For some, becoming an elite athlete humbles you. For others, it gets to their heads. These 20 players fall into the second category. They've yet to grow up even in the national spotlight, and often annoy the public with their childish antics.
20. Cam Newton
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20. Cam Newton
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Unlike a lot of other guys on this list, Newton hasn't had a huge amount of off-the-field issues. However, his antics on the field have yet to mature. He often over-celebrates or displays poor body language when he's not doing well, and he hasn't seemed to make many adjustments to his game in his first three years in the league.
19. James Harden
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19. James Harden
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Harden doesn't seem like the best teammate in the world and doesn't exactly pass all the time. His most immature act came lately when he insinuated that he and Dwight Howard were the only players on the Rockets that couldn't be replaced.
18. Yasiel Puig
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18. Yasiel Puig
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He's just starting to learn some of the unwritten rules of baseball in America, so Puig is still immature even though he's very entertaining. Make no doubt about it, he's great for the game, but he still has learning to do. If he shows up one too many pitchers with his bat flips, he could get a ball thrown right at his ear.
17. Rajon Rondo
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17. Rajon Rondo
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Rondo has always been a bit mature since he came into the league and hasn't really changed that. Early in his career, he routinely instigated fights and became a pest to opposing teams. That can be a positive, but at some point it becomes a distraction.
16. Tiger Woods
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16. Tiger Woods
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Even when he was dominating tournaments, Tiger was immature on the golf course. He would shout profanities and slam his clubs, which are both no-nos on the tour. Now that he isn't dominating, his immaturity is capturing more of the spotlight than his golf game.
15. Richard Sherman
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15. Richard Sherman
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Mentally, Sherman is very mature. He's a bright guy who went to Stanford and got his degree, so it isn't like he's stupid. He's just so cocky that sometimes he gets carried away. This could definitely be looked at as immaturity, which plenty of people have pointed out since his outburst during the NFC Championship post-game interview.
14. Dez Bryant
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14. Dez Bryant
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First, he physically harmed his mother, then he got into it with teammates and then he produced at a high level. Bryant is starting to mature slowly, but surely, though, he gets so emotional during games that he lets the smallest things get to him sometimes.
13. Richie Incognito
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13. Richie Incognito
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Wherever he's played in the NFL, Incognito has been a nuisance. While he's a mildly talented football player, his ignorance to things that seem like common sense to others have given him the reputation as a player who is more trouble than he's worth.
12. DeSean Jackson
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12. DeSean Jackson
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Dismissed from the Eagles after the team believed they had enough evidence to tie him to a gang, the wide receiver went to the team's arch rivals. Now a member of the Redskins, Jackson showboats routinely and is often more cocky than he deserves to be.
11. Marshall Henderson
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11. Marshall Henderson
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Luckily, most fans probably won't have to deal with Henderson anymore. He's unlikely to stick in the NBA, but his time in college gave us plenty of annoying moments to live on. He was arrested on drug charges multiple times and was so cocky that it was almost comical at times. The sporting world won't miss the former Ole Miss shooting guard.
10. Johnny Manziel
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10. Johnny Manziel
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Johnny Football clearly isn't the most mature athlete on earth, but why would we want it any other way? Part of the legend of Manziel is his immaturity paired with his incredible play on the football field. While the NFL seems like it's taming him slightly, you can't just completely change someone like Johnny Football.
9. Aldon Smith
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9. Aldon Smith
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On the field, Smith has been one of the most successful defensive lineman in football over the past three seasons. Off the field, Smith has been in as much or more trouble than anyone in the league. With multiple arrests and substance abuse issues, it's starting to look like Smith needs to grow up fast if he wants his career to continue.
8. Golden Tate
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8. Golden Tate
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One of the most immature players in the NFL is going to be playing for one of the most immature franchises in the NFL, the Lions. Tate's immaturity is encapsulated by the play when he caught a long touchdown and wagged his finger at the cornerback while trotting backward 10 yards into the end zone.
7. Lance Armstrong
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7. Lance Armstrong
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Armstrong's immaturity comes from a few disappointing actions he took. First, he took performance-enhancing drugs. Then he lied about his drug use and personally attacked the people that implicated him. Once it was discovered that he did take PEDs, he lost all credibility with the general public.
6. Rob Gronkowski
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6. Rob Gronkowski
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Like Manziel, people aren't necessarily asking Gronkowski to change his lifestyle, but there's no doubt he's immature. He loves partying and sometimes takes some ill-advised pictures with adult film actors. Nonetheless, Gronk is one of the best tight ends in football and one of the most entertaining characters off the field.
5. Ndamukong Suh
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5. Ndamukong Suh
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Suh just continues to pile up late hits and dirty hits as his career goes on. He's taken it down a little bit as of late, but now that Suh has the reputation as a dirty player, there's little he can do about it.
4. J.R. Smith
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4. J.R. Smith
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There are very few players in the NBA that are less mature than J.R. Smith. He doesn't have superstar talent, so it doesn't excuse his behavior, and he's often selfish. When you're not that good and you hog the ball in the NBA, you're not going to gain the best reputation.
3. Andrew Bynum
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3. Andrew Bynum
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Ever since his most childish act of all when he gave a forearm shiver to J.J. Barea in the NBA playoffs, Bynum's career has gone down hill. He hurts himself by doing things like bowling and can never stay on the court. Unlike in the past, his talent doesn't make him worth the trouble anymore.
2. Dwight Howard
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2. Dwight Howard
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Howard was behind one of the most embarrassing media circuses in recent memory when he demanded a trade from the Magic. He called for the firing of his coach and acted like a baby during the whole process. For someone who's 7-feet tall, Howard might be the largest child on earth.
1. DeMarcus Cousins
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1. DeMarcus Cousins
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Cousins could be a perennial all-star in the NBA with his talent alone. However, his immaturity keeps him from reaching that next level. He racks up technical fouls because he can't let anything go with opposing players or the officials. Until he starts to grow up, Cousins will never reach his full potential.
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