Why do NBA fans tend to "dislike" talented players?

No real reason. I don't hate them, just don't like them. I respect them, also. Just someting about them I don't like. Karl Malone is a g....o....o.....d player and we all hate him. Why, because he's on the Jazz! I didn't really like Kobe because of his attitude and I didn't like Jordan because he is always on the news. Plus, every once in awile, I can see him push off people before he shoots. Not much, but that's why.

Actually, besides the Rockets, Hakeem, and Bullard, I don't really like anybody in the NBA.

 

Part of the reason is many people are fans of their team, more than they are fans of the NBA in general. Therefore, they dislike other teams and players who are good, and cause their team to lose.

 

I agree. that is a huge part of why fans "dislike" other players. Ex. Kobe kills us therefore I hate him (and ia srrogant and gets too much pub, etc.). I hate to admit this but jealousy also plays a part in the player hating that goes on. Ex. CWebb is dating MY woman (Tyra Banks) and he plays like a girl in the 4th, therefore I hate him.

 

Some people like me dislike people who are self-important. Most talented players are like that.

Kobe used to be a snob. He has grown up a bit and is more modest now. Shaq is still a big snob.

And I think Wink is right too. Most fans are jealous about good players on other teams

 

Haha, good question...You never hear anyone saying that they hate ,say, Dan Langhi, Lawrence Funderburke, or Pat Garrity.

 

Well, second thought: many people hate Kelvin Cato!

 

Well yeah I love the Rockets 100X more than anyone else in the league, but I do like guys like JYD, Horry, and Marion and stuff. I just like em I guess cause they're scrappers, they play with heart, and they're not Rocket-killers.

I just don't like guys like Kobe, McGrady, Shaq, ect. because they get so much press. And I don't like any other non-rocket point guards because they go against Stevie.

And I DON'T like Steve Nash because everyone goes gaga over him and he's so boring I can't stand to watch him.

I really don't have a prob with VC, he's just sick.

 

I hate anyone who asks for a free ride. I like anyone who earns their achievement against odds and bias.

 

I think the attention some players and some teams get has a lot to do with it. For instance, why does everyone hate Duke's basketball team? They're a top-knotched program, have one of the classiest coaches of all times, the team consists of grounded, hard-working players. Yet people hate them because of Dick Vitale and all the attention he and the rest of the media gives them. It's the same reason people don't like the Yankees and the Lakers. They wish it was their team and their players getting the attention. I think it's pretty normal. I do it all the time.

Then of course there are players like Scottie Pippen and Roger Clemens who I just don't like because of their attitudes or something they've done.

Sometimes I simply don't like teams because I don't like their fans. It doesn't take much to make me not like an athlete.

 

Jealousy

 

How could it be jealousy? I got news for you, even the worst players in the NBA are 10 times better players than any of us & get paid more money as well. People don't like certain players b/c they don't like their personalities. Kobe is a little b****. There is no denying his talent, it's his arrogance that is annoying & market saturation that make people turn on him. Not to mention his self conscious Jordan affectation.

 

Most of the talented players that are "disliked" by fans are either cocky or arrogant. There are many talented players that are liked by the majority of fans.

 

Well, I doubt that anyone besides Rockets fans dislike Cato.

And, actually, I really don't hate Cato at all. Sure, it's a shame that he can't fill the shoes that we wanted him to fill, but it just didn't work out...No reason to hate him.

 

Hey! I may be a Magic fan and as such, am obligated to defend Pat Garrity (yes, he's probably underrated) - but that still doesn't mean I can't hate him!

 

The Junkyard Dog? Used to love watching him 'rassle with Hacksaw Butch Reed before he became "the Natural". Didn't know there were other 'rasslin fans here. isn't this an nba forum???

 

This is a pet peeve of mine. I rooted for the Kings over the Lakers because I actually really like the Kings. Other than that though, it bugged the hell out of me that many of my friends pushed so hard for NJ or Philly (last year), out of some kind of anyone-but-the-Lakers sentiment. The Bulls got the same treatment. Call me crazy, but I love having a dominant team around, even if it's not ours. It makes it count for something when you beat them. Remember how boring basketball was when the Spurs were the best team in the league?

Actually HATING the Lakers and Shaq and Kobe or the Bulls and MJ is lame, IMO. And it lessens the effect of hating players and teams who deserve it for playing dirty (like the Jazz) or just for being little b****es (like Pippen). Or even for seriously hurting one of our players, like J. Rose did to Elie.

All the Lakers (or old Bulls) did was play well. If you don't like the bye Shaq gets for playing rough, blame the refs. He's not sneaky about it like the Jazz are. It's right out in the open.

Hate people who've actually done something to you (or to your team). Hating players for being good or for getting coverage because they're good takes all the wind out of hating players who actually deserve it.

Never mind the fact that it's obvious and boring.

 

I don't like players with attitudes etc
BUT
I hate players that:
1. get ridiculous privileges. [while some says hakeem got some with the steps. . . .it is no where near what I've seen MJ get away with]
2. Get blown up as the greatest thing since slived bread

YES IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD TO BE OVERRATED.

[i.e. Man Jordan and Me could take Kareem and Majic one on one .. not because i'm great but . . . JORDAN IS GOD!!]

Rocket River

 

I think the reason why I'm guilty of hating some players like Kobe. Is that it almost seems unoriginal to like those guys. It's too easy. He's flashy, he's a champion, he gets tons of media attention, he's well spoken, even if he is cocky. It's just too easy. I would rather look a little harder and find players that don't get all the attention, but are still excellent stand out players. It's kind of like when someone long ago, in a past NY Yankees heyday said rooting for the Yankees was like rooting for U.S. Steel(which had a monopoly back then.) It's like why some people will always prefer underground music to Britney Spears type pop. Some things are just too main stream.

I didn't hate Jordan, but I like other players better. Hakeem because he was more underated, made a great stance about shoes(which almost contrasted Jordan's). etc.

That's why I wanted the media's darling Chicago Bulls to lose. It's also why I want the media friendly LA Lakers to lose.

 

Specifically regarding media/fan attention: the thing about this that repels me is what appears to me to be a very unhealthy attitude people have toward the big media darlings like Jordan, Bryant, Carter, etc. People are too slavish, too awed, and otherwise behave in a despicable, self-debasing manner in an effort to capture some of the athlete's reflected glory. I don't much care for the people who behave that way but I can't hate them -- one, because there are too many of them, and two, because such weakness should be pitied, not hated -- so instead I turn my hatred to the object of their idolatry.