The 20 Most Hated Players in the NBA Today
Who's your pick for the most loathed baller?
Image via Complex Original
Whether he plays for your bitter rival or you just ain't feeling his style, every fan loves to hate an athlete. During the last couple seasons, LeBron James has claimed the title of 'Most Hated' and his new teammates Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade weren't too far behind. The way he handled his free agency was egotistical to say the least and don't get us started on the parade/concert the Heat had when the Big Three were formally introduced. Before James, it was Kobe Bryant who drew the most hate. People don't like the Lakers and some feel like he tries too hard to be Jordan. Plus, he had the sexual assault accusation in Eagle, CO.
These days, NBA fans have shifted their vile hatred to other players. Cats like the oh so soft Pau Gasol and Ray Benedict Allen (OK, just in Boston) have been taking a lot of shit lately. As well as, Carlos Boozer and his spray-painted dome along with Blake Griffin and his flopping ways. Check the rest of the 20 Most Hated Players in the NBA Today.
Written by Angel Diaz (@graffnameramo)
20. Reggie Evans, Brooklyn Nets
Reggie Evans is the ultimate garbage man and puts on Oscar-worthy performances on a nightly basis. He's one of those guys that fans and teammates love, but everyone else hates. Reggie has already been warned and fined $5,000 by the league for his random acts of flopness. As a member of the Clippers last season, he annoyed opposing defenders and fans for doing what he's paid to do—use his six fouls, grab boards, and flop his ass off. Evans has been in the league for 10 years, but playing in L.A. and New York has magnified his antics.
19. Landry Fields, Toronto Raptors
Not only does the entire Tri-state area hate him, Canada hates him too. The Raptors were desperate to make a splash last offseason, but let their emotions get the best of them. They signed Blandry Fields (as Knicks fans like to call him) to a three-year/$20 million contract in hopes that it would entice Steve Nash to nix the Big Apple in favor of the motherland (LOL). In 21.4 minutes, Fields is putting up 2.4 points a game on a 4-15 basement dweller. He also dates a model. To be fair, he's only played in five games this season. Who are we kiddin'? Landry still sucks. At least his wifey's bad. That's just another reason to hate.
18. JaVale McGee, Denver Nuggets
JaVale has the potential to be a decent player in the L, especially with the shortage of centers these days. But, homie can't seem to get out of his own way. Bonehead play after bonehead play, McGee loves to get coaches mad. George Karl and the Nuggets hope to turn him into a star after giving him a four-year/$44 million deal during the summer. So far, that plan has backfired. JaVale plays only 20 minutes per game and is backing up the likes of Kosta Koufos. On a positive note, he's trying to keep the fails at a minimum this year.
17. Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks
Melo took a lot of shit since forcing his way to the Knicks in 2011. He and Mike D'Antoni couldn't get on the same page and all the roster turnover made matters worse. Last year, he looked uncomfortable when Jeremy Lin was living his dream. Instead of the Garden crowd screaming Anthony's name they were Linsane about a third-string point guard. So far, he has redeemed himself this season, but Knicks fans won't be satisfied with another first-round exit.
16. Carlos Boozer, Chicago Bulls
We hate him because he spray painted his head once upon a time like the Internet didn't exist. Boozer also likes to disappear in big situations and feels good about it. The Bulls paid him to be their No. 2 and to be able to be their No. 1 option if Derrick Rose went down with an injury. Boozer's numbers aren't bad (13.5 PPG and 9.9 RPG), but they often aren't accumulated when it counts. Freddie Gibbs captured the way Bulls fans feel with this quote: "I don't fuck with Boozer," he says. "I rather trade that nigga for the 90th-round draft pick and for four D-League niggas." And we'll leave you with that.
15. Amar'e Stoudemire, New York Knicks
It's not his fault the Knicks gave him all that money knowing his knees were shot. Any one of us would've signed that deal. Since joining the Knicks, STAT has had a hard time staying healthy. And if and when he returns, the hate will boil to an all-time high if the Knicks fall from grace.
New York fans are unforgiving. Just look at the hate he received last year. Everyone seemingly forgot that he lost his brother early in the season on top of his nagging injuries. He also didn't help when he accidentally injured his hand by breaking the glass of a fire extinguisher case after Game 2 of their first-round series vs. the Heat last season. STAT has another tough road ahead of him. He's also another guy that needs to stop dressing like a weirdo.
14. Jeremy Lin, Houston Rockets
It's hard to hate Jeremy Lin. He's an undrafted player out of Harvard that's living the dream. Lin went from zero to hero in a flash. But we're talking about Knicks fans here. One minute they love you and the next minute they're flipping you and your kid the bird as you leave the Garden. Linsanity was nothing short of magical and we can't blame the kid for trying to get his money, but he is not worth all that money.
So far, he's proving that the Knicks (wait for it) made a wise decision by not matching Houston's offer sheet. Players and fans hate him because they feel like he doesn't deserve all the hype. Yes, the hatred has something to do with race, but it's more about his skills. As of right now, he's shooting 38 percent from the field and the Rockets are tied for fourth in most turnovers per game.
13. Ray Allen, Miami Heat
Ray's hated in Boston and by everyone who hates the Heat. Allen got tired of the Celtics constantly putting him on the trading block and using him as a decoy during games. So, being the veteran he is, Jesus Shuttlesworth jetted to South Beach to chase a ring and stick it to Boston while doing it. At the moment, he's shooting 51.8 percent from three. That sucks for the rest of the league.
12. Blake Griffin, L.A. Clippers
Blake Griffin is fun to watch, except for when he's flopping like a fish gasping for air. We're convinced he had something to do with the NBA's new anti-flopping rule (along with the Heat) and we're not surprised he's not a fan of it.
Blake is a solid 6'10", 250 and acts like every bone in his body hurts when he takes contact. He also seems to pick on scrubs to make posters out of. With the new anti-flopping rules in place, Griffin hasn't been flopping all over the place or maybe it's because David Lee screamed on him early in the season. Either way, we hope he actually jumps over a car this season.
11. Russell Westbrook, OKC Thunder
Russell Westbrook is one of the better players in the league and still doesn't get the respect he deserves. Mainly because he never met a shot he didn't like and hasn't learned to play the point yet. The Thunder are in the top-five in the league when it comes to turnovers and with the James Harden trade, OKC lost one of their better ball handlers. That being said, Westbrook is still a huge part of OKC's recent success. Some may feel like he's a bit selfish, but it's a good kind of selfish. The kind that wills his team to win. Once he learns to slow things down, fans and people like Skip Bayless won't steady hate on the god.
10. Pau Gasol, L.A. Lakers
There goes Mr. Softee. That's what every Laker fan says to themselves when Pau disappears on the court. Sure, he's been the subject of trade rumors every year it seems, but he also forgets that the NBA is a business. He's one of the most skilled big men around and it sucks that Kobe Bryant has to always call him out after tough losses.
Gasol looked like his world was devastated during last year's second round-playoff series against the Thunder. Pau was pale, had no energy, and played softer than fucking ever, emphasis on fucking. Eleven years in, it's looking like he'll ever change. Kobe already called him out this season after only a month. Poor guy...
9. Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
People hate Dwyane Wade because it was his idea to form the Big Three in Miami. He seduced Chris Bosh and LeBron James with visions of winning rings with their best friends on South Beach. He also likes to wear glasses with no lenses and cries about every other call. Not to mention he and LeBron like to fuck with our heads by dressing the same and finishing each other's sentences.
8. Chris Bosh, Miami Heat
During the 2012 free agency period, Chris Bosh rolled along as Miami's third wheel without shame. He's also awfully sensitive and does some weird things. Weird like enjoying champagne to the face a little too much. All the people want is for Chris to be his own man and stop doing weird shit. We don't ask for much.
7. Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics
He's so damn intense. KG really needs to chill out a bit. Fans on opposing teams hate him as well as players. Garnett drops f-bombs like they're going out of style and he'll throw a vicious elbow while saying one. He also likes to get under your favorite player's skin by calling them a motherfucker and then hitting them in the nuts. "The Kid" has turned into the "Angry Old Man."
6. Kris Humphries, Brooklyn Nets
He should've known better when Kim Kardashian's PR people were sending out emails to every basketball team looking for a boy toy. People always hate when your chick is bad, but they'll hate you more if you follow her around like a lap dog. The Hump also didn't help his image by acting like a douche on that reality show that shall remain nameless.
On the court, Kris magically became a double-double machine after years of riding the pine. Some correlate it to the vaunted Kardashian box. That was just another reason the hate him. Expect Kanye to drop another classic soon. That shit might go diamond.
5. Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics
Apparently, Ray Allen hates Rondo and the young point guard is one of the reasons Jesus Shuttlesworth signed with the Heat this offseason. Rondo plays with an arrogance that rubs folks the wrong way, sort of like Kobe Bryant. But if it weren't for that supreme confidence he wouldn't be one of the best floor generals in the game today.
Rajon also lets his emotions get the best of him. Like the time he wore a funny jacket and stepped to a cameraman filming him wearing it. Or like when he purposely bumped into a referee during last year's playoffs, or when he started the mini-melee vs. the Nets last Wednesday night. Rondo needs to chill before Danny Ainge finally decides to pull the trigger and trade him and his rollerskating addiction out of Boston.
4. Andrew Bynum, Philadelphia 76ers
Bynum's immaturity is frustrating. He was on a couple championship teams coached by Phil Jackson but the Zen Master seems to have had little impact on Bynum. But what's more frustrating is the fact that he can't stay healthy. Usually this isn't a person's fault, but we are talking about Andrew Bynum here. This is a guy that delayed knee surgery so he could attend the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, injured his other knee while bowling, and is also a guy that went bungee jumping off of the second-highest bungee point in the world when it said he couldn't bungee jump in his contract. To think, the Sixers traded their best player in Andre Iguodala for an overgrown kid that has yet to play this season and will be out indefinitely. And his hair is out of control!
3. LeBron James, Miami Heat
LeBron fucked himself with The Decision. He let "Yes" men influence one of the biggest decisions of his life. James and his team handled the Summer of LeBron so bad he managed to ruin his image in one fell swoop. The newly-formed Heat loss to the veteran Dallas Mavericks and fans loved every second of it.
Until last season, James tried too hard to get people to like him and in turn made people hate him. After finally getting his ring, LeBron has been restoring his image one dominating performance at a time. He's still hated because he and his cohorts changed the landscape of the NBA for years to come. Oh, and don't forget the flops!
2. Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers
Kobe can thank LeBron James for taking some of the heat off of him. No pun intended. Bryant didn't get the respect he deserved until LeBron failed and failed again in the playoffs. He came into the league straight out of high school, declared for the draft with sunglasses on his head, and took Brandy to the prom. And if those weren't enough things to hate, Kobe also practices MJ's signature every night before bed. OK, maybe not that last part.
Many hate him because he's arrogant and bit Jordan's game, but who better to emulate? As a rookie, Shaquille O'Neal gave him the nickname, "Showboat," because of his selfish style of play. The incident in Colorado didn't help either. These days, Bean Bryant has changed his image after winning two titles without O'Neal and less people hate him thanks to LBJ. He's still top-five dead or alive though.
1. Dwight Howard, L.A. Lakers
Dwight Howard went from one of the most lovable guys to one of the most hated in a hurry. He has no one to blame but himself. After the Summer of LeBron, all attention shifted to Howard's situation in Orlando. First he said he wanted to stay, then he said he wanted to leave, and then he said he wanted to stay again. His indecisiveness went on for several months.
When the 2012 season ended and it came down to signing an extension, Dwight finally made up his mind and was dealt to the Lakers. He also jacked one of Shaquille O'neal's many nicknames and he smiles too damn much during games. Sometimes it seems like Dwight doesn't care whether he wins or loses. He's the type of guy to enjoy a good prank after a blowout loss in the playoffs. Get mean, Dwight!