Hate For The Best Player?

[Legacy]

I've been thinking about it lately, but it seems like recently, when a player establishes as the best player in the NBA, they are more and more hated.

 

Kobe Bryant has been the best player in the league for the past couple of seasons, and the hate for him has been insane. Not only because of the rape case, but even after that cleared up, people hate on him until no end.

 

LeBron James seems to be closing in on Bryant as the best player in the league and people are starting to hate on him more because of his actions on and off the court.

 

Do fans dislike the players due to their fame and success or because of their cockiness?

[Real Deal]

Most great players are cocky. That has something to do with it. Jordan and Kobe are...not that difficult to admit it.

 

I know this topic is going to be more about LeBron than anything, so I'll drag Magic Johnson in on it as well...one of the most humble players you can find. Did people hate Magic? I wouldn't say so...not as much as they did Jordan, and some of you wouldn't believe the Jordan hate back in the early and mid-90's, especially after coming back out of retirement.

 

A lot of it has to do with the success, though. Problem is, I wouldn't consider LeBron that successful yet. As big of a fan I've been of his, I'm the polar opposite when it comes to the way he actually displays his cockiness. Kobe trash talks to players on the court, uses it as a motivational tool. LeBron reminds us all of his stats (using a t-shirt), shows poor sportsmanship in a playoff loss (right after he was fine with shaking hands after a win), dances on the sidelines AND on the court before/during/after the game, takes jabs at players in his comments, takes a jab at his own coach, pulled a Rafer Alston by showboating with a flurry of unnecessary dribbling moves in that Chicago blowout (and that was off a screen, so I don't even know what the hell that was for other than taunting), and it's just getting to the point where I don't know if I want to support that anymore.

 

Garnett started taunting smaller players (mainly guards) to no end, until he busted his knee. I don't see him doing much crawling or yelling in their ears anymore.

 

Charles Barkley made a great point once. He said that if some of this stuff was done back in the 80's, you'd eat your words. Players still do this...you saw it with Fisher and Scola in the playoffs last season, and honestly, I think you may have seen it when Haywood clotheslined LeBron James a few years back.

 

If you're going to be cocky, that's fine...but do it away from the camera and in your opponents' ears. You don't have to turn things into a circus, because that's when you're involving thousands of fans, other opponents, coaches and even your own teammates, and that's when things get ugly.

[kingfish]

Lebrons not the best player though

 

Believe me many many people still hate Kobe Bryant, it runs in their veins. Once a hater always a hater.

[Flash]

Most great players are cocky. That has something to do with it. Jordan and Kobe are...not that difficult to admit it.

 

I know this topic is going to be more about LeBron than anything, so I'll drag Magic Johnson in on it as well...one of the most humble players you can find. Did people hate Magic? I wouldn't say so...not as much as they did Jordan, and some of you wouldn't believe the Jordan hate back in the early and mid-90's, especially after coming back out of retirement.

 

A lot of it has to do with the success, though. Problem is, I wouldn't consider LeBron that successful yet. As big of a fan I've been of his, I'm the polar opposite when it comes to the way he actually displays his cockiness. Kobe trash talks to players on the court, uses it as a motivational tool. LeBron reminds us all of his stats (using a t-shirt), shows poor sportsmanship in a playoff loss (right after he was fine with shaking hands after a win), dances on the sidelines AND on the court before/during/after the game, takes jabs at players in his comments, takes a jab at his own coach, pulled a Rafer Alston by showboating with a flurry of unnecessary dribbling moves in that Chicago blowout (and that was off a screen, so I don't even know what the hell that was for other than taunting), and it's just getting to the point where I don't know if I want to support that anymore.

 

Garnett started taunting smaller players (mainly guards) to no end, until he busted his knee. I don't see him doing much crawling or yelling in their ears anymore.

 

Charles Barkley made a great point once. He said that if some of this stuff was done back in the 80's, you'd eat your words. Players still do this...you saw it with Fisher and Scola in the playoffs last season, and honestly, I think you may have seen it when Haywood clotheslined LeBron James a few years back.

 

If you're going to be cocky, that's fine...but do it away from the camera and in your opponents' ears. You don't have to turn things into a circus, because that's when you're involving thousands of fans, other opponents, coaches and even your own teammates, and that's when things get ugly.

 

+ 1 million. Took the words right out of my mouth.

[BlueDevil]

agreed with RD, I feel like im one of the few that have grown to like kobe, mostly after the Lakers dynasty broke up after shaq left. LeBron though is far to full of himself, whereas Kobe just tries to be the best ever. LeBron's antics as of late have shown just how full of himself he is, i would love nothing more than for him to never win an NBA title.

[deestillballin]

Most great players are cocky. That has something to do with it. Jordan and Kobe are...not that difficult to admit it.

 

I know this topic is going to be more about LeBron than anything, so I'll drag Magic Johnson in on it as well...one of the most humble players you can find. Did people hate Magic? I wouldn't say so...not as much as they did Jordan, and some of you wouldn't believe the Jordan hate back in the early and mid-90's, especially after coming back out of retirement.

 

A lot of it has to do with the success, though. Problem is, I wouldn't consider LeBron that successful yet. As big of a fan I've been of his, I'm the polar opposite when it comes to the way he actually displays his cockiness. Kobe trash talks to players on the court, uses it as a motivational tool. LeBron reminds us all of his stats (using a t-shirt), shows poor sportsmanship in a playoff loss (right after he was fine with shaking hands after a win), dances on the sidelines AND on the court before/during/after the game, takes jabs at players in his comments, takes a jab at his own coach, pulled a Rafer Alston by showboating with a flurry of unnecessary dribbling moves in that Chicago blowout (and that was off a screen, so I don't even know what the hell that was for other than taunting), and it's just getting to the point where I don't know if I want to support that anymore.

Garnett started taunting smaller players (mainly guards) to no end, until he busted his knee. I don't see him doing much crawling or yelling in their ears anymore.

 

Charles Barkley made a great point once. He said that if some of this stuff was done back in the 80's, you'd eat your words. Players still do this...you saw it with Fisher and Scola in the playoffs last season, and honestly, I think you may have seen it when Haywood clotheslined LeBron James a few years back.

 

If you're going to be cocky, that's fine...but do it away from the camera and in your opponents' ears. You don't have to turn things into a circus, because that's when you're involving thousands of fans, other opponents, coaches and even your own teammates, and that's when things get ugly.

 

I agree with this 100% it's not so much as we hate the player we hate the players game because its so good. Im first to say yup I hate Kobes game (when he beats the team im going for lol) as a person I love him to death, charities, the things he does for kids. As for LeBron he is one of my favorte players, but his attidude is what makes ppl push away from him, does he have the right to be some what cocky? yes he is winning, does he have the right to parade around the court like his [expletive] don't stink, no, until he has something to show for it. and this is coming from sumbody who does support LeBron.

[andreusito]

Most great players are cocky.

/Thread

 

Nobody hates Tim Duncan except for things like 'he is boring' and stuff like that.

[timothy j]

I don't hate Kobe, not by any means. I do, however, think that LeBron James is the best player in the NBA. Not that it's a landslide, or even definite in my mind, but the way LeBron can change a game is different from any player I have seen since Jordan. Again, it isn't that Kobe isn't a game-changer, because he is, it's just different for me when I see LeBron. He really does everything, he can score in bunches, but still be a pass-first guy on the floor. Pretty incredible. So, to assume that people say LeBron is the best out there because they hate Kobe isn't too fair, or at least I think so.