HustlinOwl
Online Dynasty = Crack
http://www.bustabucket.com/20090316282/articles/march-2009/top-10-most-hated-nba-players.html
Pics are classic.
Pics are classic.
With the playoffs drawing near and games increasing with intensity, what better time then now to unveil the bloggers top 10 most hated NBA Players? We at Bust a Bucket used a very advanced method of basketball calculations to find out exactly who the top 10 players were.
I'm kidding, I wouldn't know the first thing about real basketball math. The truth is, we got the opinions of 24 bloggers across the blogosphere who shared their most hated guys with us. We used their lists to come up with one master list of NBA villians.
I'd like to start off by thanking all of the websites who helped us complete the list:
Empty The Bench, The Dream Shake, Hornets 24/7, The Lakers Nation, Hoops Addict, Raptors HQ, Rushing To Judgment, The Nats Blog, T-Wolves Blog, 3 Shades of Blue, Curse of Cleveland, Points in the Paint, With Malice, Hoop Heads North, Blue Blitz, A Stern Warning, Blazer's Edge, Need 4 Sheed, The Strap, 2nd Round Reach, Bright Side of the Sun, & CDub. We had a great response and even had a couple people each from a handful of the websites. Let's get to the list!
10. Zach Randolph. All kinds of double double talent but his behavior was despised in Portland. His attitude and off the court antics landed him in New York for small returns. Now he finds himself playing only for money and his Hoops Family in Clipperland.
9. Paul Pierce. Perennial loser in Boston until Danny Ainge made a deal with the Devil to bring in Allen and Garnett. From chirping at opponents to an overly cocky demeanor Paul Pierce is easy to hate. Don from With Malice summed it up best with this, "I mean... a wheelchair?"
8. Manu Ginobili. Manu represents all of the Euro transplants who defy gravity with their ridiculous flopping abilities and their incessant complaining. We've all grown to hate him over the years as the Spurs won NBA titles. If only the league would crack down on soccer style antics, what would Ginobili do?
7. Kevin Garnett. For years KG took pity from NBA fans who saw his situation in Minnesota as a dead end. After Danny Ainge lost out on a top pick in the 2007 draft he quickly went to work and acquired KG. Soon enough Garnett became a bully in Boston. The yelling and taunting was now just over the top. Then after the championship things really got out of hand. Just ask Jerryd Bayless or Jose Calderon.
6. Carlos Boozer. After a shady exit from Cleveland a few years back, and talk of him being a malcontent in Utah, it's no wonder so many people dislike Boozer. Perhaps Boozer is just a scapegoat for Jazz haters. Either way there is a feeling that nobody seems to like this guy. Is it the Duke Alumni thing?
5. Ricky Davis. Extremely easy guy to hate here. First and foremost, trying to get a triple double by purposely clanking it off your own hoop? Maybe for me as a Blazer fan it was him calling our players cockroaches. Well congratulations Ricky "The Rat" Davis, you made it in the top 5.
4. Bruce Bowen. Another player who is hated for his rings just as much as his style of play. Bowen made a living off of physical frustrating defense. Many of us hate him for his complaining and association with the dreaded Spurs. I seem to recall quite a few dirty plays as well, like a kick to Amare Stoudemire or anything else he could muster up without the referees seeing.
3. Stephon Marbury. Stephon freaking Marbury. A basketball cancer at its highest level. No matter where he goes the team fails. Is it because he's the ultimate me-first guy? Maybe it was the smugness he exuded on the sideline in New York as he ran a coach out of town and destroyed a franchise. The best part? He's on the Celtics now, even more reason to dislike this guy.
2. Shaquille O'Neal. The big Aristotle may be loved by some but he is despised by so many others. His antics can be deemed as funny and disrespectful at the same time. His parting in LA left Jonathon of The Lakers Nation to share, "What can I say? the man has burnt a lot of bridges." So LA, Miami, and many of his opponents don't like him. Perhaps this is where Shaq would say, Don't hate me 'cause you ain't me?
1. Kobe Bryant. Our number one most hated NBA player. His talent is unquestionable, but with that talent he's brought the cocky attitude that many have grown to hate. He also somehow has spawned a legion of annoying Kobe fans who litter NBA arenas with their homemade T-shirts and blasphemous personas. Of course there was also the trials in Colorado which forever tarnished his image. What ever the case may be, Kobe is hated by many and loved by few.Also receiving votes but missing out on the top 10 included; Matt Harpring, Sasha Vujacic, Kendrick Perkins, & JR Smith.Thanks again to everyone who participated, this was fun!
