The world of professional basketball has always been captivated by talented athletes who capture the hearts and minds of fans worldwide. These revered players are idolized, with their jerseys flying off the shelves and their every move analyzed and celebrated. However, for every beloved figure, there are those who evoke a different response—a collective disdain that seems to unite fans across the board. These are the players who find themselves on the receiving end of boos, jeers, and relentless criticism.
It is time to delve into the intriguing realm of disliked NBA players, analyzing their impact, examining the reasons behind the animosity, and categorizing them into tiers based on the level of polarizing sentiment they generate. While some players may generate controversy due to their on-court antics, others become targets for reasons off the court, including controversial statements, actions, or even their personality traits. By exploring the tiers of disliked NBA players, we aim to uncover the factors that contribute to their unfavorable reputation and the enduring fascination they provoke.
After seeing the tiers of the most liked NBA players per tier, we have to continue with the same format to rank the 25 most hated players in the NBA right now.
Disliked
Zion Williamson
Tobias Harris
Kawhi Leonard
Paul George
LaMelo Ball
Anthony Davis
Tyler Herro
Jordan Poole
Kyle Kuzma
Marcus Smart
Zion Williamson used to be one of the NBA’s most beloved players, but the recent off-court drama has made him somewhat disliked. While there are many more players in the NBA who are disliked, Zion’s image has somewhat deteriorated among the masses. Most importantly, Williamson’s inability to stay healthy and actually in lean shape has made him extremely criticized. A player of Zion’s ability and skill should be the face of the NBA by now, but instead, he continues to battle weight issues and health demons that won’t leave him alone. While a player should not be criticized for being injured, some of it has to come down to Williamson’s lack of dedication to staying in shape for the New Orleans Pelicans franchise that is relying on him.
Kawhi Leonard was one of the most admired and beloved players after he found a way to win an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. Since then, Leonard has frustrated every NBA fanbase with his willingness to sit out games due to “load management” and also miss time when he is actually dealing with a serious injury. Leonard is too great to have played under 60 games in each of the last four seasons, and his health has come in the way of the Los Angeles Clippers competing for a championship. The Clippers have had a winning season year after year yet still can’t make a single Finals appearance, with Leonard taking most of the blame.
Similar to Kawhi Leonard, Paul George is often receiving tons of blame for failing to keep healthy for the Clippers franchise. The All-Star swingman has also played under 60 games per season over the past four years, which is unacceptable for an elite player making maximum money. George is not the best player on the team, which is why he will receive slightly less criticism than Leonard, but it is still there, and opposing NBA fanbases will find any way to celebrate George’s failures in the playoffs time and time again.
Whether it is the strange fashion choices or his flashy persona, LaMelo Ball has his fair share of haters. Being the best of the infamous Ball family does place the biggest target on his back because LaVar Ball greatly increased the pressure on his children. Lonzo Ball has been somewhat of a flop due to never-ending injuries, and it seems the player might even miss the entire 2023-24 season as well. While Lonzo has supporters, his brother LaMelo has to deal with haters who probably want to see him succeed less than his brother.
Anthony Davis is a frustrating player to follow, even for the most loyal Los Angeles Lakers fans. Any little knock results in Davis wincing and holding his body in pain, even if the contact on the court is minimal. Again, while NBA stars should never be attacked for being hurt, Davis seems to have a very low tolerance for pain. The big man’s health is what makes or breaks the Lakers time and time again, so Davis playing under 60 games besides the 2020 championship season with Los Angeles is a major factor in how well the team has played. Other than his never-ending injury history, Davis did force his way out of New Orleans in a very ugly way in the 2019 season, and the target has been on his back ever since.
Many feel Tobias Harris is an overrated player because his impact as a max player simply isn’t there. Harris is certainly an above-average player who can shoot over 40% from three and play solid defense, but even the staunchest Philadelphia 76ers fans will be willing to trade him by any means. It seems the never-ending run of trade rumors has got to Harris because comments about his own talent made for a very interesting read. Harris is not a bad player by any means, but having the overrated stigma does nothing but generate dislike.
Tyler Herro is very polarizing in the way he acts, talks, and dresses. While he has not done much to actually be a disliked player on the court because he is an excellent offensive player, many opposing fans feel he is too cocky for his own good. Herro carries himself as if he has dominated the league for many years, and while self-confidence is great, it could be a little much. The player’s infamous snarl in the NBA Finals was as charming as it was corny, and he seems to polarize everybody.
Jordan Poole lost a ton of fans this past season. His goofy attitude on the sidelines was not impressive, considering he is playing for a franchise that has won four NBA titles over the past decade, and he clearly did enough to piss off the leader of the team Draymond Green during practice. Green would not lash out unprovoked, and while his behavior was absolutely unacceptable, Poole seems like the type of player to instigate. The fact that Poole only averaged 10.3 PPG in the playoffs after signing a $150 million contract further amplifies the hate he will receive next year, even if he got traded to the Washington Wizards.
It is time to be as straightforward as possible: Kyle Kuzma’s outfits are beyond ridiculous. It seems he tries to outdo himself with what he wears, and it is very strange to see a professional athlete try to capture attention through quirky fashion rather than dominating the game. Kuzma is an above-average player who deserves respect as a starter in the NBA, but he has gained more attention relative to his accomplishments. Kuzma is still only 27 years old, so he has time to start taking his game to another level, but until then, the hate coming his way for his ability to gain media coverage will be warranted.
Any player who takes flopping to another level will always be disliked, which is why Marcus Smart is the enemy of most NBA fanbases outside of Boston and, now, Memphis. Smart is an elite defensive player, and there is no doubt about that, but he flops far more than he really should because any little contact will send the player flying. Not to mention, Smart did play for a Boston Celtics franchise that is widely hated anyways, and he now has to find a way to make the majority of fans like him in the city of Memphis.
Hated
LeBron James
Patrick Beverley
Ja Morant
Grayson Allen
Devin Booker
Russell Westbrook
Chris Paul
Joel Embiid
Rudy Gobert
LeBron James can be the most hated and most beloved NBA player at the same time. He is cursed with the same polarizing presence of Kobe Bryant, Dennis Rodman, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in terms of being big characters on and off the court. However, perhaps no other superstar in NBA history can polarize people more than The King. The Decision made him the game’s most hated player, but he has won fans over in recent years with his incredible longevity and dedication to the game. Even with more fans appreciating his greatness over the past decade, James has a ton of haters led by iconic sports analyst Skip Bayless.
No surprise to see Patrick Beverley appear as one of the game’s most disliked players. He flops a ton, gets under opposing players’ skins, and talks a big game despite not exactly being a star player. He is a player that you only support if he is on your team, and detest when he’s not. Regardless, the guard seems to be doing better lately. Beverley’s podcast is actually making him far more likable, which is the only reason he is “only” part of the “Hated” tier.
What on Earth is Ja Morant doing? Sure, he’s still young at 23 years old, but he is acting like a confused teenager with his wild social media antics. So much so that Adam Silver of the NBA Commission has banned the superstar point guard for the first 25 games of the season. In other words, Morant has placed a massive hate target on his back for no reason except to be immature. Certainly the most explosive player in the game, Morant has a chance to get back to being admired, but it won’t be an easy path back.
Grayson Allen might have the largest “dirty” stigma in the game. His track record speaks for itself because he will do anything to gain an advantage, even if it means injuring other players. What makes him particularly hated is the fact that Allen has hurt some of the NBA’s most beloved stars, including DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso, and even had that reputation in college. The hate towards Allen might never dissipate, and the player just might have to deal with it for the rest of his career.
All-Star shooting guard Devin Booker is one of the game’s greatest scorers, but he is not one of the game’s most beloved players. He talks a bunch of trash, has moments when he acts tough (and convinces nobody), and gets into it with players he should probably leave alone such as Luka Doncic. Playing on a superteam alongside Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal also means fans outside Phoenix want to see him lose now more than ever, adding to the hate.
Russell Westbrook was the NBA’s superhero during his 2017 MVP campaign, averaging a triple-double for the first time since Oscar Robertson and leading the undermanned Oklahoma City Thunder team to the playoffs when Kevin Durant left the team high and dry in free agency. Since then, Westbrook has claimed the reputation for not being a winning player because his decline in athleticism and ability has highlighted his out-of-control playing style. Russ made the right choice to stay with the Los Angeles Clippers because he might have a chance to actually win if his teammates can stay healthy.
Chris Paul is in the conversation for being a top-5 point guard of all time but still has his haters. CP3 flops a lot on both ends of the court, gets injured in the worst moments, and seems to rub some of his teammates the wrong way. The fact that Paul is now part of the Golden State Warriors alongside another hated player Draymond Green placed a massive target on his back. Paul has yet to win an NBA championship in his career and that has also made him one of the most criticized players in the league.
Joel Embiid won the 2023 league MVP award, but that didn’t exactly win many fans over. The center has not done himself any favors by averaging over 11.0 free throws per game over the past two seasons, often using tricks to force the refs to blow the whistle instead of trying to score. While Embiid is one of very many who benefit from the modern rules, seeing a big man use it to his advantage time and time again is not the best look. It works, as Embiid has won two straight scoring titles, but his clever ways of drawing fouls are actually working against him in terms of popularity. If that isn’t enough, Embiid has not shaken the stigma of being a player who does not show up in big games in the playoffs either, and that draws criticism.
Rudy Gobert has been a disliked player ever since he took the COVID-19 virus as a joke during the 2019-20 NBA season. Of course, he did not know how deadly the virus could be at the time as nobody really knew, but it was not a great look for him. Since then, Gobert has not shaken the image of being an overrated player who does not have any post moves whatsoever. Gobert has signed max contracts yet still can’t score on his own, and the fact that he joined a Minnesota Timberwolves team that has Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards and still couldn’t get out of the first round of the playoffs makes him one of the most criticized players in the league.
Absolutely Hated
Draymond Green
James Harden
Kyrie Irving
Ben Simmons
Dillon Brooks
Obviously, Draymond Green rubs every non-Golden State Warriors fan the wrong way. He flops on defense, has a short temper, and is a serial trash talker. On top of that, his box score stats look average, yet he gets treated like an NBA superstar in Golden State. While these things are all true, Green is invaluable to the Warriors, which is why he just signed another $100 million contract. Whether we like it or not, Draymond will be a Warrior for life. Take that, haters.
What does James Harden want out of his career? He was unhappy in Houston and forced his way out in the ugliest fashion possible by showing up to training camp out of shape. He was traded to Brooklyn to join forces with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, only to leave again. Finally, after going to his original destination of choice, the Philadelphia 76ers, he has likely played his last game with the franchise. Whether it is because The Beard hops teams so much or fails to consistently deliver in the playoffs, Harden is not a fan favorite by any means.
Kyrie Irving is just so unlikeable in the NBA community, not because of his superstar skills, but for his quirky character and strange comments that come oozing out of his mouth every season. Despite being arguably the league’s greatest-ever ball handler, Kyrie seems to live in his own world and has developed a reputation for being a team killer. He left Cleveland in a very ugly fashion, only to have zero impact with franchises such as the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, and now the Dallas Mavericks, who have re-signed him with the hopes of getting him focused on the game again.
It is actually a shame what has happened to Ben Simmons, a former 3-time All-Star and 2-time All-Defensive Team participant. Coming into the NBA, Simmons was supposed to be the next LeBron James but has instead become one of the most hated players in the league. Not having a semblance of a jump shot and essentially forcing his way out of Philadelphia and Brooklyn has made him one of the most hated NBA players.
The Houston Rockets have made the decision to pay one of the most hated NBA players of all time 80 million dollars. Even the Memphis Grizzlies couldn’t stand him, letting him go without a single thought of bringing him back. Regardless of his ridiculous (and sometimes cringy) trash-talk that is often baseless, Brooks competes on defense, which is why he made the All-NBA Defensive Team this season. Hilariously, Brooks’ agent even found a way to make light of all the hate and vitriol coming his client’s way. Regardless, Brooks has time to change his reputation by staying quiet and improving his jumper, but until then, he will be hated.
The Most Hated NBA Player
Kevin Durant
There is no doubt that Kevin Durant is the most hated player in the NBA by all accounts. The superstar forward will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer one day, and every NBA fan admires his skill set, but his character and career decision-making have rubbed almost every fan the wrong way. For one, leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder and joining the 73-9 Golden State Warriors team that defeated him in the playoffs is the single most shocking free agency decision ever.
If that isn’t enough, leaving Golden State due to “hurt feelings” stemming from a Draymond Green incident and forming two different superteams in Brooklyn and Phoenix did nothing but continue fueling the hate fire coming his way. While Durant is certainly a nice and polite human being, the idea of joining superteams and not winning in Oklahoma City has made him the NBA’s most disliked player.
