NBA players are viewed by some as superhuman and fail to realize they have issues themselves. At the end of the day, they are human just like the rest of us. Everybody is scared of something. Some of these fears may be understandable, but some may make you laugh hysterically. Let’s take a look at some NBA players’ biggest fears!

1) LeBron James Is Afraid of Failure

Photo: theurbandaily.com

In an interview with ESPN, LeBron James said he admired how Michael Jordan was never afraid of failure. He stated: That’s one of my biggest obstacles. I want to succeed so bad that I become afraid of failing.” He added that if he kept winning, he wouldn’t have to worry about it.

2) Michael Jordan Has a Phobia of Water

Photo: InsideHook

Jordan’s fear of water is rooted in an incident during his childhood. He once saw his good friend drown after getting sucked into the undertow. Shortly after this occurred, Jordan somehow almost drowned while at a baseball camp. Jordan says he still has not recovered from his phobia, which is understandable. He added that he “feels uncomfortable when on a small boat or when near big bodies of water.”

3) Kobe Bryant Is Afraid of DOG POOP

Photo: USA Today

In an interview with Complex magazine back in 2009, Kobe Bryant revealed his fear of dog feces. He stated that the fear aroused from going to the park and stepping in a “huge pile of dog s*** wearing brand new Jordan’s.”

4) Tim Duncan Is Afraid of Sharks

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As a kid, Tim Duncan grew up wanting to become a professional swimmer. When Hurricane Hugo swept through the Virgin Islands (where Duncan is from), it ruined the only Olympic pool on the island. If Duncan wanted to train, he would have to do it in the ocean. His fear of sharks crushed his dreams of becoming an Olympic swimmer and he resorted to becoming a 5x NBA champion.

5) Damian Lillard Is Afraid of STATUES

Photo: Complex

According to Damian Lillard himself, his fear of statues came from a “bad experience at the wax museum.” He has a condition called Automatonophobia, which is a fear of human-like figures. No one knows what happened, but Lillard refuses to talk about it.

6) Kevin Durant Is Afraid of Taking Basketball for Granted

Photo: The Washington Post

In 2015, Kevin Durant revealed his fear of taking hoops for granted. He stated: “My biggest fear is that I might be taking it all for granted. Being able to do something I love every single day is a blessing. We play so many games, we have so many practices – it flies by. By the time it’s all said and done, I worry that I might not have enjoyed every single day as a pro.” Humbling words from KD.

7) Shaq Is Afraid of Sharks

Photo: USA Today

 In 2018, Shaq revealed in an interview with the Post that he was “terrified of sharks.” He stated: “I’ve watched ‘When Animals Attack’ 1 through 10. Remember ‘Jaws?’ I live in Florida; all the shark attacks are in Florida.” Turns out even someone Shaq’s size can be afraid of something.

8) Nick Young is Afraid of Dolphins

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According to Swaggy P, the fear came from when he rode a dolphin that was intentionally trying to drown him. He stated: He went straight down. He was trying to kill me. I think he was trying to get on Iggy (his ex-girlfriend). He was a little friendly, kissing her and stuff. He was trying to take my woman.”

9) Russell Westbrook Has a Loose Hair Phobia

Photo: USA Today

Russell Westbrook was once asked if he had any weird phobias. His answer was, “Yeah, like hair s***. I don’t like that. There ain’t no hair at my house, I promise you that. If there’s hair laying around, I can’t handle that. If I find someone’s hair laying on me, I’ll lose it.” Even one of the league’s most fierce competitors has fears.

10) Carmelo Anthony Is Afraid Of House Cats

Photo: CBSsports.com

Carmelo Anthony revealed that he was most afraid of cats. He says “I don’t like how they look at me like they know something that I don’t.” He added that no cat gave him a traumatic experience, he just simply does not like them.