Good players that won't be coached...

[bfrombleacher]

Stern started the whole superstar thing with MJ (who can blame him, it was insanely lucrative). While it does make the league marketable and some fans love it, it has also given a lot of power to the players.

Players even have more power than coaches now! How...does that work?

I'm certain there have been disputes between coaches and players before but has there been anything quite like the stuff that's been going on since Stern created the new breed of superstars?

From what I know, Kobe Bryant was the first one who got Phil Jackson fired with his superstar power.

Wade had a feud of some sort with Pat Riley...

LeBron James never respected Mike Brown apparently (http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2011/11/shaq-lebron-james-never-listened-to-mike-brown-in-cleveland/ <--- I think it has been posted here before).

Deron Williams got Jerry Sloan fired...

Dwight Howard is in the process of getting SVG fired...

Now it's pretty apparent that the Heat (at least Wade and probably LeBron James) don't respect Spoelstra. LeBron James bumped Spoelstra once and, just today, Wade gave Spoelstra an ear full...


Has there been anything quite like this before the "superstar era"?

Is the league becoming coaches v. superstars, where there are teams that have players who get coached and teams who have prima donna superstars?

[Donoghus]

Dennis Johnson before joining the Celtics.

Of course, he got shipped out of town in trades. Not quite like these days where the player seems to have a great upper hand on most coaches.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Andray Blatche...? He got Flip Saunders fired didn't he?

Someone on Celticsblog.com saying @DrayBaltche is uncoachable? #absurd

[thestackshow]

How did Williams get Jerry Sloan fired?

Sloan is still a regular at Utah games and saw him sitting with owners at one of the playoff games this year.

Theres no way Deron got him fired. plus they traded him.

[freshinthehouse]

I don't know if this is anything new.  Magic Johnson helped push Paul Westhead out the door in the early 80s.  I'm sure Larry had a say in Jimmy Rodgers' firing.  Elvin Hayes got Jack McMahon fired in the early 70s.

[CelticHooligan3]

Rajon Rondo and Tubby Smith. Rajon Rondo and Mike Kryshewtski. Rajon Rondo and Doc Rivers? 

I don't put much stock into these theories. Many of the greats are known to be notoriously stubborn.

A truely confident coach knows he has the support of the whole team. He's able to deal with any one of his players ups and downs.

Which is most certainly bound to happen at any given time.

[guava_wrench]

This Stern/Jordan superstar narrative is complete nonsense. Before Jordan people were already saying Bird and Magic saved the NBA. The NBA was dying before they came along.

In EVERY sport that makes decent money, coaches will be fired if the team gives up on them. In the NBA, where there are fewer contributing players, a single HOF quality player is enough to turn the tide.

I don't see the problem with this. Most coaches are more easily replaced than a top tier player and management should value the input of top producers.

[Celtics18]

Rajon Rondo and Tubby Smith. Rajon Rondo and Mike Kryshewtski. Rajon Rondo and Doc Rivers? 

I don't put much stock into these theories. Many of the greats are known to be notoriously stubborn.

A truely confident coach knows he has the support of the whole team. He's able to deal with any one of his players ups and downs.

Which is most certainly bound to happen at any given time.

What the league needs is better coaches, not more compliant superstars.