LeBron James Is NBA's Most Hated Player, Kyrie Irving 2nd
Despite statistics showing him as one of the top basketball players of all time, LeBron James is still at the bottom among liked players in the NBA and is considered the most hated player in the league.
The 36-year-old basketball superstar, who is now in his 18th year in the NBA, is still on top of his game and considered by many as "The King" of the league.
But injuries after a short offseason from the bubble resulted in a first-round exit for LeBron James and the Lakers that prompted haters to come out.
LeBron James' Haters
According to Mediate, a Sports Insider study showed that the 17-time All-Star is the most hated player in the NBA. Sports Insider based the study on the negative mentions of NBA players on Twitter to come up with a result of the "most hated players in the NBA."
More than 70,000 tweets and hashtags were tracked for the study. It includes negative tweets and phrases such as "I hate LeBron" and "LeBron sucks." In 24 different states, LeBron James was found to be the most hated player in the NBA.
LeBron James, who is considered the face of the NBA for more than a decade, is also the most exposed player in the league, not only in the press but also in social media. As a result, he also becomes a polarizing figure.
The NBA superstar, who consistently injected himself into politics over the past years, has used his platform to advocate for social justice.
However, some individuals took it negatively and suggested that James should keep out of politics and just focus on sports, Lakers Daily reported.
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Other NBA Players Who Also Made to The 'Most Hated' List
Some states, including Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan, South Carolina, and Oregon, also picked players like the Nets' big three Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. Also on the "most hated player" list were stars like Russell Westbrook and Paul George.
Recently, LeBron James found himself in hot water after commenting on the Ma'Khia Bryant shooting in Columbus, Ohio. It happened just hours after Derek Chauvin was convicted on all charges in the death of George Floyd.
Bryant was shot and killed by a police officer while reportedly attempting to stab another black woman during a heated altercation.
Before the facts emerged in the case, LeBron James sent out a now-deleted tweet with a picture of the officer with the caption "YOU'RE NEXT." He was widely criticized for what he posted but has never apologized for what he has done.
Kyrie Irving, who ranked as the second most hated NBA player based on the study, was also not afraid to get involved in topics outside of sports.
Kyrie Irving inserted himself into the conversation surrounding the conflict between Israel and Palestine. In past weeks, he also made waves after commenting on race relations between fans and NBA players.
Before his return to TD Garden in front of Boston Celtics fans, where he played for two years, Irving told reporters that he hoped there would not be any "subtle racism" from the crowd.
Kyrie Irving emphasized that he just looks forward to competing with his teammates and hopes that they can just keep it strictly basketball with no belligerence or any racism going on, Daily Wire reported.
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