Confidence is a key element for NBA superstars to succeed in the NBA. However, given that there are plenty of external factors, things don't always go their way. Here's a look at 10 NBA superstar claims that didn't age well.

John Wall wishes luck to his future defenders

When the Los Angeles Clippers needed a point guard, they fortified their roster by picking up five-time All-Star John Wall. Wall joined the duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in Los Angeles.

With Wall predicting that only the third-best defender will guard him, the All-Star guard thought that he would unleash mayhem. But in just 34 games with the Clippers, Wall averaged 11.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, all of which were career lows.

Gilbert Arenas vowed to score 50

Gilbert Arenas was infamously cut by Team USA, who was headed to the 2006 FIBA World Cup. His failure to make the team was reportedly influenced by then Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan.

When the Wizards went up against the Blazers in the 2006-2007 season, Arenas made a promise to drop 50 points. Unfortunately for him, Arenas only finished with nine points while shooting 3-of-15 from the field and 0-of-8 from beyond the arc.

Chris Paul's NBA Finals addiction

An NBA championship has thus far eluded Chris Paul in his career. However, he finally came close in the 2021 NBA Finals, appearing for the first time in his career.

After that, Paul claimed to be addicted to be in the NBA Finals. But after the 2021 NBA Finals, Paul has never come close. He suffered early eliminations for the next two seasons before failing to make the playoffs in the 2023-2024 season.

Ben Simmons claims Nets Big Three will be scary

Disgruntled in Philadelphia, Ben Simmons finally had his trade request granted by the 76ers front office. Landing in Brooklyn, Simmons claims his team-up with All-Stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will be “scary.” Although the team-up looked great on paper, it never made any significant impact in the NBA.

James Harden claims Giannis Antetokounmpo has no skill

Back in 2020, the current Clippers star claimed that Giannis Antetokounmpo was only thriving in the NBA due to his size. Moreover, the NBA MVP also claimed the Greek Freak didn't require skills. Fast-forward to 2021, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to an NBA championship, something that continues to elude Harden to this day.

Paul George claims to be ‘Playoff P'

Prior to the 2018 NBA Playoffs, Paul George introduced to the NBA world his alter ego named, “Playoff P.” which should've signified George's elevated play in the postseason. Since his announcement, George has suffered a handful of early playoff exits and struggled shooting the ball at an efficient clip. In fact, a lot of basketball fans would prefer to call him “Pandemic P.”

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LeBron James' more than three championships in Miami

When LeBron James joined the Miami Heat, a Big Three was formed in South Beach with James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. The introduction saw James make a bold statement that Miami was gunning for at least seven NBA championships.

Although they did manage to win two-straight titles in four Finals appearances, after the 2014 NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs played a big hand in ending the Heat dynasty.

Jimmy Butler claims to be ‘Stupidly locked in'

A year after leading the Miami Heat to the 2020 NBA Finals, Jimmy Butler had all the confidence to lead the Heat to another deep playoff run. Prior to the 2021 Playoffs, Butler announced that he was “stupidly locked in.”

Shortly after, Butler shot 30% from the field overall. To make matters worse, the Heat suffered a sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks, who went on to become champions.

Anthony Davis and LeBron James couldn't wait for the Denver Nuggets

In the 2023 Western Conference Finals, the Lakers were swept by the Denver Nuggets, who went on to become NBA champions. Prior to the 2023-2024 season, Anthony Davis revealed to the public that he and LeBron James couldn't wait to meet with the Nuggets.

After that, the Nuggets swept the Lakers in the regular season before eliminating them in the first round in only five games. Moreover, two of those games saw the Lakers lose due to game-winners made by Jamal Murray.

Kevin Durant and Devin Booker claim to be un-guardable together

Prior to the 2023-2024 season, the Phoenix Suns made some noise by bringing together a big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. Given that all three players were elite scorers, Durant and Booker claimed that they were simply un-guardable. Fast-forward to the 2024 Playoffs, the Suns were swept in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves.