Guys like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant get all of the shine when their team's are thriving, but what about the behind the scenes guys? The guys that bust their ass in practice but hardly ever get any court time? The over-the-hill guys that are just happy to be on the roster? We're talking about the lovable benchwarmers, guys like Grover, Jamal and Milk from Comedy Central's newest animated series, Legends of Chamberlain Heights (Wednesdays after South Park).
Waving towels like Petey Pablo, giving up their seat to a starter during a timeout, and always being there for a high-five are just some of the duties that are expected of a benchwarmer on a nightly basis. It's an exhausting grind, and it's about time those guys got some love too.
Hit the slides for our list of five lovable NBA benchwarmers.
Brian Scalabrine
By all accounts Brian Scalabrine is the GOAT when it comes to sitting on the bench. Stockton had Malone, Michael had Scottie, Kobe had Shaq, and the benches had Brian Scalabrine.
Averaging just 13 minutes per game throughout his 10-year NBA career, he was a staple of many of the great Celtic benches. He is the Sultan Of Substitutes. The Ruler of Reserves. The Willie Mays of Waterboys.
The "White Mamba" aka "The Ginger Ninja" is truly a first ballot benchwarming Hall of Famer and it'd be very remiss of me not to include him on this list.
James Jones
Nobody has been a more lovable bench warmer over the last few seasons than James Jones.
The soon to be 36-year old swingman hasn't played more than 14 minutes per game, or averaged more than five points, over the last five seasons but he has three championship rings to show for it. He has successfully ridden LeBron's coattails to championship glory from South Beach to Cleveland which puts him in the pantheon of pine riders.
Cameron Payne
Cameron Payne will likely get off the bench in the near future but right now he's known as the guy who does the outrageous pre-game hand shakes and dances with Russell Westbrook.
Charlie Villanueva might disagree, but this 22-year old sophomore player is one of the more lovable benchwarmers in the game.
His job isn't to score, defend, or assist. His job is to know when to pop, lock and drop it and to always be ready for a triple dap with a side of dab.
JaVale McGee
JaVale McGee is still only 28 years old but he has quickly seen his 25+ minutes per night downgraded to barely over 10 minutes in the last two seasons. Needless to say, it looks like the bench is his new home and the benchwarmers across the country couldn't be happier to have him in their club.
McGee's a goofball through and through, which is a crucial characteristic for someone who spends 75% of the game watching from the sidelines. And although we'd rather see him goaltending shots into the 16th row, we know he'll thrive as a towel-waving lunatic.
Steve Novak
There was a time not long ago when Steve Novak was averaging 20 minutes of action a night playing for the New York Knicks. He was draining threes, doing Aaron Rodgers' championship belt celebration ad nauseam, and life was good.
Fast forward to the 2014-15 season and beyond; Novak can barely get on the court for more than five minutes. You've got to feel for a guy like that, especially when you consider how beloved he was during his stint with the Knicks from 2011-2013.
On the bright side, he can still do the whole championship belt celebration but only in his warmups.
Legends
Comedy Central's Legends of Chamberlain Heights gives a hilarious spin on what being a benchwarmer is like for three juvenile ball players who are looking to guide themselves through the rigors of high school.
There's Grover, who is constantly dealing with his devious older brother, Jamal, who turns up with his homemade drug concoction called “Jamallies,” and Milk, the kid who thinks he's black. They may not have any real basketball skills at all, but that doesn't stop them from acting like it.
The half-hour animated series, Legends of Chamberlain Heights is on every Wednesday (tonight) after South Park on Comedy Central and anytime on the CC app.
