The Knicks forward said during training camp that occasional baths in tubs of hot red wine was "very important" to his play. Alas, the Knicks went on to have the worst start in team history.

On Dec. 11, reporters entered Lakers practice to find Bryant calling his teammates "soft like Charmin" in an expletive-laden rant. Later he said, "You can't get to a supreme level without kind of channeling the dark side a little."

Pau Gasol's 7-foot-1 "little" brother is an MVP candidate, the star of one of the NBA's best teams ... and an impending free agent reportedly coveted by a laundry list of teams ranging from the abysmal Knicks to the defending champion Spurs.

The reigning defensive player of the year continues to display his trademark intensity -- and hair bun -- when he's on the court. But the Bulls will need him healthy for the playoffs.

For much of his young career, the biggest King has been famous mainly for being a salty malcontent. But at age 24, the 6-11 forward has become one of the NBA's very best big men.