They say ‘hate’ is a strong word, but I say it’s not strong enough when dealing with these players.
As a fan of the San Antonio Spurs, I’ve learned to love a lot of players for their skills on the court, as well as their seemingly nice personalities off the court.
Guys like Tim Duncan , Boris Diaw , and Matt Bonner all seem like genuinely great guys in person, and that makes it easy for me to connect with and respect those players while watching them.
However, there are lot of players in the league that drive me up the wall, and make me cringe with every word they say, and everything they do. Guys who think they’re better than everyone else at everything else, sound like morons when they talk to the media, handle losing poorly, that kind of stuff. So without further a do, here are just a few NBA players I hate with a passion.
Matt Barnes , small forward, Memphis Grizzlies
Anyone who tells you they genuinely like Matt Barnes is either :
a) a liar
OR
b) a bigger jerk than Barnes is
Since entering the league in 2002, Barnes has played on like 10 different teams, but more impressively has been in like 10 different fights. It seems like at least twice a season, his name gets brought up on TMZ for fighting with someone. It amazes me how the man still has a job in the NBA. Imagine if Barnes wasn’t playing professional basketball. What would he be doing with his life? With all those tattoos, and the criminal, smug look he has, it’s hard for me to picture him doing anything respectable. Here are some notable milestones through Barnes career :
November 14, 2008 – Barnes was suspended two games after getting in a fight with former player, Rafer Alston .
October 31, 2012 – Barnes again gets suspended after pleading no consent to a “misdemeanor” with a police officer.
November 2013 – Barnes, ejected from a game, wasn’t happy about leaving, violated the NBA rules and tweeted during the game. Fined $25,000.
December 13, 2014 – Fined another $25,000 for kicking a water bottle, swearing/ using bad language.
January 25, 2024 – Fined $25,000 for using bad language towards an opposing fan. Claims was talking to opposing teams owner.
May 8, 2024 – Fined $50,000 for making idiotic comments about James Harden ‘s mother.
December 28, 2024 – Barnes was suspended two games for fighting former teammate, Derek Fisher at the home of Barnes’ “estranged wife”. Four days after the event made headlines, Barnes was fined $35,000 for defending his actions against Fisher, and not showing any signs of regret/sorrow.
All of that should give you a pretty basic idea as to who Matt Barnes is, considering the fact he’s thrown over a million dollars down the drain for just kicking water bottles, talking smack to fans, and fighting players on and off of the court. Not to mention the fact Barnes was arrested in 2010 for belief of domestic violence, and again in 2012 for threatening a police officer. This one shouldn’t be too hard to figure out. I’m sure Barnes really isn’t that bad of a guy, but he definitely is one with a lot of anger, and he doesn’t make any attempt at hiding it.
Draymond Green , power forward, Golden State Warriors
Besides being one of the league’s most overrated players, Draymond Green has to be one of the leagues biggest hot heads as well. People make the case that Green’s so talented because of all the triple doubles, but it shouldn’t be too difficult for the guy, considering the fact that most of his points come from inside the paint, or on a fast break slam dunk. Not to mention that the other big man that starts with him is Andrew Bogut , who only averaged 7 rebounds this season. Don’t get me wrong, Green is good, but anyone who thinks guys like Kawhi Leonard , Paul George , and even Jimmy Butler are worse, need to rethink their look on Basketball. Green’s the third best player on his team, and without Curry or Thompson, the Warriors would be a lottery team every year with just Green at helm.
The thing I hate about Green the most though is the way he acts when people start comparing teams like the Thunder and Spurs to the Warriors. The Warriors are easily the best team out of the three, but Green makes it seem like Golden State’s completely invincible compared to the other two. After the Spurs beat Golden State this season, Green went on record saying that “I look at our 7 losses, I look at ’em & say. ‘ah, 3 teams really beat us.’ I’d say Portland, Detroit, the Lakers.”
Doesn’t matter what the excuse is bud, a loss is a loss, and it’s sad that a “grown man’ like Green himself can’t find the common sense to realize that. He’s apart of the team with the most regular wins ever, and yet if you were to ask him about the nine losses, I’d bet he’d say something on the lines of “we should’ve only lost about four or five of those games.” Oh, and don’t even get me started on the way he pounds his chest, and throws his hands into the air after scoring two measly fast break points!
Russell Westbrook , point guard, Oklahoma City Thunder
Top five player in the league? Yeah. Top three point guard in the league? Hell yeah, top two in my eyes. Top ten biggest on the court jerk? Easily.
No one can deny the talents of Russell Westbrook and the accomplishments he’s had in Oklahoma City over the past few years, but no one can deny that he’s one of the games biggest jerks as well. Like Draymond Green, Westbrook is a talented player, but gets too cocky, and arrogant after doing some of the simplest tricks. No one cares that your biggest accomplishments are two back to back All Star Game MVPs Russ, win a championship and then you can celebrate all you want.
Forget about the in game stuff, the biggest things that bothers me about Westbrook have to be the stupid things like this:
Like I get it’s a playoff game, and you should be pumped up, but the dude literally pushed Charlie Villanueva , who has had a history of scuffles with Westbrook in the past, out of the way. Even if he’s in the way of your pre game handshake, which by the way might be the most clownish thing I’ve ever seen, just move your dance somewhere else. There’s no need to act like a jerk and push the guy out of the way. I feel like Russell Westbrook’s one of those guys that does something dumb like make the girl pay on the first date, even though he makes triple the salary she does. I don’t know, just seems like Westbrook has half the brain a normal person does.
Shane Battier , power forward, retired
Ok, so I guess Battier doesn’t really count considering the fact he’s been out of the game for a few years now, but I still couldn’t resist the opportunity to write about what an arrogant player he always was in my eyes. The thing I hated most about him was the cheap tricks he’d play during a game, and then the way he would try to act innocent about it. The biggest example of what I’m talking about was in the 2013-14 NBA finals, game five when my Spurs were about to close out a dominating series, and beat the Miami Heat. In the game, Battier purposely got in a scuffle with Manu Ginobili , [ Video Below] only to watch Manu answer back, knocking down step back three pointers, eye popping reverse layups, and of course the memorable dunk on Chris Bosh .
It all worked out though, because Battier’s final NBA game ever turned out to be game five of the 2013-14 finals. So I guess he got to go out in fitting style, with a steamy hot loss. Is it just me, or does Battier look a little devilish?
LeBron James , small forward, Cleveland Cavaliers
I bet you saw this one coming. LeBron James is probably the most annoying player of all time, and you either love him or you hate him, and boy do I hate him.
The way he looks at the ref EVERY time he gets breathed on, the powder before a game ritual, the headband, the dance he makes after hitting a big shot, etc. The thing I hate the most though is how other people see him. People put Bron in the top three of all time while he only has two championships, and only got them with the help of guys like Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh , and Ray Allen . Yes LeBron’s four MVP’s are mighty impressive, and the fact that he’s already passed so many greats on all of the leaderboards, and will eventually be in the top 5 rank in almost every category, he shouldn’t even be in top ten conversation at this point. Top fifteen? Yeah, I can respect that, but he’s still gonna need one more championship to cement a place in the top 10 of all time. He’s a beast every season, and still has so much more to give to the game, but top ten? Not yet. I respect LeBron, but gosh do I hate him.
So there ya have it, a few players I despise, loathe, and flat out just love to HATE. Most are talented, but are just so, so, so annoying.
Feel free to comment your least favorite players below, or start up a convo with me on my Twitter ( @AlexWBergeR ) and please share the blog with anyone who you think might like my opinions. Thanks!