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Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo made a surprising claim on Twitter on Thanksgiving morning. Antetokounmpo tweeted a picture of himself snarling with the caption:
“Most hated.”
This comes a few days after Antetokounmpo got involved in a postgame controversy with Philadelphia 76ers center Montrezl Harrell. The two had a dispute over Antetokounmpo’s use of the Sixers’ court, which ended in the Bucks superstar pushing a ladder that belonged to a Sixers staffer.
However, even after Antetokounmpo’s outburst, fans aren’t convinced that he’s one of the NBA’s most hated players, with many saying he isn’t even close.
So, on that note, here are five of the most hated NBA players of the 2022-2023 season.
Top 5 most hated NBA players
#5 Russell Westbrook
During his prime OKC Thunder years, Russell Westbrook was considered one of the most fun and electric players in the NBA. This was when Westbrook was breaking all-time triple-double records and leading lackluster Thunder rosters to the playoffs without Kevin Durant.
However, as his athleticism and effectiveness have waned over the years, Westbrook has become one of the most hated players in the league.
A lot of this had to do with his failure to accept a bench role and the fact that he didn’t play team basketball. LA Lakers fans were even pleading with the team’s front office to trade him all offseason.
However, Westbrook has finally accepted his new role off the bench and rejuvenated his career over the past few weeks. Russ has averaged 17.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game while shooting 43.2% and 38.9% from three in 12 games off the bench.
It remains to be seen if "Mr. Triple-Double" will keep up this level of bench production. For now, however, the Westbrook hate appears to have died down for the first time in a while.
#4 Kevin Durant
A few years ago, Brooklyn Nets superstar forward Kevin Durant was probably the most hated player in the NBA. This was due to him leaving the OKC Thunder in 2016 to join the historic 73-9 Golden State Warriors team.
Many fans were frustrated by the effortlessness of Durant’s two championships with Golden State, alleging that he took the easy way out. Others complained that he ruined the NBA by joining a super team.
After KD left the Warriors in 2019, he has fallen well short of expectations while playing for the Brooklyn Nets. The Durant hate has also died down to an extent, though the drama from this past offseason didn't go down well with everyone.
#3 Draymond Green
Golden State Warriors All-Star forward Draymond Green has long been one of the most hated players in the league. A lot of this has to do with his trash talk and dirty plays.
The immense success of the Warriors in the 2010s has contributed to people hating Green as well. The forward has consistently been the most vocal of Golden State’s stars despite being their third or fourth option on offense.
Many fans have also been rubbed the wrong way by Green’s four All-Star game selections, alleging that he is just a glorified role player (career 8.7 PPG).
#2 Patrick Beverley
LA Lakers veteran guard Patrick Beverley has been one of the most hated players in the NBA for basically his entire 11-year career.
Beverley may not be the most talented player in the NBA, but he almost always finds his way onto competitive teams. The 34-year-old is best-known for his wild trash talk and dirty plays.
Beverley just recently received a three-game suspension for taking a cheap shot at Phoenix Suns big man Deandre Ayton, which is now being called “Shovegate.”
Also read: Patrick Beverley is 'a blight on the sport’, no reason to be in the league: NBA analyst
#1 Ben Simmons
Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons is widely hated across the NBA for a variety of reasons. Most of the hate he has received has been from fans who think he quit on the Philadelphia 76ers following his disappointing performance in the 2021 playoffs.
Simmons sat out the entire 2021-2022 season due to a holdout followed by a mysterious back injury. He later added that he was dealing with mental health issues, but fans still showed him little sympathy.
Things apparently got so bad for Simmons in Philly that he had to do anonymous charity work. This was because the Australian was afraid people wouldn’t accept donations from him.
Outside of those reasons, there are also fans who enjoy hating on Simmons for his inability to shoot 3-pointers (career 14.3% shooter from beyond the arc). Others just take shots at him for not living up to his No. 1 draft selection in 2016.
Guess the Lakers players!
