Most hated NBA players
The NBA promotes its stars as well as any major sport. In the process, many players also become hated targets for fans. The following slideshow features the 25 most hated players in the NBA.
Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks
Anthony has been a polarizing figure since joining the Knicks during the 2010-11 season. The team has consistently disappointed during his time in New York, while Anthony has been seen as a ball hog at times.
Chris Bosh, Miami Heat
The hatred for Bosh ramped up during his time as part of the Big Three in Miami. He hasn't played since the 2015-16 season due to blood clot issues, and the player and organization agreed to part ways following the season.
Tyson Chandler, Phoenix Suns
Chandler still receives flack for his lack of production in New York after signing a four-year, $58 million contract in 2011. He's spent the last two seasons with the Suns.
DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans Pellicans
Cousins is no stranger to technical fouls, and his exit from Sacramento didn't exactly make Kings fans happy. He remains one of the top centers in the game, averaging 27.0 points and 11.1 rebounds per game last season.
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
While Curry is arguably the most marketable player in the NBA, he also has naysayers. His Warriors have been constant winners in recent seasons, and some of his antics with the media have given ammunition to the haters.
Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors
Durant's move from the small market Thunder to the 73-win Warriors put him in the crosshairs. If the public loves the underdog, Durant is now the antithesis.
Michael Beasley, Milwaukee Bucks
The second overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Heat, Beasley has been a relative bust during his career. While few basketball fans have thought about him recently, Beasley's rugged play has drawn its critics.
Kris Humphries, Atlanta Hawks
Humphries received negativity in NBA circles for the attention he received as a reality show star, marrying reality TV star Kim Kardashian. The couple's marriage was extremely short-lived, beginning and ending in 2011.
LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
It's rare that the best player in a sport wouldn't have some naysayers, and that's often been the case for the vocal LeBron during his career. He particularly heard from critics before winning his first NBA Title, and also for the way he left Cleveland for Miami in 2010.
DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Clippers
Jordan didn't make fans in Dallas when he spurned the Mavs and owner Mark Cuban to remain in Los Angeles back in 2015. His inability to make free throws, as a career 43 percent free throw shooter, has also drawn frustration.
Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
Green is considered by some to be a dirty player, particularly with his perceived attempts to trip opposing players. He was suspended for Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals for dirty play.
Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
Griffin has often been cited as a disliked player from his peers in the NBA. Some of the negative feelings are likely jealousy, with Griffin appearing in many TV commercials. An infamous fistfight with a Clippers staff member painted him in an even more negative light after a career filled with avoiding confrontation with other players.
James Harden, Houston Rockets
A top MVP candidate in 2017, Harden has immense ability. However, his effort on defense isn't always seen as stellar and has brought some negativity toward him.
Dwight Howard, Atlanta Hawks
The end of Howard's career in Orlando brought a negative label for him, and he didn't make many fans with his disappointing play while with the Lakers and Rockets. The center has seen major decline since a knee injury in 2014-15.
Joakim Noah, New York Knicks
Noah has seemed to enjoy the limelight since college at Florida, and his sharp tongue hasn't endeared him toward opposing fans. He's also played in big markets as a pro between Chicago and New York.
Zaza Pachulia, Golden State Warriors
Pachulia went through the first 13 seasons of his career without much controversy, but his involvement during the Western Conference Finals in a play that injured Spurs star Kawhi Leonard has at least made him hated in San Antonio. San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich added fuel to the fire.
Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
Parker doesn't get as much attention these days, but he certainly did when he was married to actress Eva Longoria. The couple broke up in 2010, but the relationship didn't do much for Parker's public perception.
Zach Randolph, Free Agent
Randolph has a whopping 53 technical fouls and five ejections during his long and productive 16-year NBA career. He remains an extremely productive NBA big man at age 35.
Rajon Rondo, Chicago Bulls
Rondo's behavior and play has worn thin in all of his stops, yet he's still found big money in recent seasons. The point guard rehabbed his reputation slightly with a good playoff run for the Bulls before injuring his thumb this year.
Derrick Rose, Free Agent
A former league-leader in Chicago, Rose's constant injuries started to wear thin on disappointed and spoiled Bulls fans. He found a change of scenery last season with the Knicks, but managed to play only 64 games due to injury.
D'Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
Russell showed immaturity last season when a tape leaked of him recording teammate Nick Young's private conversation. Of course, Lakers fans will forgive the 2015 first-round pick if he continues to improve on the court.
J.R. Smith, Cleveland Cavaliers
The gregarious Smith has drawn criticism for his off-court swagger. He became a household name last year when he celebrated shirtless after the Cavs won the NBA Finals.
Dwyane Wade, Chicago Bulls
Winning creates its own enemies, as has been the case with Wade. A former member of the Big Three in Miami, Wade has three NBA Titles.
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Westbrook's supposed feud with Kevin Durant forced some fans to pick sides. The likely 2017 NBA MVP also knows how to stand out in a crowd with his fashion decisions.
Metta World Peace, Los Angeles Lakers
The artist formerly known as Ron Artest was at the center of the Malice at the Palace, a brawl that went into the crowd between the Pacers and Pistons in 2004. He has rehabilitated his reputation as a leader late in his career with the Lakers.
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