"I've never seen so many people be so happy to see an athlete fail more than LeBron” - Anthony Edwards

[Meat]

was Ant alive for this or is Lebron that old?

Watch on YouTube

This is why Lebron is hated, full stop. And he deserves it. He also deserves credit but how anyone can be confused for why he is disliked is just dumb.

What’s he supposed to say? We gonna lose? You’re mad that he’s confident ?

[Karate Diop]

I would say the overwhelming majority of people understand and appreciate his greatness. Just because many are also put off by his behavior and personality doesn’t necessarily make them haters.

He’s an incredible player while also being incredibly narcissistic and hypocritical.

No more so that someone like Jordan though...

[FrobeBryant]

I was that hater. Never missed an opportunity to clown on the dude. It wasn't until he became a Laker that I realized that I had taken his greatness for granted all those years. Now I find myself defending his career at various social gatherings, talk about coming full circle...

I think there would be a completely different perception of Lebron if he just toned down the narcissism.

Fully agree. I have been a lifelong Kobe fan and admittedly have felt hatred towards LeBron for a long part of his career. But when he came to the Lakers and I got to see him game to game, I grew to appreciate his game more. Like you, I also don’t care for his self-promotion at times but I guess it comes with the territory of being one of the all time greats.

[Statlanta]

He brought anti competition in an occupation most defined by competition, it is warranted.

[Statlanta]

As a resident Bron hater, just want to reiterate that it’s not really a generational thing. Jokic is amazing, Giannis had a great ring. It’s specifically and solely LeBron that’s especially lame, not everything post 2003

What about all the over the top hatred for Durant? Westbrook? Kyrie? Harden?

Seems to me thata specifically black American players that get targeted with extreme vitriol.

It's not about the color of their skin. If Larry Bird or Luka Doncic did what LeBron/Durant did they should be laughed at of every conversation of being a top 3 player of all time.

[Wingy]

This is 100% because of social media and everyone, including people like me, having a voice online. This site came in to existence in 2000. High speed internet became common around the same time. Before that their was dial up. Before that you only had access to your local paper, Sportscenter, games on broadcast tv, and magazines like Sports Illustrated and Sporting News. People still disliked players, but they had nowhere to voice their opinions other than local playgrounds or gyms, school, work, bars, and other social settings.

Now you can multitask and complain about Lebron on your phone while taking a dump at your local Applebees.

Yeah, good call. People would’ve torn up Magic (imagine the HIV announcement), Bird (horrible dad story, basically opposite of Tatum), Jordan (gambling ****), you name any top star and they’d be torn down with today’s access to tech and all the medias.

[shi-woo]

was Ant alive for this or is Lebron that old?

Watch on YouTube

This is why Lebron is hated, full stop. And he deserves it. He also deserves credit but how anyone can be confused for why he is disliked is just dumb.

Facts, and if you disagree i'll show you exhibit B, KD going to GS, something i'd be curious to know how the new era of kids viewed that.

LeBron would have just been hated like Kobe or Tom Brady if these type of moments weren't a thing. What people also don't seem to mention, is this moment posted was also the start of one of the biggest propaganda movements in sports history, and it's lasted over a decade now. For a lot of us, we are just tired of it, and want to go back to just getting slightly gaslit like trading Gasol for a bag of chips was actually a solid trade without hindsight and that the DET Pistons were just a solid team and not a team with 4 All-Stars and legendary coach.

I honestly don't think the hate towards LeBron is wanting to see him fail like people wanting to see Tom fail, it's more people just wanting to see the narratives and fake storylines get beaten back.

You still have fans that think LeBron went to CLE and LA to go play with a bunch of young kids, and to be with his family, because that's how it was marketed, when everyone with deductive reasoning skills knows that's not the case.

Can you imagine if any other star player like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Judge, or Mike Trout did this type of thing, and got this same level of protection from the media? It would be hell on wheels for them.

KD, Kyrie, and Harden are the only modern players in the NBA to even attempt this and how has that gone for them? They are 3 of the most hated players in the league both by fans and the media

I don't think people actually dislike LeBron, he's a man that married his highschool sweetheart, is a savy business man (obviously), in the top 1% of hi trade, and is an incredible father. Something all of us should strive to be. LeBron just made himself unlikeable for a lot of fans like me who were in highschool/college when he puled this stuff and those are very impressionable years for that fan base who haven't changed their minds, just like in 10 years non of yall will change your minds about KD, or Boston fans Kyrie.

[Wingy]

As a resident Bron hater, just want to reiterate that it’s not really a generational thing. Jokic is amazing, Giannis had a great ring. It’s specifically and solely LeBron that’s especially lame, not everything post 2003

What about all the over the top hatred for Durant? Westbrook? Kyrie? Harden?

Seems to me thata specifically black American players that get targeted with extreme vitriol.

Nah, man. Do people hate on Tatum, Spider, Jimmy, Kawhi, PG, Dame, Steph, Fox…should i keep going?? SGA, Jamal? Do you really think people have their Canadian-ness heavily on their minds, so they omit them from criticism?

It’s those players and how they play and/or how they’ve conducted themselves.

[xAIRNESSx]

LeBron haters are just angry irrational people

[Special_Puppy]

As a resident Bron hater, just want to reiterate that it’s not really a generational thing. Jokic is amazing, Giannis had a great ring. It’s specifically and solely LeBron that’s especially lame, not everything post 2003

What about all the over the top hatred for Durant? Westbrook? Kyrie? Harden?

Seems to me thata specifically black American players that get targeted with extreme vitriol.

Embiid and Gobert are two notable non-American-born players who get targeted with pretty extreme vitriol.

[GrandTheftRondo]

was Ant alive for this or is Lebron that old?

Watch on YouTube

This is why Lebron is hated, full stop. And he deserves it. He also deserves credit but how anyone can be confused for why he is disliked is just dumb.

Have you ever listened to Ant talk? Making wildly confident claims/goals is not something that is going to phase Ant. It's why he's such a fun interview.

But even with that said, the idea that an overzealous statement made at an introductory pep rally is the primary reason for dislike well over a decade later is a pretty good illustration of what Ant is saying.

You’re being completely disingenuous acting like it was just that moment.

Whether you like it or not, LeBron going to Miami and teaming up with one of the best players in the world and a top 20 player at the time in Bosh really pissed people off.

It ushered in a new era which a lot of hardcore NBA fans didn’t like. It drew in heaps of casuals but the reality is it fundamentally changed the NBA.

It’s unfair to blame LeBron solely for this as it was probably going to happen anyway sooner rather than later. But he was at the forefront of the player empowerment movement.

He’s constantly moved around to stack the decks in his favour and the reality is that pissed people off from day one and others have grown tired of it.

Just look at how happy a lot of NBA fans have been to see KD’s Warriors fall apart, the Nets super team fall apart and the Suns super team fall apart.

Fans don’t want to see cheap gimmicky ring chasing dominate the league.

[ShannonWright]

Based on experience, talking to peers and observations and engagements on social media, i think this is the percentage of Lebron haters:

50% Jordan fans
20% Kobe fans
20% 80s and mostly 90s fans
5% Warriors/Curry fans
5% Other teams' fans

Casual fans and those who don't follow the NBA know and adore him. Whether from memes, highlights etc.

My kids are 13 and 10 and they know Lebron and have no clue who Jordan is.

I started following the NBA in the 80's, my fave player was Byron Scott, and was on the Jordan is GOAT train. But i have watched Lebron's whole career and even with his shortcomings (c'mon who doesn't have some) i think he is my GOAT.

No amount of hatred can change my mind anymore.

[Wingy]

He brought anti competition in an occupation most defined by competition, it is warranted.

Sure, you could understand one jump even if you didn’t like “The Decision” style and him not wanting to be stuck on a bad team forever (though his pressure and his desperation to chase Jordan surely didn’t help that FO).

Then jumping ship on that great Miami situation and org to go home only once home was looking good. But ok, I can get that too. Some level of regret for leaving, wanting to bring a title.

But to jump up and move yet again to LA? C’mon, man.

Then after all that jumping and LeGMing and still being two rings short of the man who lived in his head dictating most of his career…and having the audacity to think he’s the GOAT??

People don’t like when you claim a crown that doesn’t belong on your head, King James.

Though despite all that, I certainly appreciate his greatness, now and for a very long time now.

[Hobo4President]

Ant calling out some of you haters lmao

[MavsDirk41]

Top 3 player of all time but i cant stand the guy and find him incredibly obnoxious. Team hopping to play with other star players to benefit himself feels cheap, mocking Dirk in the playoffs, making excuses for Miami losing in the 2011 finals, self promoting himself as the goat, his flopping, storming off the court like a sore loser when his team loses, posting on social media that his high school son is better than a bunch of current nba players, playing shadow gm, the list goes on. Again i respect his talent as an all time great but good luck in his retirement

[shi-woo]

I'm not saying anything directly. But in my experience, the biggest Lebron haters are people that just happened to be non-Black.

I dare someone to provide valid, logical reasons for someone to hate Lebron James. I bet you can't do it without mentioning The Decision, which is completely overblown and not a logical reason to hate him.

I'll wait.

This is a ridiculous take.

I'm not even going to address your racism, but more so that the Decision was overblown. It completely rocked the entire NBA landscape for a decade, and created a domino effect and arms race which rendered 80% of basketball games not to matter till 2021.

Maybe in 2k these type of things don't matter, but we call ourselves fans, short for fanatics for a reason. We are emotionally invested, not mentally invested.

Saying the name Bill Buckner in Boston would create instant tension in the room growing up.

Steve Bartman is one of the most famous people in sports history, and I don't think he ever played a sport in his life, and he almost lost that life

When I moved to CT in 03-04 we literally had fights in the hallway because CT is 1/2 Sox 1/2 Yankees, teachers bringing in Brooms and giving kids extra credit for wearing Sox jerseys

How many people age not 21 drive around with their Colleges sports mascot on their car? How many idiots get sports logos tattood on their person?

Have you ever heard of fans rioting after their team WINS? Because it happens every year

David Ortiz saying "This is our ****ing City" literally became the battle cry for a city that was just bombed, and the Yankee's brought people to tears in 2001.

People literally get murdered over this **** every year and it's not because they're black my friend

These people make Billions now just to shoot some hoops because we find it entertaining

You are asking for logic and reason in a field of study that doesn't believe in it and wouldn't exist if it did

[AbeVigodaLive]

Based on experience, talking to peers and observations and engagements on social media, i think this is the percentage of Lebron haters:

50% Jordan fans
20% Kobe fans
20% 80s and mostly 90s fans
5% Warriors/Curry fans
5% Other teams' fans

Casual fans and those who don't follow the NBA know and adore him. Whether from memes, highlights etc.

My kids are 13 and 10 and they know Lebron and have no clue who Jordan is.

I started following the NBA in the 80's, my fave player was Byron Scott, and was on the Jordan is GOAT train. But i have watched Lebron's whole career and even with his shortcomings (c'mon who doesn't have some) i think he is my GOAT.

No amount of hatred can change my mind anymore.

How many people rooted against Michael Jordan AND LeBron James in almost every game they ever played...





... other than me?



[Note: Still the clearcut two best players I've ever saw pick up a basketball. Both were incredible in their own ways. Gotta respect both for their talent and achievements.]

[Wingy]

was Ant alive for this or is Lebron that old?

Watch on YouTube

This is why Lebron is hated, full stop. And he deserves it. He also deserves credit but how anyone can be confused for why he is disliked is just dumb.

Have you ever listened to Ant talk? Making wildly confident claims/goals is not something that is going to phase Ant. It's why he's such a fun interview.

But even with that said, the idea that an overzealous statement made at an introductory pep rally is the primary reason for dislike well over a decade later is a pretty good illustration of what Ant is saying.

You’re being completely disingenuous acting like it was just that moment.

Whether you like it or not, LeBron going to Miami and teaming up with one of the best players in the world and a top 20 player at the time in Bosh really pissed people off.

It ushered in a new era which a lot of hardcore NBA fans didn’t like. It drew in heaps of casuals but the reality is it fundamentally changed the NBA.

It’s unfair to blame LeBron solely for this as it was probably going to happen anyway sooner rather than later. But he was at the forefront of the player empowerment movement.

He’s constantly moved around to stack the decks in his favour and the reality is that pissed people off from day one and others have grown tired of it.

Just look at how happy a lot of NBA fans have been to see KD’s Warriors fall apart, the Nets super team fall apart and the Suns super team fall apart.

Fans don’t want to see cheap gimmicky ring chasing dominate the league.

Yup, and seeing how insecure KD is, I’ll say time and again that there’s no way KD had the cajones to start jumping teams w/o seeing Lebron do it first. He started it, so don’t understand why people are surprised that the initiator draws extra ire.

[FarBeyondDriven]

thing is, he was almost universally loved, kinda like Tiger Woods. Like Tiger we watched him since he was in high school and it was obviously he was a once in a generation talent. But like Tiger, he fumbled his legacy.

Most of us liked him while he was in Cleveland until his body language betrayed him and he sulked off the floor after losing in the playoffs. Then many really started to hate him when his ego ran unchecked and he broadcast "The Decision" which was an utter embarrassment. He lost even more people when he got up there and said "not 1, not 2, not 3..." Through it all in multiple stops he's sulked, pointed fingers, got coaches fired, formed super teams and declared himself the GOAT. There's the clearly rigged 2016 Finals, the meaningless bubble ring and needing Kyrie and Allen to bail him out.

And it's not just on the court either. There's the alleged hate-crime hoax. There's taking credit for starting a school (funded by taxpayers) and those students having horrible results. There's the alleged PEDs and link to the Miami lab and subsequent need for jaw surgery to remove the growth allegedly caused by HGH. There's the hypocritical political stances. Pretend injuries. Pretending to read books. Lying about things he did or didn't say or do in the past.

[Kingdibs19]

Based on experience, talking to peers and observations and engagements on social media, i think this is the percentage of Lebron haters:

50% Jordan fans
20% Kobe fans
20% 80s and mostly 90s fans
5% Warriors/Curry fans
5% Other teams' fans

Good list but I’d give a full 5% to Raptor fans. 90% of the Raptor fans on this board seem to hate him.

My %s:
40% Jordan fans
30% Kobe fans (not actual Laker fans)
15% 80s and 90s fans
5% Raptor fans
5% Warrior/Curry fans
5% Other team fans

Though it’s hard to blame them for all the torment Lebron caused them

Watch on YouTube