NBA's least popular players

[Andrew]

A bit of a grinchy topic for this time of the year, but according to recent poll there's a new player atop the list:

Celebrate Kris Humphries, you just beat out LeBron James for something. Well, maybe you should check what that something is first.

According to Forbes, via a poll conducted Nielsen and E-Poll Market Research, Humphries was voted the NBA's most disliked player. Fifty percent voted to dislike Humphries while No. 2, LeBron, picked up 48 percent. I guess people either were really mad about the 72-day Kim Kardashian marriage or there are a lot of sympathetic people towards Kim K. I have a feeling it's not the latter.

“He’s been on five magazine covers, all in a negative light,” Stephen Master, VP at Nielsen Sports, which helped run the survey, told Forbes. “It’s all so recent, he’s gotten all this publicity for something other than basketball talent.”

The top ten:

1. Kris Humphries (50 percent dislike)
2. LeBron James (48 percent)
3. Kobe Bryant (45 percent)
4. Tony Parker (37 percent)
5. Metta World Peace (36 percent)
6. Chris Bosh (34 percent)
7. Carmelo Anthony (27 percent)
8. Paul Pierce (25 percent)
9. Dwyane Wade (23 percent)
10. Lamar Odom (21 percent)

Humphries being number one surprises me a little but I suppose it makes sense with all the tabloid exposure compared to his NBA stature. The rest of the list doesn't hold too many surprises when considering the mix of tabloid or sporting media exposure and/or basketball related reasons.

[NovU]

I notice they're pretty much the players from the contenders in exception of a few. But Tony Parker? Is it his wife? Or that you can't hate Tim Duncan who's such a nice guy so it's Tony Parker instead kind of thing?

And... they're the ones that are most popular in the NBA.

[bowdown]

IDK why people hate Humphries because of Kim. I feel sorry for him like he got used. IDK what he is like attitude and personality wise but definitely wouldnt hate him cause of kardashian

[Andrew]

I notice they're pretty much the players from the contenders in exception of a few. But Tony Parker? Is it his wife? Or that you can't hate Tim Duncan who's such a nice guy so it's Tony Parker instead kind of thing?

The blog suggests it's due to his exposure in the tabloids because of his relationship with, marriage to and eventual divorce wfrom Eva Longoria and that seems a pretty safe bet. Or perhaps like Al Bundy, a lot of people simply hold a prejudice against the French.

And... they're the ones that are most popular in the NBA.

There are players on the list which could rank as some of the most popular, but they're such polarising figures in the sport that they can simultaneously be amongst the most liked and most disliked players in the league.

IDK why people hate Humphries because of Kim. I feel sorry for him like he got used. IDK what he is like attitude and personality wise but definitely wouldnt hate him cause of kardashian

I think this fable holds true here; the mere fact that he's been involved with someone a lot of people can't stand despite her popularity makes him hated by association. Beyond that, I'd say it's because the relationship has gotten him a lot of attention despite not being a star of the sport, or perhaps it's simple jealousy. I'm with you though.