NBA's most despised players

## Rajon Rondo

Rajon Rondo was more popular than he was a Boston Celtic, but the stigma of being a difficult player in the locker room hasn't left him. Much of that is down to his incredible basketball IQ and desire to win games because he is one of the smartest players of all time and always shares his opinions. But most fans love to root against him.

Rondo did the biggest crime in Celtics basketball by joining the Los Angeles Lakers and won an NBA title with them last year. Rondo also doesn't make friends on the court, and that often means opposing fans don't find him likable. There is no denying Rondo is one of the smartest players in the league but a charming character isn't one of his strengths.

## 10. Rudy Gobert

The Rudy Gobert hate train is spearheaded by legendary center Shaquille O'Neal. Shaq can't seem to come to terms with how a player averaging only 12.0 PPG for his career can earn max money. Because if Shaq was playing today, he feels he would be worth 2 or 3 times as much as Gobert.

Gobert also has a negative image after spreading the coronavirus last season by touching all the microphones during a press conference. Gobert obviously didn't know he was positive, but many fans believe the league was suspended last year due to his negligence. Either way, the Frenchman kicks off the list of most hated players.

## 9. Draymond Green

Of course, a player like Draymond Green is extremely polarizing. First of all, he talks a lot of junk on and off the court. Draymond doesn't like anybody except his teammates, and he is a player you hate to play against and love to have on your team.

Next, many fans feel he is overrated because he was a part of a dominant Golden State dynasty featuring the likes of Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson. Green doesn't average big numbers so his stat lines are always "average" on paper. His "triple-single" tendencies mixed with his loud mouth rub a lot of people the wrong way, even if he does help his team win games.

## 8. Douglas Fredman (My 2K Player on 2K20)

Douglas Fredman can be somewhat known as a positive influence on his 76ers team, as he was in the NBA for 5 years he takes the game really serious with momentum, athleticism, and strength on the court. He's gotten limitless potential for the team and the league and do whatever he does for the team.

Despite that, he has been compared to ZaZa Pachulia, but claims that he's much worse. During the against the Sacramento Kings, he had an infamous move stepping on De'Aaron Fox's ankle, which ruled out Fox for 2 games and effectively almost ended his speeding skill. While Fredman denied that he intended to injure Fox, he was instantly dubbed a villain by the public and media. And for the other dirty plays he was instantly hated.

## 7. Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving might be the most frustrating player in the NBA to follow. You never quite know what Kyrie is thinking or if he will show up on the court or not. He seems to be battling spiritual issues because he is consistently seen doing out-of-the-ordinary things on and off the court. His "flat Earth" theory was ridiculous, and he has followed that up with many more obscure antics.

The biggest reason fans dislike Kyrie was his decision to force a move out of Cleveland without ever revealing why. Many believe he wanted his own team, but when he got it in Boston, he did a poor job as a leader. Now, as a part of the most talented superteam in NBA history, all eyes are on him again to lead his team to victory and many fans simply don't want to see that happen.

## 6. Paul George

Paul George is underappreciated for what he brings to the game, but the majority of fans are angry with his putrid performance in last season's playoffs. Actually, they are holding the past few postseason performances over his head. With the Thunder, George had some awful games and never made it past the first round despite having Russell Westbrook by his side.

He then calls himself "Playoff P", and based on last season's choke job with the Clippers, fans loved the name "Pandemic P" instead. George has a lot to prove he is "that guy" on the court, and until he does it, he will have a ton of fans rooting against him.

## 5. LeBron James

The most marketed and popular NBA superstar since Michael Jordan, LeBron James' name travels countries and continents. The King has a claim for being one of the most likable and also most hated players on this list, which goes to show his impact on sports as a whole. But looking at his reactions at games, it seems the majority of fans can't stand him.

There are many reasons why that would be the case, from jumping teams and creating superteams to creating a constant hoopla of drama everywhere he goes. There is no question James loves being the center of attention, and naturally, other human beings will have a built-in disdain for The King as a result.

## 4. Patrick Beverley

Much like Draymond Green, Patrick Beverley is a player whose opponents hate and his teammates love. He gets under the skin of opposing players and it seems his main job on the court is to be an irritant. Beverley is a solid defensive player but critics only point to his annoying tactics as his greatest skill.

Beverley doesn't mind getting scrappy with opposing stars and even playing dirty at times, which is annoying to opposing fans. Beverley also has this chip on his shoulder that he seems to carry on and off the court, and most fans dislike him because of that.

## 3. Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook is extremely entertaining, and there is no question about that. He plays hard every night, leaves 110% on the floor, and is a stat sheet stuffer. But despite all this, the majority of fans believe Westbrook doesn't want to win as badly as other players. They think Westbrook only cares about stats and money, which is a big problem for them.

While Westbrook clearly loves the game and plays to win, his inefficiencies as a player are the main reason he hasn't made the Finals since Kevin Durant left him. Westbrook doesn't make a fuss to join superteams which is a plus, but a player of his gifts should have more postseason success and that rubs a lot of fans the wrong way.

## 2. James Harden

James Harden has always been a player that was hated outside of Houston, but after his fiasco this season, Houston was added to the list. Fans can't stand the way Harden flops for fouls, and his playing style has drawn a ton of criticism from the NBA universe. There is no denying he is one of the greatest shooting guards ever, but the way he accumulates points is annoying to watch for opposing fans.

Most importantly, many NBA fans and critics believe Harden doesn't perform in the postseason. He flopped in the Finals in 2012, and he has not been the MVP player we expect of him in multiple playoff appearances since. Not to mention, Harden showed up out of shape and threw his new head coach under the bus in Houston which pretty much killed any chance of him being greeted in stadiums in the future.

## 1. Kevin Durant

Without a doubt, the most hated player in the NBA is Kevin Durant. It should have never been like that because Durant was a player that everyone loved in college and in the pros with the Thunder. He was incredibly gifted and had a very attentive playing style. But his decision to join the 73-9 Golden State Warriors squad, the same team that beat him a year prior, was the most criticized move in NBA history.

After all, we haven't seen a superstar player of Durant's caliber make a decision like that, and he left his old team high and dry. Durant also formed a superteam with the Brooklyn Nets although James Harden forced his way out of Houston, and Durant really didn't have anything to do with it. Still, fans dislike how Durant only won NBA titles as part of a superteam. His burner accounts on Twitter were also a ridiculed part of Durant's personal life, and that just adds to the disdain he holds across the NBA fanbase right now.