NBA players often divide fans to a wide extent. Either fans hate them or they love them, and this is what adds to the excitement of the best league in the world. Especially for the NBAs superstars, they seem to polarize fans at a very high level.
But there are also players that generate the most positive fan response. Either from their play or from their on- or off-court demeanor, there are a particular number of players that seem to be loved no matter what. What is surprising is that they are not always the NBA’s top superstars. As a matter of fact, they hardly are!
Here are the top ten most likable NBA players in today’s NBA.
Honorable
Mike Conley
Conley is one of the most humble and soft-spoken players in NBA history and that’s why so many fans want him to succeed. He plays defense, is a great playmaker, and truly loves the game.
He may have had a down season this year, but Conley is truly one of the most likable players that the NBA has had in a very long time.
10. Stephen Curry
How can anyone dislike Stephen Curry? At only 6’3″ and 185 lbs, the miniature player has managed to dominate a league of giants. With his unbelievable shooting and handles, he seems to capture positive fan reaction everywhere he goes.
Fans love to see the shooting and the ball swishing at the back of the net, and Curry does this better than any other player in the league right now.
9. Damian Lillard
Lillard comes across as one of the most humble superstars we have ever seen. He is soft-spoken, gentle, and very calm off the court. So of course NBA fans would have a soft spot for him.
What makes Lillard even more likable is his ability to dominate games, especially in the clutch, and is one of the best shooters in the league. Lillard can literally pull up from 30 feet and his scoring ability makes his game very attractive to watch.
8. Klay Thompson
After Steph Curry, Klay Thompson is the best shooter in the NBA. He can literally drain threes from anywhere and everywhere, and he is arguably the most fun player to watch when he catches fire. Luckily for us, it happens often.
But what gives Klay the edge over Steph is that he doesn’t “shimmy” or show arrogance on the court at all and often plays during the flow of the game. Klay is also natural off-the-court and his dry humor makes him likable.
7. Luka Doncic
Luka has really dominated the league this year, positing ridiculous numbers and carrying the Dallas Mavericks to a playoff spot. For that reason, Luka generates a ton of fans. Fans love NBA superstars, especially those who don’t flaunt their physical gifts. Luka is a natural talent who was seemingly born to play, and he always looks at ease and relaxed on the court.
But what makes Luka even more likable is his humor off the court, and his down to earth personality resonates with most NBA fans.
6. Steven Adams
Steven Adams is one of the most physically imposing players in the league, and also one of the strongest. He plays with no-nonsense and he looks like Aquaman when he plays basketball.
Yet, off the court, he is absolutely hilarious. He has sarcastic humor and always seems very down to earth. Fans and media enjoy when he has press conferences because he is very approachable and likable despite being 7-foot tall. A gentle giant is always liked and Adams is certainly one.
5. Tacko Fall
Another massive fan favorite is Tacko Fall. He is a massive human being, standing 7’5″, and is also very talented. He blocks shots with ease and looks like a beast among boys when he is on the court thanks to his height.
Tacko is really fun to watch and that is the main reason he is so liked. Seeing an abnormally large human take advantage of his height is always interesting to see, but Fall has a nice skillset and it is always an exciting moment for the majority of fans when he checks into the game.
4. Alex Caruso
The goat himself, Alex Caruso just misses the top three. No player appears on more memes than Caruso right now, especially after he buffed up during the summer. Caruso is a fan favorite mainly because of his character and role on the team, but also because he truly loves the attention he gets.
Everybody in L.A. adores him, and even the Lakers players love him. Caruso has hops and seeing him throw down jams makes him all the more likable.
3. Boban Marjanovic
Boban is loved mainly because he is one goofy giant. He is a huge person, with big long arms and an imposing presence. Yet, he is goofy off the court and is very entertaining with his video posts. Boban has a down-to-earth personality and no one would realize that he is over 7- feet tall.
Boban is also fun to watch on the court because he dwarfs almost every other NBA player. We all love watching a giant go to work, and Boban is certainly one.
2. Derrick Rose
MVP Derrick Rose captured NBA fans more than any other superstar in the past decade. He was absolutely sensational, using a mix of explosiveness and skills to score the ball. Rose seemed on his way to greatness as one of the best point guards ever, and he let his play do the talking.
Unfortunately, injuries derailed his career, but that’s what makes fans like him even more. The entire NBA Universe wants to see him get back to full form and we watch every game hoping to see the “Old Derrick Rose”. We might get it once in a while because Rose still has the tendency to get loose and put on a show every now and then.
1. Zion Williamson
Without a doubt, Zion Williamson is the most likable player in the league right now. And there are a variety of reasons.
First of all, Zion is physically gifted. We all loved watching him throw down jams and pull off spectacular feats of athleticism in college, and we can’t wait to see him translate this into a full NBA season. He is also a very muscular fellow, making him appear impressive and imposing which garners respect.
Zion also seems like a very natural person, letting his play doing the talking and hardly pretending to be anyone else. He knows he is a global superstar despite being a rookie and yet he doesn’t let that get to him. Finally, his style of play is so fun to watch. Watching Zion is like watching a young LeBron James because we know he can provide a highlight-reel play at any given moment. As it stands, Zion is the most loved NBA superstar.
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