Hate is a strong word. And it’s difficult to quantify. But we’re not about to let that stop us here at Bounding Into Sports.
The NBA playoffs have kicked off in recent days and there is certainly a lot to love out on the hardwood.
Will the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic be crowned repeat champions? Will the Boston Celtics live up to their number 1 seed and overall best record? Does LeBron James have another run in him?
But we’re focused on something a little different than love. Who do fans and players love to hate? Here are our top 5 in no particular order.
Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert has been a dominant force for the Minnesota Timberwolves, leading the team with his defensive prowess. He is an overwhelming favorite for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Gobert is often disliked due to a combination of factors, including his perceived lack of “cool” factor, and some personal quirks. He believes other players look at him as the “odd guy from France.”
He raised the ire of the media when he jokingly touched microphones during the height of the pandemic, and then later tested positive for COVID.
In a recent anonymous player poll by The Athletic, Gobert was rated by his peers as the most overrated player in the league.
Grayson Allen
Grayson Allen has had a breakout season with the Phoenix Suns, leading the NBA in three-point percentage and averaging career highs across the board, including 13.5 points on 49.9% shooting from the field and 46.1% from downtown.
But Allen has been described as a “dirty” player over his basketball career, which includes his time at Duke, a polarizing program on its own.
Allen was well known for tripping opponents during his college playing days. He was suspended indefinitely at one point (which amounted to one game) and stripped of his title of captain by Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski in 2016.
Dillon Brooks
Dillon Brooks played his first season with the Houston Rockets in 2024, averaging 12.7 points on 42.8% shooting, 35.9% from three-point range, and 84.4% from the free throw line in just under 31 minutes per game.
He played in 72 out of 82 games. But his offensive output marked the lowest for him since the 2018-2019 season when he played just 18 games due to a foot injury which required surgery.
Brooks though, took home the crown of most hated player in the NBA last year according to a report by Betonline.ag.
He made headlines last season for trash-talking LeBron James in a first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers wound up winning the series.
Draymond Green
Draymond Green is one of the most dynamic and polarizing players in the NBA today. He is a four-time NBA All-Star and a four-time world champion with the Golden State Warriors.
But his 2024 season was marked more by things he did that led to him being taken off the court and distracting from his team’s focus.
Green, known for his aggressive playing style, trash-talking, and controversial comments off the court, has built a reputation as a player hated by both fans and opponents alike.
He served two suspensions and was ejected four times throughout the season, which was a rollercoaster of emotions for him and his teammates.
RELATED: 5 Best NBA Follows On X (Twitter), Including LeBron James And Kevin Durant
LeBron James
LeBron James needs no introduction. He is often included in the conversation as one of the best NBA players of all time.
James averaged 25.7 points on 54% shooting, 41% from 3, and 75% from the FT line, with 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists in 35.3 minutes this season. He is 39.
James made history on March 4, 2024, when he became the first player to eclipse the 40,000-point mark for his career.
But his insistence that he is the best player ever, along with narcissistic traits including calling himself “King”, having an entire special surrounding his free agency moves, and getting a tattoo on his back saying “Chosen 1″ have left a bad taste in the mouths of some fans.