Professional players like Kobe Bryant are known for extravagant status symbol purchases, especially when it comes to buying cars. Basketball stars, in particular, can be seen driving around in some of the most noteworthy attention grabbing vehicles. The top cars owned by basketball players make a splash on the road and represent the astronomical salaries these athletes earn. 
1) Conquest Knight XV
Sometimes, bigger is just simply better. Dwight Howard, who made his name on the Los Angeles Lakers before moving to the Houston Kings, takes over the road in his customized black and chrome Conquest Knight XV SUV. Not only is Howard’s Conquest Knight XV one of the best cars in the NBA, it is also one of the largest.
2) Ferrari F430 Spider
While playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, current Miami Heat star LeBron James purchased himself a sleek gray Ferrari F430 Spider. LeBron’s Spider may have a small engine, but it packs a punch when it reaches 60 MPH in less than three and a half seconds.
3) Modified Lamborghini Gallardo
A living legend, Shaquille O’Neal needs nothing less than a one-of-a-kind exotic dream car. Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters customized a Lamborghini Gallardo to fit O’Neal’s impressive stature without sacrificing any of the original design’s aerodynamic aesthetics.
4) Classic Oldsmobile Cutlass
Indiana Pacer’s player had the paint job and interior of his 1971 classic Oldsmobile Cutlass customized as a colorful tribute to his former high school. Decked out in orange and black, the trunk of the car was modified to resemble a replica basketball court.
5) Rolls-Royce Phantom
After winning the 2010 NBA championship, current L.A. Clippers player Lamar Odom was given a white coupe drop-top Rolls-Royce Phantom as a gift from his wife Khloe Kardashian. Odom’s white on white luxury car is one of the top NBA player cars thanks to its unmistakable style and romantic back-story.
6) Porsche 911 TECHART GT Street R
NBA All-Star Andrew Bynum’s Porsche 911 TECHART GT Street R looks like it drove right out of an action packed video game. The extra-long name of this 2010 Porsche model indicates the myriad modifications that went into the matte gray racing-inspired sports car.
7) Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
Another Miami Heat player with one of the NBA top rides is Dwayne Wade, who owns a small collection of exotic sports cars. The black Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is one of three top of the line McLaren Wade owns. Even though Wade is nearly too tall to drive these sports cars, he makes it work to enjoy the fun and thrill of driving such a cool car.
The top seven cars owned and driven by NBA players span a wide range of vehicles, from a classic muscle car to an over-sized monster SUV. The common element among all of these extravagant rides is their cool and eye-catching style.
*Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
