen kits, and a high end luxurious interior with seating. for six. With a curb weight of 13,000 pounds, the huge truck looks more like a battering ram, making it fit for one of the NBA's biggest and toughest players.

Let's move on to the West!

10 Stephen Curry – Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG

In the West, it seems like the best NBA players should ride convertibles in the sun every day, but Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors opted for a Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG instead. DeMar DeRozan's predecessor to the G63, the G55 is powered by a supercharged V8 engine that produces 500 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque.

Curry's Warriors found themselves in an unfamiliar place, finishing a modest second in the West after a disappointing 58-24 season.

Like LeBron in the playoffs, the Warriors will need to improve their game significantly, especially given that Curry and a couple of critical reserves will not be available in the first round against the depleted but dangerous San Antonio Spurs. Most fans expect the Warriors to go through the first couple of rounds before they face the real test, most likely the Houston Rockets.

9 Kevin Durant - Ferrari California

Much of the Warriors' confidence despite Curry's loss comes from the fact that Kevin Durant will take over the team on an interim basis. Last year's Finals MVP is one of the best scorers the game has ever seen, but he also won the award for demonstrating he can reliably defend against the much bigger LeBron James when needed.

Now in his second playoff with the Warriors, Durant should be familiar enough with his team and coaches to help extend the season until Curry returns. The former OKS Thunder star correctly drives a Ferrari California in the Bay Area, the first front-engined V8 Ferrari. With a curb weight of over 4,000 pounds, the California looks more like a touring car than a nimble sports car, but can still hit 60 mph in less than four seconds.

8 Damian Lillard — Bentley Bentayga

With a third seed in the Western Conference, the Portland Trail Blazers are looking to continue their successful season by making the playoffs. Led by Damian Lillard and colleagues CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic, the Blazers will take on a young New Orleans Pelicans team with explosive, if inconsistent, offense and one of the most talented big men to ever play the game. . center Anthony Davis.

Lillard drives a luxurious Bentley Bentayga SUV, which is similar in many ways to the Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne.

Available with a huge 5.95-liter twin-turbocharged W12 engine that produces 600 horsepower and 660 lb-ft of torque, the Bentayga is touted as the world's fastest SUV thanks to a top speed of 187 mph. It is also the most expensive SUV in the world at over $200,000.

7 Carmelo Anthony - Custom Jeep Wrangler

Carmelo Anthony will return to the Western Conference playoffs this postseason for the first time since leaving Denver to join the New York Knicks in 2011. round competition.

Both teams finished 48-34 (as did the New Orleans Pelicans), but the Thunder went on to win the season with three wins to Utah's one.

Anthony is well known for his passion for the Jeep Wrangler and his four-door SUV should look good in OKC. With a matte red paint job, custom wheels and huge studded tires, no one would mistake him for teammate Russell Westbrook, whose clothing choices, as well as his car tastes, lean in a completely different direction.

6 Russell Westbrook - Lamborghini Aventador

Westbrook is leading the OKC Thunder despite being joined this season by superstars Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. Playing for virtually the entire Thunder team last year, Westbrook averaged a triple-double all season, earning sixth overall in the West, before being knocked out by James Harden's Houston Rockets.

Westbrook can always be counted on to show up to games and press conferences in his signature attire, and his choice of cars is no different. There's no chance anyone else at OKC will be driving a web-designed Lamborghini Aventador whose huge V12 can be louder than the infamous OKC arena.

The Aventador has a top speed of 217 mph, so maybe Russ should just drive to Salt Lake City rather than fly, as that might be faster.

5 James Harden - Custom Rolls Royce Wraith, Bentley Bentayga

The Houston Rockets are leading the entire league at the start of this postseason. The fast-start team is led by James Harden and his beard, as well as new point guard Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers.

With a vastly improved defense and after another year of record breaking offense, the Rockets look really ready to take on the Golden State Warriors this time around.

Harden himself drives many cars, but the two pictured here are his custom two-tone Rolls Royce Wraith and the all-white Bentley Bentayga SUV. The new version of the Wraith is named after a 1938 Rolls offering, though it has slightly more horsepower thanks to a 12-horsepower twin-turbo V623. The huge coupe needs all the power it can get with a curb weight of over 5,000 pounds, but it still feels small compared to the Bentayga.

4 Andre Iguodala — Chevrolet Corvette

Andre Iguodala is a former NBA Finals MVP, two-time world champion with the Golden State Warriors, and an all-around NBA journeyman who showed his best during the Finals after spending most of the season off the bench.

His understated confidence and ability to sacrifice his role for the team's success make him a fan favorite in Oakland, as well as a player his teammates can rely on.

So it makes sense that instead of a crazy expensive sports car, Iguodala opted for an updated American classic Chevrolet Rolls Royce. However, he couldn't be too skinny, anyone who's watched Iguudala knows he plays with the edge on the court and his red Corvette also brings out some spirit on the road.

3 Derrick Rose — Rolls Royce Wraith

At the age of 22 years and 6 months, Derrick Rose became the youngest MVP in both team and NBA history. Playing for a franchise that lists Michael Jordan as one of its alumni, the Chicago Bulls, Rose looked poised for a stellar career.

Everything came to a halt due to a series of knee injuries that saw the point guard move from team to team over the past few years. Rose signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves at the end of that season, reuniting with his former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and former Bulls teammates Taj Gibson and Jimmy Butler.

Given his early success, Rose shouldn't have to worry about money, and his car collection is definitely impressive - he owns a Rolls Royce Wraith, but also one of the most powerful and expensive cars ever made, 1,200 horsepower, 250 mph . hour Bugatti Veyron.

2 Andrew Wiggins - Ferrari 458

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Rose joins the Timberwolves, which has added a group of stable veterans to a young and talented roster that includes 23-year-old swingman Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins has a lot to prove this postseason as he helped his team climb to their best season since 2003-04, when the T-Wolves last made the playoffs.

However, Wiggins definitely doesn't need to prove his taste in cars. His current car, like many of his NBA comrades, is a Ferrari 458, but in a custom matte black finish with yellow-accented wheels and brake calipers. However, the Timberwolves will face a formidable opponent in the first round in the Houston Rockets, so Wiggins may have plenty of time to enjoy his purebred Italian breed much sooner than he hoped.

1 Dirk Nowitzki — Mini Cooper

After a disappointing season, Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks won't play in this year's playoffs, but it's impossible to make a list of NBA players and their cars without including this future Hall of Famer.

The seven-foot-tall German famously drives a Mini Cooper, a fact that is simply mind-boggling. Nowitzki has changed the way NBA centers play with his elegant footwork, fluid jump shot, and signature shaggy blonde hairdo.

The tiny Mini Cooper should feel pretty full with Nowitzki inside, and hopefully its little supercharged engine can put out enough power to help it drive the trucks and SUVs populating Texas. Nowitzki is 39 but says he hopes to keep playing and would be willing to come off the bench in the coming years to extend his career.

Sources: wikipedia.org, nba.com, celebritycarsblog.com.