Most Hated NBA Players of All Time

Fans, opponents and sometimes even their own teammates didn't like them.

Most Hated NBA Players of All Time

Detroit Pistons point guard Isiah Thomas

Heroes don't matter much without villains — from movies to comic books to professional sports. And nowhere in sports are the villains better, or more hated, than in the NBA.

The personalities and characters fans love to hate have defined the game as much as the players who are universally beloved. That's because great NBA villains usually don't get blowback unless they're really good.

These are the most hated players in NBA history.

30. Matt Barnes

Golden State Warriors small forward Matt Barnes — Matt Barnes was always whining about something.

Born: March 9, 1980 (Santa Clara, California)

College: UCLA

Position: Small forward

NBA career: 13 seasons (2004-17)

Teams: Los Angeles Clippers (2004, 2012-15), Sacramento Kings (2004-05, 2016-17), New York Knicks (2005), Philadelphia 76ers (2005-06), Golden State Warriors (2006-08, 2017), Phoenix Suns (2008-09), Orlando Magic (2009-10), Los Angeles Lakers (2010-12), Memphis Grizzlies (2015-16)

Career highlights: NBA champion (2017)

Bottom Line: Matt Barnes

If you're like us, you can't really remember when or why you started hating Matt Barnes. You just know you did.

That's a credit to Barnes, who was known for a pestering, defense-first style of play, and not a knock on the average basketball fan. We can all be forgiven for not knowing exactly when Barnes got under our skin or, more specifically, who he was playing for.

In 13 NBA seasons, Barnes played for nine teams, including multiple stints with three different franchises.

29. Kevin McHale

Boston Celtics forward Kevin McHale — Kevin McHale made one of the dirtiest plays in NBA history.

Born: Dec. 19, 1957 (Hibbing, Minnesota)

College: Minnesota

Position: Power forward

NBA career: 13 seasons (1980-93)

Teams: Boston Celtics

Career highlights: Three-time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986), seven-time NBA All-Star (1984, 1986-91), All-NBA (1987), six-time All-NBA Defensive Team (1983, 1986-90), two-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year (1984, 1985), NBA All-Rookie Team (1981), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Kevin McHale

Kevin McHale became one of the greatest power forwards of all time and won three NBA championships alongside Larry Bird on the Boston Celtics in the 1980s, and did so with a style of play other fan bases didn't totally love.

McHale famously clotheslined Los Angeles Lakers forward Kurt Rambis in the 1984 NBA Finals, sparking a near-riot at The Forum but helping give the Celtics a much-needed boost to win the title.

It was one of the dirtiest plays in NBA history, and if you saw it, and then saw McHale against your team, you hated him.

28. Richie Guerin

St. Louis Hawks coach/player Richie Guerin — Richie Guerin, left, talks with former teammate Dick McGuire.

Born: May 29, 1932 (Bronx, New York)

College: Iona

Position: Shooting guard

NBA career: 13 seasons (1956-67, 1968-70)

Teams: New York Knicks (1956-63), St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks (1963-67, 1968-70)

Career highlights: Six-time NBA All-Star (1958-63), three-time All-NBA Team (1959, 1960, 1962)

Bottom Line: Richie Guerin

The New York Knicks drafted Richie Guerin while he was still in the Marines, which should have been the first indicator that the Bronx native wasn't going to put up with much on the court.

Guerin, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2013, was only hated because he was feared. He famously once fought Syracuse Nationals star Dolph Schayes, who had five inches and 40 pounds on Guerin.

Guerin was known to be especially abusive with refs as well, so it's no wonder he was so hated, although it's worth pointing out he was beloved in his native New York.

27. James Harden

Houston Rockets guard James Harden — James Harden is at his very worst in the postseason.

Born: Aug. 26, 1989 (Los Angeles, California)

College: Arizona State

Position: Shooting guard

NBA career: 12 seasons (2009-present)

Teams: Oklahoma City Thunder (2009-12), Houston Rockets (2012-present)

Career highlights: NBA MVP (2018), eight-time NBA All-Star (2013-20), seven-time All-NBA Team (2013-15, 2017-20), NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2012), NBA All-Rookie Team (2010)

Bottom Line: James Harden

James Harden isn't a bad guy at all. Compared to some all-time NBA villains, he's a downright saint.

But that's not why fans have come to hate Harden across the NBA. It's because of his style of play — a me-first approach that saw him incompatible with every other star brought in to play alongside him in Houston. And the playoffs. Oh, the playoffs.

Few players in NBA history have been as bad in the postseason versus how good they were in the regular season as Harden.

26. Bob Brannum

Boston Celtics center Bob Brannum — Bob Brannum, No. 18, was about to commit a hard foul right here.

Born: May 28, 1925 (Winfield, Kansas)

Died: Feb. 5, 2005 (age 79, Marshfield, Massachusetts)

College: Michigan State

Position: Center

NBA career: 7 seasons (1948-55)

Teams: Boston Celtics

Career highlights: None

Bottom Line: Bob Brannum

We'd love to hear if someone came before Bob Brannum, but from what we can tell, he was the NBA's first true enforcer — and one of the first players opposing fans loved to hate.

Brannum was a 6-foot-5, 220-pound center who was known as a great scorer and rebounder early in his career, even though he was undersized, but found a much different role when he joined the Boston Celtics in 1951.

That's when he became the unofficial "bodyguard" for star point guard Bob Cousy and earned the reputation that would last the rest of his life as a player willing to throw down at a moment's notice.

25. Reggie Miller

Indiana Pacers guard Reggie Miller — Reggie Miller liked to run his mouth and hit clutch shots, and not in that order.

Born: Aug. 24, 1965 (Riverside, California)

College: UCLA

Position: Shooting guard

NBA career: 18 seasons (1987-2005)

Teams: Indiana Pacers

Career highlights: Five-time NBA All-Star (1990, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000), three-time All-NBA Team (1995, 1996, 1998), NBA Citizenship Award (2004)

Bottom Line: Reggie Miller

Reggie Miller's mouth, and his ability to hit clutch shots, guaranteed he would always be among the NBA's most hated players.

Almost two decades after playing his last game for the Indiana Pacers — the team he spent all 18 NBA seasons with — Miller's name still sparks emotion.

The reason Miller was so hated is that he embraced it. No villain seemed better than the times when a full stadium of opposing fans wanted him to fail.

24. John Brisker

ABA/NBA forward John Brisker — John Brisker was declared legally dead in 1985 but hadn't been heard from since 1978.

Born: June 15, 1947 (Detroit, Michigan)

Died: 1978-1985 (disappeared, then declared legally dead)

College: Toledo

Position: Forward

ABA/NBA career: 6 seasons (1969-75)

Teams: Pittsburgh Pipers/Condors (1969-72), Seattle Supersonics (1972-75)

Career highlights: Two-time ABA All-Star (1971, 1972), All-ABA Team (1971), ABA All-Rookie Team (1970)

Bottom Line: John Brisker

John Brisker was as volatile of a player who ever stepped on the floor in NBA history.

Brisker was a former ABA star capable of averaging 20 points per game but also was ejected from games so many times he was known as the "heavyweight champion of the ABA," and several teammates worried if he argued with them, he might physically harm them.

Brisker traveled to Africa in March 1978 to look into an "import-export" business, but after calling his girlfriend in early April, he was never heard from again, and then he was declared legally dead in 1985.

23. Kobe Bryant

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant — Kobe Bryant was a different player and person in the second half of his career.

Born: Aug. 23, 1978 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

Died: Jan. 26, 2020 (age 41, Los Angeles, California)

College: None

Position: Shooting guard

NBA career: 20 seasons (1996-2016)

Teams: Los Angeles Lakers

Career highlights: Five-time NBA champion (2000-02, 2009, 2010), two-time NBA Finals MVP 2009, 2010), NBA MVP (2008), 18-time NBA All-Star (1998, 2000-16), four-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011), 15-time All-NBA (1999-2013), 12-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2000-04, 2006-12)

Bottom Line: Kobe Bryant

You can make a good argument that no player in NBA history was hated as much as Kobe Bryant for the first half of his career, when he won three consecutive NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bryant was a phenom who seemed to have little grasp on public perception during that time, and the hate for him was very real and very well-founded.

The second half of his career was the exact opposite. He changed his image into a hard-driving mentor/superstar and won two more NBA championships. When he died in 2020 in a helicopter crash, there an outpouring of love for him across the world.

22. Paul Pierce

Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce — Paul Pierce is, was and always will be a world-class hater.

Born: Oct. 13, 1977 (Oakland, California)

College: Kansas

Position: Small forward

NBA career: 19 seasons (1998-2017)

Teams: Boston Celtics (1998-2013), Brooklyn Nets (2013-14), Washington Wizards (2014-15), Los Angeles Clippers (2015-17)

Career highlights: NBA champion (2008), NBA Finals MVP (2008), 10-time NBA All-Star (2002-06, 2008-12), four-time All-NBA Team (2002, 2003, 2008, 2009), NBA All-Rookie Team (1999), NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2010)

Bottom Line: Paul Pierce

Like a few other villains, longtime Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce earned hate from NBA fans by being a hater.

There was never another superstar player Pierce wasn't willing to trash during his career, and it always came off as either petty or delusional — and never more than when he said he was better than Kobe Bryant.

Pierce kept his hater skills sharp later in his career (and post-career as a commentator) by constantly bagging on LeBron James and other stars. He's a hater for the ages.

21. Bruce Bowen

San Antonio Spurs forward Bruce Bowen — Bruce Bowen could guard Jason Kapono but not Kobe Bryant.

Born: June 14, 1971 (Merced, California)

College: Cal State Fullerton

Position: Small forward

NBA career: 12 seasons (1997-2009)

Teams: Miami Heat (1997), Boston Celtics (1997-99), Philadelphia 76ers (1999-2000), Miami Heat (2000-01), San Antonio Spurs (2001-09)

Career highlights: Three-time NBA champion (2003, 2005, 2007), seven-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2001-08)

Bottom Line: Bruce Bowen

Bruce Bowen's path to NBA stardom was unlike few in league history. He played professional basketball for four seasons before signing his first 10-day contract with the Miami Heat in 1997.

Bowen didn't become a full-time player until he joined the Spurs in 2001, where he won three NBA championships and made seven consecutive NBA All-Defensive Teams.

He also developed a reputation as one of the league's dirtiest players while guarding other team's superstars night in and night out.

20. DeMarcus Cousins

Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins — DeMarcus Cousins' face seemed stuck in this expression.

Born: Aug. 13, 1990 (Mobile, Alabama)

College: Kentucky

Position: Center

NBA career: 12 seasons (2010-22)

Teams: Sacramento Kings (2010-17), New Orleans Pelicans (2017-18), Golden State Warriors (2018-19), Los Angeles Lakers (2019-20), Houston Rockets (2020-21), Los Angeles Clippers (2021), Milwaukee Bucks (2021-22), Denver Nuggets (2022)

Career highlights: Four-time NBA All-Star (2015-18), two-time All-NBA Team (2015, 2016), NBA All-Rookie Team (2011)

Bottom Line: DeMarcus Cousins

There are few things professional sports fans hate more than seeing an enormously talented player let their potential go to waste. Which is the main reason why DeMarcus Cousins has spent his career hated by so many in the league — the inability to turn once-in-a-generation talent into wins.

Cousins spent seven worthless seasons in Sacramento, where he complained and whined and pouted instead of trying to turn the Kings into a contender.

Cousins was a player who never cared about anyone but himself in his prime, and it always showed.

19. Isaiah 'J.R.' Rider

Atlanta Hawks guard Isaiah Rider — It was 50/50 if Isaiah Rider would actually show up to games.

Born: March 12, 1971 (Oakland, California)

College: UNLV

Position: Shooting guard

NBA career: 8 seasons (1993-2001)

Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves (1993-96), Portland Trail Blazers (1996-99), Atlanta Hawks (1999-2000), Los Angeles Lakers (2000-01), Denver Nuggets (2001)

Career highlights: NBA champion (2001), NBA All-Rookie Team (1994), NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (1994)

Bottom Line: Isaiah "J.R." Rider

Some players are hated by the entire league during their playing careers. With Isaiah "J.R." Rider, you mostly only hated him if he was on your favorite team because he was so unreliable.

Rider carved a career out of off-court problems that really has to be seen to be believed. The former UNLV star was as likely to be suspended or missing from the lineup as he was to go off for 30 points during his all-too-brief career.

18. Rasheed Wallace

Portland Trail Blazers forward Rasheed Wallace — Rasheed Wallace was misunderstood.

Born: Sept. 17, 1974 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

College: North Carolina

Position: Power forward/center

NBA career: 18 seasons (1995-2013)

Teams: Washington Bullets (1995-96), Portland Trail Blazers (1996-2004), Atlanta Hawks (2004), Detroit Pistons (2004-09), Boston Celtics (2009-10), New York Knicks (2012-13)

Career highlights: NBA champion (2004), four-time NBA All-Star (2000, 2001, 2006, 2008), NBA All-Rookie Team (1996)

Bottom Line: Rasheed Wallace

Ben Gordon, Rasheed Wallace — Rasheed Wallace wasn't just a baller. He was a quote machine.

Rasheed Wallace might be one of the more misunderstood NBA stars of all time — but like it or not, he spent his career carving out a reputation built more on his propensity for receiving technical fouls than winning games.

Wallace set the NBA single-season record with technical fouls when he received 41 in the 2001-02 season. He is No. 3 on the NBA career list with 317 technicals, and he's No. 1 with 26 career ejections.

It should be pointed out that Wallace is also among the NBA's career leaders in blocks, playoff games and career games. Ball don't lie. Wallace could play and had one of the best basketball minds in NBA history.

17. Vernon Maxwell

Houston Rockets guard Vernon Maxwell — Vernon Maxwell punched a fan during a game.

Born: Sept. 12, 1965 (Gainesville, Florida)

College: Florida

Position: Point guard

NBA career: 13 seasons (1988-2001)

Teams: San Antonio Spurs (1988-90, 1996-97), Houston Rockets (1990-95), Philadelphia 76ers(1995-96, 2000), Orlando Magic (1998), Charlotte Hornets (1998), Sacramento Kings (1999), Seattle SuperSonics (1999-2000), Dallas Mavericks (2001)

Career highlights: Two-time NBA champion (1994, 1995)

Bottom Line: Vernon Maxwell

Vernon Maxwell’s wild reputation went to another level when he went a dozen rows into the stands to confront a fan who Maxwell said was heckling him.

Maxwell threw one punch – a quick jab that shattered the fan's jaw — and was fined. Confused teammates dragged Maxwell back to the floor. Maxwell was suspended 10 games, fined $20,000 for his actions and had to pay Steve George a hefty out-of-court settlement.

It was one of many times Maxwell, known as "Mad Max," went out of his way to alienate fans and teammates, from pouting and purposefully sitting out over lack of playing time to fighting Gary Payton in the Sonics' locker room.

16. Reggie Evans

Seattle SuperSonics forward Reggie Evans — The NBA invented its flopping rules because of players like Reggie Evans.

Born: Aug. 24, 1965 (Riverside, California)

College: Iowa

Position: Power forward

NBA career: 13 seasons (2002-15)

Teams: Seattle Supersonics (2002-06), Denver Nuggets (2006-07), Philadelphia 76ers (2007-09), Toronto Raptors (2009-11), Los Angeles Clippers (2011-12), Brooklyn Nets (2012-14), Sacramento Kings (2014-15)

Career highlights: None

Bottom Line: Reggie Evans

Reggie Evans was always a longshot to make the NBA coming out of Florida's football-rich panhandle, and when he finally made it there, he was going to do whatever he could to stick around.

That meant becoming one of the dirtiest players in NBA history, known as much for his ability to rebound as his willingness to cheap-shot other players in the groin.

One other thing to know about Evans. He was one of the NBA players who forced the league to begin calling players for "flopping" and received the first fine for the act.

15. Kris Humphries

Toronto Raptors forward Kris Humphries — Nate Robinson getting ready to dunk on Kris Humphries. You love to see it.

Born: Feb. 6, 1985 (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

College: Minnesota

Position: Power forward/center

NBA career: 13 seasons (2004-2017)

Teams: Utah Jazz (2004-06), Toronto Raptors (2006-09), Dallas Mavericks (2009-10), New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets (2010-13), Boston Celtics (2013-14), Washington Wizards (2014-16), Phoenix Suns (2016), Atlanta Hawks (2016-17)

Career highlights: None

Bottom Line: Kris Humphries

Few players in NBA history have been as hated and made as little of an impact on the floor as Kris Humphries, who never made it past the first round of the playoffs.

The knock on Humphries was that he was selfish — a label he was tagged with in college — and fans got to see an inside glimpse at the person he really was during his stint on reality television and subsequent marriage to Kim Kardashian.

To say it was a bad look for Humphries would be too kind. It's tough to make the Kardashians look sympathetic, but Humphries found a way.

14. John Starks

New York Knicks guard John Starks — Save it, Starks.

Born: Aug. 10, 1965 (Tulsa, Oklahoma)

College: Oklahoma State

Position: Point guard

NBA career: 14 seasons (1988-2002)

Teams: Golden State Warriors (1988-1989, 1999-2000), New York Knicks (1990-1998), Chicago Bulls (2000), Utah Jazz (2000-2002)

Career highlights: NBA All-Star (1994), NBA All-Defensive Team (1993), NBA Sixth Man of the Year (1997)

Bottom Line: John Starks

John Starks became a player NBA fans loved to hate throughout the 1990s on some great teams for the New York Knicks — mainly as a thorn in the side of Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan.

Starks was as tough as players come in the NBA in any era and loved to mix it up with other team's star players. He famously headbutted Indiana Pacers star Reggie Miller during the 1993 NBA playoffs and was ejected.

How beloved was Starks in New York? He's name-checked on classic rap albums by The Beastie Boys ("Ill Communication") and A Tribe Called Quest ("Midnight Marauders").

13. Dwight Howard

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard — Dwight Howard took a flamethrower to every bridge.

Born: Dec. 8, 1985 (Atlanta, Georgia)

College: None

Position: Center

NBA career: 17 seasons (2004-present)

Teams: Orlando Magic (2004-2012), Los Angeles Lakers (2012-2013, 2019-present), Houston Rockets (2013-2016), Atlanta Hawks (2016-2017), Charlotte Hornets (2017-2018), Washington Wizards (2018-2019), Philadelphia 76ers (2020-present)

Career highlights: NBA champion (2020), eight-time NBA All-Star (2007-14), eight-time All-NBA Team (2007-14), five-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2008-12), NBA All-Rookie Team (2005), NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (2008)

Bottom Line: Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard pretty much got a blank check from NBA fans as far as how high he could rise in terms of stardom and popularity. And he blew it.

NBA fans didn't start seriously hating Howard until they got to know him, which was right around when the Orlando Magic got good in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Nothing was more cringe-inducing than when he ran off head coach Stan Van Gundy.

Howard was insufferable as a teammate, and rooting for him was just a bridge too far for fans almost everywhere he played.

12. Rick Mahorn

Detroit Pistons forward Rick Mahorn — Rick Mahorn had a 6-inch vertical leap.

Born: Sept. 21, 1958 (Hartford, Connecticut)

College: Hampton

Position: Power forward/center

NBA career: 18 seasons (1980-99)

Teams: Washington Bullets (1980-85), Detroit Pistons (1985-89, 1996-98), Philadelphia 76ers (1989-91, 1999), New Jersey Nets (1992-96),

Career highlights: NBA champion (1989), NBA All-Defensive Team (1990)

Bottom Line: Rick Mahorn

If you saw Rick Mahorn coming into a game against your favorite team during his 18 seasons in the NBA, you knew he was doing it for one reason — to stir up some trouble.

Mahorn was an A-1 enforcer throughout almost two decades in the NBA but did so with little personal acclaim other than one NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 1989 and one NBA All-Defensive Team selection in 1990.

Mahorn wasn't a bad guy at all. He was just a bad guy to have to go head-to-head with on the court.

11. Latrell Sprewell

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Latrell Sprewell — Why wasn't Latrell Sprewell arrested for attacking P.J. Carlesimo?

Born: Sept. 8, 1970 (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

College: Alabama

Position: Small forward

NBA career: 13 seasons (1992-2005)

Teams: Golden State Warriors (1992-98), New York Knicks (1998-2003), Minnesota Timberwolves (2003-05)

Career highlights: Four-time NBA All-Star (1994, 1995, 1997, 2001), All-NBA Team (1994), NBA All-Defensive Team (1994), NBA All-Rookie Team (1993)

Bottom Line: Latrell Sprewell

Latrell Sprewell had a history of violence with his Warriors teammates, bringing a two-by-four into the gym to attack teammate Jerome Kersey and getting in a brutal fistfight with Byron Houston.

He also viciously attacked head coach P.J. Carlesimo, choking him out on the practice floor, then returning from the locker room to punch him in the face, which didn't get him booted from the league.

Sprewell eventually did that himself, when he turned down a three-year, $21 million contract offer from the Timberwolves, famously declaring the offer insulting and saying, "I have a family to feed."

10. Danny Ainge

Phoenix Suns guard Danny Ainge — There are three NBA head coaches in this photo.

Born: March 17, 1959 (Eugene, Oregon)

College: BYU

Position: Shooting guard

NBA career: 14 seasons (1981-95)

Teams: Boston Celtics (1981-89), Sacramento Kings (1989-90), Portland Trail Blazers (1990-92), Phoenix Suns (1992-95)

Career highlights: Two-time NBA champion (1984, 1986), NBA All-Star (1988)

Bottom Line: Danny Ainge

Perhaps no player in NBA history was able to get under the skin of his opponents like Danny Ainge, who won two NBA titles with the Boston Celtics and is No. 11 on the NBA career playoff games list.

Ainge, who played three years of Major League Baseball with the Toronto Blue Jays, famously started a fight with 7-foot-1 Atlanta Hawks center Tree Rollins in 1983 despite giving up seven inches and almost 100 pounds to Rollins.

Rollins, for his trouble, almost bit through a tendon on one of Ainge's fingers.

9. Kermit Washington

Portland Trail Blazers forward Kermit Washington — Kermit Washington's career was defined by a split-second decision.

Born: Sept. 17, 1951 (Washington, D.C.)

College: American

Position: Power forward

NBA career: 10 seasons (1973-1982, 1987)

Teams: Los Angeles Lakers (1973-1977), Boston Celtics (1977-1978), San Diego Clippers (1978-1979), Portland TrailBlazers (1979-1982), Golden State Warriors (1987)

Career highlights: NBA All-Star (1980), two-time NBA All-Defensive Team (1980, 1981)

Bottom Line: Kermit Washington

There are few tales as tragic as Kermit Washington’s in the history of the NBA. And even 40 years after one of the most infamous incidents in pro sports, his name still invokes a certain feeling of uneasiness.

And that’s fair, because he almost killed Houston’s Rudy Tomjanovich with one punch during a game in 1977. Washington's reputation never recovered from that moment, and he played out the rest of his career as one of the NBA's most reviled players.

Washington is currently doing six years in federal prison for embezzling $500,000 meant for African charities and is scheduled to be released in August 2023.

8. Metta Sandiford-Artest

Indiana Pacers forward Metta Sandiford-Artest — Metta Sandiford-Artest authored one of the worst nights in NBA history.

Born: Nov. 13, 1979 (Queens, New York)

College: St. John's

Position: Small forward

NBA career: 17 seasons (1999-2014, 2015-2017)

Teams: Chicago Bulls (1999-2002), Indiana Pacers (2002-06), Sacramento Kings (2006-08), Houston Rockets (2008-09), Los Angeles Lakers (2009-13, 2015-17), New York Knicks (2013-14)

Career highlights: NBA champion (2010), NBA All-Star (2004), All-NBA Team (2004), NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2004), four-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2003, 2004, 2006, 2009), NBA All-Rookie Team (2000)

Bottom Line: Metta Sandiford-Artest

Ron Artest changed his name to Metta World Peace in 2011 and to Metta Sandiford-Artest in 2020. NBA fans have always known him as a player they loved to hate during 17 seasons in the NBA.

Sandiford-Artest was hated for being a menace on the court for five seasons before he was almost single-handedly responsible for the worst night in NBA history — "The Malice at the Palace" in 2004.

Artest served the longest suspension for an on-court incident in NBA history at 86 games, and his reputation never recovered.

7. Dennis Rodman

Chicago Bulls forward Dennis Rodman — Dennis Rodman rarely won an argument with a referee.

Born: May 13, 1961 (Trenton, New Jersey)

College: Southeastern Oklahoma State

Position: Small forward

NBA career: 14 seasons(1986-2000)

Teams: Detroit Pistons (1986-1993), San Antonio Spurs (1993-1995), Chicago Bulls (1995-1998), Los Angeles Lakers (1999), Dallas Mavericks (2000)

Career highlights: Five-time NBA champion (1989, 1990, 1996-98), two-time NBA All-Star (1990, 1992), two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1990, 1991), two-time All-NBA (1992, 1995), eight-time NBA All-Defensive Team (1989-96)

Bottom Line: Dennis Rodman

It wasn't as easy to hate Dennis Rodman as a member of the Detroit Pistons' "Bad Boys" teams that won back-to-back NBA titles in 1989 and 1990. But people still did it.

Later in his career, Rodman fully embraced the villain role and welcomed the vitriol from fans around the league as he continued to be one of the league's greatest rebounders and defenders — and as he won three more NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls.

In the words of the late, great comedian Charlie Murphy, Rodman was what was known as a "habitual line stepper."

6. Karl Malone

Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone — Karl Malone received more technical fouls than any player in NBA history.

Born: July 24, 1963 (Summerfield, Louisiana)

College: Louisiana Tech

Position: Power forward

NBA career: 19 seasons (1985-2004)

Teams: Utah Jazz (1985-2003), Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04)

Career highlights: Two-time NBA MVP (1997, 1999), 14-time NBA All-Star (1988-98, 2000-02), two-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (1989, 1993), 14-time All-NBA (1988-2001), four-time All-NBA Defensive Team (1988, 1997-99), NBA All-Rookie Team (1986)

Bottom Line: Karl Malone

Karl Malone's 377 technical fouls are the most in NBA history. It's kind of an amazing stat considering he wasn't really a player known for running his mouth.

Malone, however, was more than capable of doling out punishment with his elbows and opened up many foreheads in his career, including 40 stitches for Isiah Thomas during a game in 1991.

Malone's legacy as one of the greatest power forwards of all time owes more to playing with John Stockton than his own talent. He was a dirty player who earned every boo rained down on him.

5. Bill Laimbeer

Detroit Pistons center Bill Laimbeer — Bill Laimbeer led the NBA in rebounds in 1986.

Born: May 19, 1957 (Boston, Massachusetts)

College: Notre Dame

Position: Center

NBA career: 14 seasons (1980-1994)

Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (1980-1982), Detroit Pistons (1982-1993)

Career highlights: Two-time NBA champion (1989, 1990), four-time NBA All-Star (1983-85, 1987)

Bottom Line: Bill Laimbeer

When it comes to Bill Laimbeer, the argument is always going to come down to whether or not he was a tough player or was he just a dirty player?

What's not up for debate is how much Laimbeer was hated by opposing fans and opposing players for his style of play. And to Laimbeer's credit, few players in NBA history have embraced the role of villain so wholeheartedly.

What's lost in the hate for Laimbeer is any appreciation for his talent. He was a four-time All-Star who led the NBA in rebounds in 1986 and won two NBA titles with the Detroit Pistons.

4. Draymond Green

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green — Draymond Green rarely lets common sense interfere with his decision making.

Born: March 4, 1990 (Saginaw, Michigan)

College: Michigan State

Position: Power forward/small forward

NBA career: 11 seasons (2012-present)

Teams: Golden State Warriors

Career highlights: Four-time NBA champion (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022), four-time NBA All-Star (2016-18, 2022), two-time All-NBA Team (2016, 2017), NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2017), five-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2015-19)

Bottom Line: Draymond Green

Draymond Green will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history when his career is over. As well as one of the most hated.

Green's ascendance to one of the NBA's best began in the first of four seasons winning an NBA title with the Golden State Warriors in 2015, when he was just one of six players to record a triple-double in an NBA title-clinching game.

Green seemed to be in constant verbal combat with refs and opponents and lost a fourth title for the Warriors in 2016 when he was suspended in the NBA Finals, then ran off teammate Kevin Durant after the 2019 season. While he's somewhat transitioned to elder statesmen in the last few years, he didn't win any fans when he cold-cocked teammate Jordan Poole before the 2022-23 NBA season, essentially derailing the Warriors' title defense before it even started.

3. Rick Barry

Golden State Warriors forward Rick Barry — Rick Barry was hated by his teammates as much as opposing fans and players.

Born: March 28, 1944 (Elizabeth, New Jersey)

College: Miami (Florida)

Position: Forward

NBA career: 10 seasons (1965-67, 1972-80)

Teams: San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1965-67, 1972-78), Houston Rockets (1978-80)

Career highlights: NBA champion (1975), NBA Finals MVP (1975), eight-time NBA All-Star (1966, 1967, 1973-78), NBA All-Star Game MVP (1967), six-time All-NBA Team (1966, 1967, 1973-76), NBA Rookie of the Year (1966), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Rick Barry

Rick Barry spent his entire career not caring what impression he gave off. And as in most cases when someone feels like this, it's usually a bad one.

And that's too bad, because Barry is truly one of the greatest players in NBA history and doesn't get credited for being one. And that's his fault. Barry spent his career looking down his nose at teammates and coaches — hypercritical of everyone for their shortcomings and never able to look at his own.

It also proved to be his undoing as a broadcaster, where viewers found him overwhelmingly negative and critical, and he was let go after one season on the CBS national broadcast team, which also included several glaring, on-air racial gaffes.

2. Isiah Thomas

Detroit Pistons guard Isiah Thomas — Isiah Thomas invented being a hater in the NBA.

Born: April 30, 1961 (Chicago, Illinois)

College: Indiana

Position: Point guard

NBA career: 13 seasons (1981-94)

Teams: Detroit Pistons

Career highlights: Two-time NBA champion (1989, 1990), NBA Finals MVP (1990), 12-time NBA All-Star (1982-93), two-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (1984, 1986), five-time All-NBA Team (1983-87), NBA All-Rookie Team (1982), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Isiah Thomas

In an interesting twist of fate, Isiah Thomas turned himself into one of the most hated players in NBA history by being a world-class hater.

The Hall of Fame point guard and two-time NBA champion for the Detroit Pistons famously orchestrated the "freeze-out" of Chicago Bulls rookie Michael Jordan at the 1985 All-Star Game, then doubled down by walking off the court and not shaking hands with Jordan and the Bulls after losing in the 1991 Eastern Conference finals.

It's sad Thomas is so hated. He's one of the greatest point guards in NBA history behind Magic Johnson.

1. LeBron James

Los Angeles Lakers guard LeBron James — Whine about it why don't you?

Born: Dec. 30, 1984 (Akron, Ohio)

College: None

Position: Small forward

NBA career: 20 seasons (2003-present)

Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-2010, 2014-2018), Miami Heat (2010-2014), Los Angeles Lakers (2018-present)

Career highlights: Four-time NBA champion (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), four-time NBA MVP (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), four-time NBA Finals MVP (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), 19-time NBA All-Star (2005-2023), three-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2006, 2008, 2018), 19-time All-NBA Team (2005-2023), six-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2009-14), NBA Rookie of the Year (2004)

Bottom Line: LeBron James

There seem to be two schools of thought for the people who hate LeBron James, but there are so many people that make up both camps that it easily pushes him to the top of this list.

The first group hates him for the clumsily staged television special produced by James' team in 2010 — otherwise known as "The Decision" — that announced he was leaving Cleveland to join the Miami Heat and created one of the more awkward moments in NBA history. That one moment, despite whatever he did moving forward, turned them into LeBron haters forever.

The other group hates him because he made NBA games almost impossible to watch over the last decade with his incessant whining and complaining at referee — as the best player in the league it seemed all the other players in the league just followed suit.