The Most Hated Player on Every NBA Team
Boos are sometimes a sign of respect.
Image via Complex Original
Is it good to be the villain? Remember when LeBron James pondered that very same scripted rhetorical in that insufferable Nike campaign? Well today we give you the most hated player (who in some cases is also the most beloved) on each franchise in the NBA. Some choices are relative. The Big Three in Miami are probably more hated than any player from, at least, half the league's markets. Others are fairly obvious choices.
Still, keep it in perspective. Hatred isn't rational, and if you froth at the mouth at the mere sight of these players you should take a Xanax. After all, LeBron's not exactly bin Laden, and Kobe is no Kim Jong-Un. But, sports thrive with villains. Boos are sometimes a sign of respect, but usually they're just an outlet for raw anger. These are the men who bare the brunt of it. Here's the Most Hated Player on Every NBA Team.
RELATED: The Most Hated Athelts on the Internet
Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls
Reason(s): His play often rubs people the wrong way. Occasionally rips a market.
In the city of Chicago, you can very easily argue that it's their hometown boy, their native son, Derrick Rose. His knees have made him the target of misguided Windy City scorn for almost two years running. But the Bull who draws the most negative attention outside Illinois is Joakim Noah who's been pushing buttons since his college days as a Florida Gator.
Seriously, is there any more hate filled NBA image then the one up top? Noah is the type of dude whose grit/heart/determination/whatever you want to call it, is tops in the league. He's the perfect grinder for a defensive minded squad and his nightly grind is relatable (but not imitatable) for the common man. People hate to play against him, but they'd all accept him on their team. He also ripped both Clevelandand Miami which put him simultaneously at odds with two of the league's markets (as well as the biggest market of all: LeBron stans).
Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Reason(s): Lots of coverage. Reclusive. The Eagle, Colo. incident.
Copious amounts of coverage always lead to "haters." Just ask Brett Favre, LeBron or the more undeserving Tim Tebow and Jeremy Lin. Mamba's also never been very good (until lately) at the PR aspect of pro basketball. In the nation's second biggest market he never opted to get out in front of a news cycle (like when he seemed to ask for a trade on radio) and was always relegated to being the antagonist in a town that creates villains.
He lost the popularity war to fellow star Shaq, and early on he failed to gel (that's putting it nicely) with Phil Jackson. He's also got to deal with the stans of both LeBron and Michael Jordan whose rabidness are only matched by Kobe's own pro bono Internet PR clowns. Anybody who yearns for a tougher pre-flopping rule NBA, should embrace Kobe. Dude walked off the court with a torn achilles and played a half on a broken 35-year-old knee.
J.R. Smith, New York Knicks
Reason(s): Unties opponents' shoes. Parties the night before a playoff game. His on-going Twitter shenanigans.
Metta World Peace may have literally punched a few fans in the face, but the shelf life on that only pends for so long (besides, they deserved it). Now hardly a week goes by without hearing an unflattering story about JR Smith, whether he's thirsting for Rihanna in the midst of a playoff series, vaguely threatening a fellow player in a public format, or using a veteran move to untie an opponent's shoe (even after being warned) in a display of "Dennis the Menace" level dickery. We won't get into his game, but—well—dude makes some peculiar choices on the court too.
Kendrick Perkins, Oklahoma City Thunder
Reason(s): Allegedly got in a fight with a couple over a fender bender.
Some could argue for Russell Westbrook, but we'll make it interesting and select Kendrick Perkins. The main reason? The two misdemeanors he's facing (including punching a woman over a fender bender) trump Westbrook's ball-hogishness. And we don't even have time to get into his oft-critiqued game.
Ricky Rubio, Minneosta Timberwolves
Reason(s): Waffled on coming to frigid Minnesota after being drafted.
Rubio got off to a rocky start with the amount of time it took him to get from Spain to Minnesota. The only way it would've taken longer is if he swam across the Atlantic personally. Now that he's firmly entrenched in Minnesotan mediocrity, and polar vortex misery, the hate has died down.
Tyler Hansbrough, Toronto Raptors
Reason(s): Mostly carryover from his college days; but his physical play with stars like D-Wade and D-Rose drew the ire of aspiring (and eventual) champs.
Hansbrough was the most hated player in D1 during his days in Chapel Hill. And though that heat has cooled (so to speak) he's still enemy No. 1 on the only team left standing north of the border. He finds himself on the giving and receiving end of a lot of hard fouls which leads to an obvious conclusion: Playing in the paint, is just plain ugly.
Glen Davis, Orlando Magic
Reason(s): Caused a ruckus at a Travelodge over a "no vacancy."
Glen Davis' exuberant intensity can sometimes rub people the wrong way (like that time he bumped into that kid amidst a celebration and it caused a mini-controversy that was addressed multiple times on PTI.) He also had a string of four consecutive games with a technical last season.
Most relevantly, "Big Baby" lived up to his nickname when he ripped out a keyboard and threw it across the room at a Travelodge with all of its rooms booked. It may not be the best way to relate to the common man to have a diva fit because they wouldn't boot some schlub out to accommodate you.
Brandon Jennings, Detroit Pistons
Reason(s): "Immature." Runs his mouth a lot for a player yet to make the second round of the playoffs.
Brandon Jennings is one of many in the Association who's been slapped with the "immature" label. It's an unavoidable byproduct of putting a guy in the league, and shoveling him millions, when he's 19. It became readily apparent last season in the first round of the playoffs when he promised to oust the No. 1 seed Miami Heat in six games. His 38-44 Bucks were promptly swept. Those were his last four games on Milwaukee's roster.
He hasn't come close to winning anything yet but still runs his mouth to perceived NBA royalty which is a "no-no" to players with such enormous fan bases. Jennings even drew the totally irrational and over-the-top wrath of J.R. Smith when he tweeted about Smith's brother Chris. When your own contemporaries are making you watch your back as you walk into your home arena, that's the very definition of "hated."
Monta Ellis, Dallas Mavericks
Reason(s): His high scoring average doesn't reflect his offensive inefficiency. Didn't leave Milwaukeee on great terms.
Another former member of the Bucks backcourt who makes this disreputable list. Monta Ellis is one of many players in the league who jacks up way more shots than he should. He has more field goal attempts in a month than some have all season. He also seemed to artificially build up his ego comparing himself to Dwyane Wade which only gives fodder to the masses looking for any reason to laugh.
John Jenkins, Atlanta Hawks
Reason(s): Doesn't play defense, streaky shooter
Who? Hawks fans know. Heavily recruited out of high school because he led the nation in scoring with 42.3 PPG, Jenkins hasn't lived up to his "pure shooter" billing and has been in and out of the D-League during his short two-year career. Atlanta fans are frustrated with the former 2012 first round pick because of his lack of defense and streaky play. But they're probably just frustrated because they're Hawks fans.
Markieff Morris, Phoenix Suns
Reason(s): There really are no hated Suns.
Had Michael Beasley's contract not been terminated he would have been the defacto choice. Instead we'll settle on Markieff Morris who's tied for third in the league when it comes to technicals. We're also now remembering that flagrant elbow he introduced to Serge Ibaka's face in the preseason. If only the Clippers, Heat, and Knicks didn't hoard Morris would be off the list. But as it stands he's the most hated on the Suns, which is like having the nicest teeth in England.
Andrew Bogut, Golden State Warriors
Reason(s): Bogut, Australian for dick.
Bogut's been on a bit of a roll lately mixing it up with every low post defender in sight. Just this season (which isn't even halfway over) Bogut got into the action early by scuffling with DeAndre Jordan on the second game of the year. He followed that up with a scrum with Portland that started with a shot to Joel Freeland's throat. On Christmas Day, he got in one of the skirmishes that got Blake Griffin incidentally ejected. And then there's that dust-up up top with Chris Paul. The only shocker there is that Paul didn't hit the deck after the first finger Bogut laid on him.
Evan Turner, Philadelphia 76ers
Reason(s): Default on a 76ers team that doesn't need to be hated on (12-23) anymore.
Derrick Rose has been on the Evan Turner hate bandwagon since his high school days. Turner literally got dubbed "The Villain," by college teammate/bench warmer Mark Titus. And Turner is also one of about 100 guys who complain about fouls after every single shot. Wideouts complain about pass interference, baseball players complain about strike zones, and basketball players think they're fouled after every shot. That's just the way this pampered era is.
John Wall, Washington Wizards
Reason(s): Best player on a bad team. One of dozens in the league who dances too much.
If you're going to be the least liked it's best to earn the title by sinking clutch jumpers instead of, say, parking in handicapped spots. Wall is the best baller in a town that has waited for another "savior" since their last most-vilified player thought it'd be good comedic timing to pull a gun and aim it at a teammate in the locker room.
Josh McRoberts, Charlotte Bobcats
Reason(s): Dukie. Default.
Nobody on the Charlotte Bobcats stands out as an obvious selection on this list. If their owner decided to come out of retirement for the third time, then he'd be the logical prick pick. But when in doubt, go with the Dukie.
Nicolas Batum, Portland Trail Blazers
Reason(s): Had to pick somebody.
One of the hardest teams in the L to choose a "most hated" player. The Blazers have come a long way since their "Jail Blazer," nickname and now remain largely anonymous while quietly posting one of the top five records in the NBA. We had to pick somebody so we chose Nicholas Batum because he violated the sixth commandment and popped Juan Carlos Navarro in the balls.
Tyreke Evans, New Orleans Pelicans
Reason(s): Underachiever.
If a guy were a fourth overall pick with a Rookie of the Year Award, four years later we'd expect him to be more than a sixth man on a sub-.500 team. He might be the most irrelevant one-name player in NBA history (at the moment, we still have hope for him).
Gordon Hayward, Utah Jazz
Reason(s): Not much competition on the Jazz.
You can't argue with a completely unscientific survey on the Internet.
Zach Randolph, Memphis Grizzlies
Reason(s): Spotty production pre-Memphis. Maturity problems.
Randolph never was quite the player he is now during his early stops in both Portland, and New York. Personally, we love to see a guy with a four-inch vertical so active on the boards. He plays like an old, chubby rec-leaguer who understands his body and uses it for position. But he's still had his jackass lapses whether on the court or at a pizzeria. When you average 20 and 10 and play for four teams in four years, then it's usually an indication that there's a problem.
Luis Scola, Indiana Pacers
Reason(s): Flopper. Style of play causes lots of shoving matches. Maybe there's a reason Kevin Love stomped on his face?
The man seems to find himself as a mosquito-like irritant on the court all around the league. Maybe Kevin Love completely lost his shit and face-stomped Scola when a week earlier Scola bounded a ball off of Love's nads, while trying to save it from going out of bounds. So, to answer our own question from earlier: No, Love just failed to live up to his last name with that vicious foot hammer.
O.J. Mayo, Milwaukee Bucks
Reason(s): Came into the league with a lot of baggage. Hasn't delivered on promise shown in high school.
If it wasn't for the "one and done" rule, Mayo would've been taken first overall straight out of the West Virginia high school system in 2007. Instead, he spent a pointless year at USC, the squad got upset in the first round of the tournament, and the season eventually led to heavy sanctions for the program.
That move certainly screwed the Trojans and Mayo has slid into fairly relative anonymity, certainly not a name amongst the league's top players. He also got a 10-game suspension for PEDs (which is pretty hard to do in the NBA). It's one thing to be cocky and come in and play like LeBron; it's another to come in and be half that. Mayo is, unfortunately, the latter.
Kevin Garnett, Brooklyn Nets
Reason(s): Intense trash talk.
The guy you love to hate, unless he's on your team. KG has been talking shit in NBA arenas for the last 17 years and has built up a litany of enemies in the process. He's got a wide range of trash talking talent, from the infamously confusing "Honey Nut Cheerios" barb, to telling Charlie Villanueva he's a cancer patient, to something a little more basic. KG's always had a mouth filthier than an unwiped ass and when he finally hangs up his sneakers we'll need an NBA player to fill the previously vacant jabbering dickwad void and, allegedly, yell "Happy Mothers Day" at Tim Duncan.
JaVale McGee, Denver Nuggets
Reason(s): Gets paid a lot. Mentions on SportsCenter are rarely positive.
"Hate" is maybe a harsh word for some (if not all of these) players. We enjoy McGee's athleticism and weekly entries into SportsCenter's "Not Top 10." But that meme that floats around the Internet isn't exactly radiating flattery.
Anderson Varejao Cleveland Cavaliers
Reason(s): Has played in an average of 27 games each of the last three seasons. He's being paid $9 million this season. He seems better fit for Garnier Fructics ads than the NBA.
On Monday Andrew Bynum was a lock for this spot. However, he was traded to the Bulls and subsequently waived so unfortunately we can't go in on how lazy he is, his ridiculous hairstyles, and such. Don't sleep on Anderson Varejao though. Yeah people hate him for his silky locks and soft defense but he's also been one of the biggest scrubs in the NBA for a while now.
Verajao has a career average of 7.7 PPG, 7.7 RPG, and 0.7 BPG. Sideshow Bob Varejao did average a career-high 14.1 PPG last season but he only played in 25 games because of a blood clot in his lung. Wait, what? Yeah, we're going to hell for his. SMH.
DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings
Reason(s): Immaturity. Occasionally suspended by team. Hates shaking hands.
The only player in the NBA that currently is in double digits for technicals, DeMarcus Cousins probably would've gone higher than fifth in the Draft if his work ethic and character weren't being questioned back when he was a Kentucky Wildcat. Those types of knocks tend to be precursors which was evident when Cousins took an indefinite suspension for swearing at his boss, or as it's known in the NBA, his coach. He got a two game suspension for having words with a Spurs broadcaster, got criticized for his maturity before getting cut for the U.S. Olympic team, and socked OJ Mayo in the nads. Like we said, precursors.
Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
Reason(s): Allegedly cheated on Eva Longoria with teammate Brent Barry's wife. That Nazi salute (misinterpreted or not) didn't help any either.
A lot of these are relative. To be the most hated player on the Spurs would make you probably the fifth, or sixth, most hated on the Miami Heat. But Tony Parker finds himself with the dishonorable distinction because of a certain event that we'll delicately call "allegedly boning Brent Barry's wife." It's one thing to reportedly cheat on your own spouse, that's an athlete staple, but with a teammate's wife? When you could've had your choice of the finest women in San Antonio? SMH.
Kris Humphries, Boston Celtics
Reason(s): That Kim Kardashian "marriage" made him look like a knob.
Not that Rajon Rondo didn't garner consideration, but Kirk Hinrich, nor Ray Allen, wrote this article. Kris Humphries became the perfect cautionary tale for scripted romance when he was jerked around, both literally and figuratively, and paraded about like a willing dupe. His mediocre career will forever be tied to a cable-TV wedding and he has even been mocked in song by Kanye West. All that because he was married to Kim Kardashian for two-and-a-half months, it was something everyone saw coming but we still didn't know it would happen that quickly. After the divorce, ratings bump they, she broke it off leaving him to hear heckles for the rest of his NBA days. Frankly, it's a trade-off we'd take for the honeymoon alone.
Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
Reason(s): Flops. Posterizes "nobodies." His game is more highlight, than championship, worthy.
Blake barely edges two-time flagrant foul leader Matt Barnes, and teammate JJ Redick whose alleged "abortion contract" isn't exactly the type of thing McDonald's is looking for when seeking a pitchman. Blake seems to be building his SportsCenter Top 10 portfolio at a rate akin to a young Vince Carter but it's built up the notion that he's a one-dimensional player undeserving of the hype, air time, and Kia commercials. You'd think his 6'10" 250 lb. frame would be able to withstand the rougher NBA play. But Griffin also happens to be a textbook example of a flopper (albeit a gigantic one) in the NBA.
LeBron James, Miami Heat
Reason(s): "The Decision." Best player in the league right now. Serial flopper.
All of the "Big Three" were worthy of consideration (Michael Beasley would be a shoe-in on roughly every other team as well). But being at the top has repercussions and LeBron leaving Cleveland for the sunny shores of Miami, as well as his subsequent league-wide domination, have made him the most polarizing loved/hated player in the league. That was a title that went to Kobe when he still used to win championships. If you make an Internet comment about LeBron you run the risk of an onslaught from those who either burn him in effigy, or masturbate at his altar.
For the "reasonable haters" (if that's a thing) LeBron just couldn't figure out that some people didn't like watching him 24/7. He even made a "What Should I Do?" ad when many of us just wanted him to pound sand for like, five minutes. Whether the hate is justified or not seeing him on TV can make a casual fan nostalgic for the days of an NBA lockout. With his career having a solid decade left, and with the trend of ESPN, we could very well see the birth of a channel dedicated solely to a single, overanalyzed, man.
Dwight Howard, Houston Rockets
Reason(s): Always in the middle of drama. Got Stan Van Gundy canned. Failed to deliver on huge expectations in Los Angeles.
He didn't exactly endear himself in Orlando with the way he left, getting both GM Otis Smith and Coach Stan Van Gundy fired. And he didn't exactly endear himself in L.A. with his solo, disastrous, season that resulted in a 7-seed and first-round sweep for a team many picked to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy at the start of the season. The primary reason that many are sick of Dwight is his year long soap opera surronding a looming trade that he was in on. Then not. Then in on again.
You can only hear so much about a guy before souring. That even applies to the hometown fans (especially when that guy wants to leave the hometown). If Green Bay could get sick of Brett Favre due to over-exposure (pun maybe intended, we don't know, who cares) then you'd better bet your cock that Orlando could turn on Dwight Howard. You're always advised to never burn bridges, it's a perk we average people can't afford. But when you're a seven-foot, first overall pick who draws self-made comparisons to Shaq, you can pour all the gasoline you want and still make $100 million.