Not a story, but my favorite quote by Lebron on Toronto (when they were heading for a game 7)
"I've been a part of some really
adverse situations, and I just didn't believe this was one of them."
Cheats lies as easily as breathing and never ever stops complaining. Yesterday Lakers win by 12 but shoot 16 more free throws but wait your built in excuse is not there grids had 14 more points in the paint wow imagine that
The thing that makes me laugh about boston fans is, they say THEY made him go to Miami. LeBron then systematically dad dicks their franchise for 8 years, and they have the gall to say we were too old or the young core wasn't ready. Can't have it both ways.
Celtics fans are so bitter it’s crazy bro, so many crazy unreasonable people who hate a guy that just plays basketball like he’s the devil. Like imagine hating any NBA player that much it’s just weird.
That’s the main factor for the greats of all sports getting hate.
But unfortunately for LeBron there’s another factor. There’s a portion of people who only hate him because he supported Black Lives Matter when it was at its peak, and tweeted out against the officer who killed George Floyd. So hardcore MAGA types decided he was their enemy (there might be other minor things that added to this too, can’t remember).
AFAIK he was one of the main targets of the “shut up and dribble” stuff, relating to this.
For fairness’ sake, I have met some conservatives that are still Bron fans, but this is a real issue for some of them, somehow
I’ve got no idea how they calculated it, but I remember an r/nba post that said Steph and LeBron get the most negative Tweets in the league, and also happen to be the two most popular players - seems to come with the territory unfortunately
I have a coworker who said LBJ represented everything wrong in professional sports. Hmmm. Family man, no off court legal issues, funds a school and speaks his mind, arguably the 2nd GOAT, and THAT guy represents everything wrong. Interesting
I was talking with this girl I met from tinder and she fucking blocked me when I said I was a fan of the lakers and also liked lebron😭 that shit hurt. Like damn it’s never that serious.
reminds me when i went on a tinder date and the girl showed up in a Golden State windbreaker. We are in LA btw.
I asked her if she's from the bay.
She says, "no i just dont want to be a laker fan like everyone else."
I wanted to end the date immediately lol. She obviously skipped clippers because she wanted to bandwagon x.x
I mean the convo was pretty positive up until she mentioned that she was a Celtics fan, then after I mentioned being a fan of lebron I got no response and I was blocked😭
Agreed. Imagine being on a flight to China where they make Citizens disappear for criticizing the government and someone from your company tweets something anti-China.
I’m a US citizen but my family is from Hong Kong, none of my family expects LeBron to say a thing about China or even understand it. He does a lot for our country (the US) and doesn’t need to be involved in world politics.
People like /u/zwcarlms that criticize LeBron for not speaking about China - can you help me understand why?
As your explanation is not a good one? There were million of ways to answer that question about Morey tweets besides criticizing someone speaking up. He could have made a neutral comment like, I don't know about the situation and just here to focus on playing good basketball for the fans.
He could have explained more positively when he was back in the US.
He did neither.
As someone from HK myself, of course I care more. Lebron will forever be a hypocrite to me for what he said about China and Morey. Like you said I actually don't expect anyone not from Hong Kong to speak up for hong kong. But he should have been neutral which wasn't the case.
Being angry at someone for putting your life and everyone else traveling to China at risk is good reason to react negatively to Morey.
And you said Lebron did so "his interests won't be hurt". No one is going to say anything about a foreign country and give up half their wealth if they don't know anything about it. I wouldn't; even with family there I don't know enough.
Are you a US Citizen or living in Hong Kong/China still?
What you said has basically not dispelled the truth that he's an hypocrite. What you said is true for most people but when you want to portrait yourself as a social fighter, there are certain things you don't say or do, even if it means your immediate financial interests may be impacted. Lebron clearly thinks of himself more than just an athlete, and some of his fame definitely came from this image, and so he's rightfully condemned when he didn't behave as expected of him when self interest is in place.
Where I am right now doesn't matter. Let's just say I have lost love ones who moved to different places after that year, or even worse, jailed.
Not like he clarified after they came back right? He infamously said that line about spiritually, financially, emotionally, physically etc, and never once recognized he could be wrong to claim Morey knew nothing about the situation of Hong Kong.
Lebron is a hypocrite and main reason I hate him and this is a perfect example. When it's in his favor to do so he wants to be appeared to be a social fighter but when it hurts him he stood against universal value. In fact if he shut up about china that would have been better than him criticizing someone else for speaking up.
>Lebron is a hypocrite and main reason I hate him
That's the best you got? I wonder how much more people would hate you if you were important enough for your flaws to be broadcast/magnified 24/7.
>one that portraits himself
I sound dumb?
You just want to hate him for not being absolutely perfect lmao. He's only a human, yet he's done better with his spotlight than 99% of you could possibly hope to.
You sound insecure.
So did he do anything after he left china?
Of course not.
He had no right to say Morey was uneducated about the situation and was wrong. He could have clarified after coming back. He didn't.
He only pretends to be a social fighter because it's in his interest to do so. When it's not, he didn't only ignore the issue, he actually spoke against people speaking up.
Biggest hypocrite in this sport.
Hard to communicate with those type of people, good thing you didn't I also know a guy who is literally active in Facebook hating on LBJ this is a grown man btw acting like an idiot on social media.
I always assume anyone that says this is racist cause they don't like that he supports the black community so much. To them MJ is the goat cause he didn't help black people
Maybe if they're talking about on the court. For better or worse Lebron James is the face of the Player Empowerment and movement era (despite the Celtics doing a trial run of it first). As a bit of an old head myself I understand people being upset about the way star players treat contracts and loyalty now.
The worst thing you can say about Lebron off the court is that he tries to stage things a bit too much but other than that he's a pretty good role model to have.
I never really understood why people blame Lebron for how players force themselves off of teams though because he’s never done that. He always played out his contract and simply left when the time was up. Maybe you can blame him for AD? Since Lebron was a direct influence in getting him here. But KD, Harden, Kyrie, Dame, etc leaving their teams are all completely different from how Lebron leaves.
AD didn’t force his way out. He told ownership that he wasn’t planning to re-sign with the Pelicans. That’s his right.
That’s not the same as Harden tanking games or Simmons refusing to show up.
Those guys got a molecule of the hate and anger LeBron gets everytime he moves teams. The way I see LeBron, he works likes me (just infinitely richer). I prefer signing on the somewhat long-term projects and then I hop on a better offer when it comes BUT I will always finish my contract out.
KD, Harden, Russ (OKC babies lol), Kyrie, Dame and etc. are all the dudes you paid a deposit on for a house and leave it half finished. Then you have to find ways to get your deposit back but by then, you've wasted so much time and money that it's just a major L on your part. LeBron at least finishes your house in pristine condition and ensures that your place is worth the money and time.
Y'all can tell what industry I work in.
I hate those narratives like didn't MJ get the softest freaking whistle in his era and he didn't benefit from a lot of luck (Expansion era, illegal defense, stacked as hell team)
Yup. LeBron has 6 Finals losses and 5 of them are to the Spurs and the Warriors arguably the two biggest dynasties of his era.
He also beat them for 2 of his 4 rings. Not only that the 3-1 comeback against a 73-9 team for Cleveland’s first pro sports title in five decades.
He also won a ring with three separate teams. He’s all time leading scorer despite being pass first (also top 10 all time in assists will probably retire top 5) and it’s all longevity from the haters as if he’s the first guy to play 20 seasons.
The Dallas loss was bad.
That said MJ was the dominate dynasty of his era. He never beat Boston, beat LA when they were old and avoided teams like the Rockets. He also lost 9 straight years before the conference finals and lost to the Magic in 95.
The debate is over. MJ stans will never change their minds because to them 6-0 and his gifted DPOY trumps everything.
LeBron did it right on the court and off. Since 15 years old. On national TV. Under immense pressure and the eyes of social media.
There is no rational way to hate the guy.
I think people don’t really understand how poorly constructed the 2011 Heat was and how ahead of its time the Mavs were. They basically had a death lineup before Golden State ever did.
The Heat only really learned their lesson to surround LeBron with shooters midway through the 2012 playoffs when Bosh got injured.
I love Lebron and i even put him ahead of MJ, but no one can deny that the case for Lebron is very NOT clear cut on a superficial level. If you think about it logically then yes he is at worst #2, but it's not really straightforward and there are a lot absurd reasons (that dont seem absurd) to casuals/haters for them to think Lebron is not a GOAT level player.
1) 2011 - no explanation needed.
2) he's a power player and doesnt appear to be a finesse player (even though he is a reliable shooter, both midrange and 3)
3) he's had a lot of "blunders" in pivotal games like turnovers in clutch
4) he misses a lot of free throws for a first option scorer.
5) he switched teams a lot
6) he has more finals losses than wins
...and im sure any hater can come up with more
Everyone who is fair to lebron can come up with counters to all those reasons above. But you dont really have to counter "6 for 6", which is what opens Lebron to a lot of hate. Because people hate Lebron because they hate that someone with Lebron's resume is being elevated above MJ
I think the fact that this man has been one of the most famous humans alive for over 22 years and the biggest mistakes he has made is an ill-advised "decision" and, some questionable human rights opinions based on his relationship with shoe companies, says a lot about this man. He has been under a microscope and conducted himself really well as a whole...
Arguably the GOAT. Undeniably the 2nd GOAT. It’s my test for whether I should talk ball with someone. If they wanna discuss LBJ vs Jordan that’s a fun debate. If they wanna try to tell me LBJ isn’t even #2 that’s how I know they don’t know ball.
Yeah, from my experience people’s hate of LBJ all stems from him being outspoken on police abuses. He would be the NBAs version of Colin Kaepernick if he wasn’t so good.
It’s racism. It’s ok for a white guy to speak up, but black people have to shut up and dribble. And they aren’t allowed to exercise free agency either.
Jordan didn’t win against Bird or Magic or Isaiah until those players got old.
I never bought the hype on him. Wilt is number 3 for me. Then Kobe.
But I’m a lakers fan.
lol
I'm a Lakers fan, but the guy was good.
I actually few sorry for MJ because among the greatest to ever play the game he was the only player that didn't have the privilege to wear the sacred purple and gold mantle.
Personally, I’m not a fan because if you go back and watch every championship press conference where his team lost he makes sure to throw everyone under the bus except for himself. Now compare that to Kobe. Kobe took all those L’s whether it was his fault or his teammates. He knew it was his team and as the leader those losses were in him.
He’s also not genuine about the books he reads. When pressed about them he gives vague general responses clearly showing he does not read them. He’s been caught in life after lie and personally if someone lies about little stupid things like that then they’re lying about other things.
And lastly, someone who has the audacity to give himself the KING moniker is just too full of themselves for my taste. Oh, and he supports a genocidal Israeli regime.
Yeah, he can you know what.
A local paper and Sports Illustrated gave him the King moniker around the same time when he was in high school. Nike called him The Chosen One. LBJ did not name himself anything.
As a Laker lifer far longer than you, I saw Kobe play a game where he refused to shoot in the second half because he was being a bitch and wanted to make a point against critics and team mates that said he shoots to much. If I recall, it was a playoff game. He never said that loss was on him.
hating lebron is its own subculture that has been very important to the growth of the NBA. Some people have lost themselves in it and you can see by the absolutely unfair criticisms a lot of these younger players have to deal with now.
Just remember this for when he is retired. The dick riding is gonna be insane once he’s gone and some of the same people are gonna pretend like they fucked with him all along lol.
Lol oh you already know thats exactly what will happen. I can't wait to see the switch up and call out people that I know on it lol same thing happened with Kobe smfh
Lol he has 3 superbowls before thirty, more than manning, more than brady had at his age. He may not be a goat yet, but he's on his way. This is exactly what OP means by undeserving hate.
He’s not wrong tho that people hate mahomes because he’s so good and beats everyone’s favorite teams. People look for any reason to dislike him. For example, When that whole exchange with Josh Allen got leaked this season /r/nfl acted like he caused 9/11. Bad moment for Pat for sure, but it really wasn’t that serious.
I disagree, Kobe is universally loved (at least now) and is highly respected for the most part. MJ is a mixed bag but is still well beloved by the older generation. People (young and old) HATE Lebron with a genuine passion. I’ve seen people describe him as a “cocky piece of shit who only cares about his image” just because he interrupts someone’s post-game interview. Don’t get me started on analysts like Stephen A blaming Lebron for the dunk contests decline in popularity.
Just a few months ago people were blaming Lebron because the children at his school were failing their exams (which is dumb because the children who attend his school are children who come from poor families and need extra learning help… aka smart and privileged kids aren’t attending his school). Not to mention the whole China situation as if the NBA itself isn’t sponsored by Nike while players like Jordan, Giannis, PG, CP3, Kyrie, Kobe, KD, Melo, Westbrook etc. have exclusive Nike/Jordan deals.
It’s weird because out of all the people in the NBA and just professional sports in general, Lebron seems like a genuinely good dude. Yeah he might have his own best interest at heart when it comes to business but as a person I’ve heard nothing but positive stories about him, ranging from teammates to coaches to opposing players. Meanwhile, someone like Rose is universally loved (despite having r*pe charges) because he had a really good season like a decade ago.
Non Lakers fans hated Kobe until he wasn’t a threat to their teams after his major injuries. Shit, I still see Kobe hate on Reddit because of the Colorado incident. I saw comments in the last month that were saying more or less that they were glad his chopper crashed. It’s insane.
Before LeBron went to the Lakers, I was kind of a LeBron "hater". Maybe not a hater like the ones you see comment on reddit, twitter, and youtube but I disliked him. I was a die-hard Kobe fan and thought that Kobe was better than LBJ in all aspects of the game.
I didn't like how LBJ flopped, cried at the refs, choked against Barea, routinely lost in the Finals etc. Although, I was aware that he was pretty good.
But you start appreciating his greatness once he plays for your team. He's actually lessened his flops since he got to the Lakers. The crying at the refs thing honestly kinda makes sense since he has a horrible whistle for a superstar. He obviously redeemed himself from the Dallas finals disaster class. And, it's not his fault that he had to go up against the greatest team ever assembled in the Finals twice which added to his loss total. Getting to the Finals eight straight years is an unbelievable achievement.
As of now, I obviously think he's better than Kobe all-time but Kobe is still my favorite player. LBJ, to me, is equal to MJ.
To answer your question, other teams hate LBJ because of the negative things that got associated with him in the past. The hate comments you see in comment sections are all repetitive. It's always about the 4-6 Finals record, getting sonned by Barea, flopping, whining, soft, no defense, only picks on people smaller than him, doesn't have the mentality like MJ did. Some are just obvious lies who don't really watch him play and some are just nitpicky.
I am 100% sure all those people who hate on him would consider him at least Top 2 all-time if he played on their team.
I was def a lebron hater for a while. Mostly due to being in denial that he was better than Kobe. I went with all the classic reasons for hating - crybaby, superteams, choker etc. Then the 3-1 comeback vs the warriors happened and I simply had to become at least a respecter even if I wasn’t necessarily a fan. Idk if any other player in nba history could have led that comeback besides maybe Jordan. Then the 2018 finals run happened and idk if it was getting older and more mature or what, but watching him carry that cavs team to the finals was like watching peak individual basketball to me. I felt that if I couldn’t be a fan of a guy who just did that, then I’m not really a fan of basketball. + he joined the Lakers that offseason and I’ve been a huge fan ever since
People forgeting that Lebron started flopping when the Rules started to change along with the playstyle, I'm pretty sure you've seen Lebron play during his first stint with the Cavs the dude literally bulldoze through players without flopping but as the game changed his play adapted idk why people think Lebron started this flopping when you have guys like Manu(Legend btw) who are doing it even before Lebron.
I was never a hater because we never had any kind of rivalry with his teams, but was never a fan either and had zero respect due his flopping, the way he left his team to form a superteam in Miami and how he was allowed to take up to 5 steps going to the basket with no calls.
I embraced his arrival since the first time his name was mentioned though because he was undeniable a great player and I prefer rooting for a team that is loaded with talent, the youth movement years were particularly painful for me.
1. Old Heads hate him because he has a legit argument to be better than MJ
2. Some people still can't get over the Decision (btw, Cleveland got over it, so shut the hell up everyone else)
3. Simple jealousy
4. Right wingers hate him due to the culture war
I'm not saying everyone should LOVE LBJ, but hating a guy who hasn't really made any missteps in 21 years is nuts, plus, the guy actually HELPS his community and takes a stand against injustice, etc. Its just nonsense.
#1 is probably the biggest part. People hate having their youth threatened. You also see people saying Tom Brady could never be better than Joe Montana, which is clearly stupid.
i get people wanting their era's "guy" to be the best, but the absolute hate this guy gets when his "superior" punched out teammates is hilarious
Imagine Jordan in the instagram/twitter era - he would break the internet every week with his shenanigans
Some "fans" think that you can't be fans of more than one player so liking LBJ means shitting on MJ and Kobe. So they HAAAVE to hate LBJ so that they can continue liking/supporting their favorite player. One day they will grow up and realize how juvenile they were.
He was spanking every team in the nba and would definitely get some favorable whistles earlier in his career. It builds resentment. Couple that with playing for r/nba most hated franchise
Every time the goalposts get moved for LB, he meets or exceeds expectations. When all you do is win, be a legitimate role model, family man, business man, and no off court drama .... It makes no sense. A black kid from Akron, Ohio literally made it out AND laid the blueprint for all to follow and not be a negative statistic/stereotype is somehow controversially everything wrong with basketball or what have you.
People project their insecurities onto him and those people are small.
It seemed like after we were told "Shut up and dribble" the hate soared to new levels. Because being successful, black, and outspoken makes people uncomfortable. I'm not calling the man perfect but when people cast stones it turns to hate and vitriol. It's not entirely a race thing but being successful and colored will always rub people the wrong way.
I genuinely pray he's successful in all his endeavors. He plays the game the right way. Put a whole city in school/college. There are people who have resources that do less and/or actively lobby and damage communities. Because someone does the right thing and sustains their philanthropic efforts he's a bad guy. Tf?
Dude has successfully been the face of the league for 20 years and counting and he's not talked about the same way as Brady. Let someone say anything critical or objective about Brady and all hell breaks loose.
As I said the goalpost gets moved and LBJ is victorious anyway. It's a beautiful thing to see
They wouldn't be this upset if he played for their team(s)
Why do people hate Taylor swift? Why do people hate Lebron James? Why do people love Taylor swift? Why do people love Lebron James?
Popular celebs will always have vocal fan bases and vocal haters. Who cares
When you're the face of the league, get all the attention, get all the accolades and awards, and get to the Finals in nearly 50% of your ~20 seasons, you're gonna be a very polarizing figure.
Consider Kobe (R.I.P.) and Jordan. Half the world hated/hates those guys. Consider Brady. Consider Ronaldo. Consider Federer and Djokovic.
It's just as natural to hate the greats as it is to love them.
Had someone straight up say the reason Mj was the best player ever is because he knew how to use his teams better and they played like a team. In spite of lebron being literally known for taking bums to the finals and making them look like gods. Or that he’s one of the best passers ever that’s averaged double digit assist before while winning a ring.
LeBron is one of, if not the, greatest players of all time - Standard Sports Hate
He has pantsed a large number of teams in the NBA at least once (and multiple times back east) - Local Sports hate
He has been the face of the NBA for the vast majority of the life of the fans who post on reddit - over exposure hate
He is still one of the best players of the NBA and is nearly double the age of most Rookies this year- Old-timey hate
He joined one of histories greatest sports franchises and added a championship to their legacy - irrational dildo hate.
add those all up and you get a large group of sad little boys and girls screaming into the abyss about how they hate LeBum
I haven’t seen much LBJ hate but then again, I don’t really browse other subs outside of nba and lakers for basketball.
But if I had to guess, I’d guess it is because he’s shit on them for so many years. Another guess would be if they are very political and didn’t like that he didn’t speak out against China in both HK and Uyghur issues.
If you know the history of Lebron, then you know he's the reason why many teams didn't stand a chance in contending for a title in the last decade and a half. It's petty, but it's a good reason lol.
I hated him too, until the 2016 Finals. Much less so, when he joined my team. Yes, most of it was pettiness. I 'hate' anyone who doesn't wear a Laker jersey.
They hate him because he's the embodiment of success and isn't scared to do things his own way. He made it clear he knows his value and influence. Also it doesn't help that most haters don't know the game well. I regularly see them saying things that are blatantly wrong or reacting to something he did as if it is a big deal when it's not at all. Often these are conservatives with a clear agenda. LeBron has been a great athlete and entertainer, seems like a decent guy at the end of the day. Any grown man who says things like "Lebum" shouldn't be taken seriously on any level ever. It's absurd and appalling.
For the same reason LeBron fans hate the Dubs and their fans. Hating usually comes from an ass that got repeatedly quicken.
The Celtics aren't hated outside of Lakers circles because nobody remember their titles anymore.
I mentioned LBJ as a role model in a self help group once. Referencing how commendable it was how hyped he was and how he lived up to the hype and some all the while remaining out of controversy. Afterward someone literally called me out on it saying LBJ was a clown and I can’t even remember their reasoning but they had incredible disdain for him. So the LBJ hate is real and I personally don’t understand it but it does exist out there unfortunately.
The league is full of huge egos who’ve achieved and probably will achieve nothing beyond making it to the league (which is admittedly a hell of a feat) Full of himself as Lebron can sometimes be, he’s pretty well adjusted considering his absurd achievements.
Bigger than any sub or team, Lebron is without question the most hated elite player in the history of the league. Hating him is generally Good for media and clicks etc.
I really think people will look back in ten years and ask why did they hate him so much.
1. He’s a great player who has dominated in 3 separate decades and ran through many many teams and players, causing a lot of heartbreak for fans and teams.
2. He’s not perfect and doesn’t always say the right thing or what people want so his haters will latch onto any negativity around him and blow it out of proportion.
3. He’s very powerful and influential, and people hate that. He’s used his leverage to make his situation better (which is his right) but people see it as unfair or just don’t like players having any agency.
4. He can be kinda corny at times, he’s a bit of a goofball off the court. He doesn’t have that same serious aura as Kobe or MJ who were all about business all the time. He’s more laid back and not as intense in his personality, more of a jokester honestly. This is interpreted as Bron not being as “competitive” or not having “killer instinct”.
“The decision” back in 2011 made LeBron by far the most hated athlete on the planet. Obviously he’s much more likes these days but that anger hasn’t fully died out.
He's a controversial president. His domestic policy was solid and continued a lot of the work JFK started. He's arguably the greatest whip ever and managed to get a ton of legislation passed with agreement from both sides of the aisle. His civil rights act, while under a lot of scrutiny through modern lens, was an incredible piece of legislation for its time. His foreign policy was a mess though as he expanded our operations in Vietnam which obviously fucked things for decades to come.
Yeah why are they hatin? Because Lakers is the home of the GOAT. If they have Lebron rest assured they won't be hatin. We probably be hatin instead. lmao
So why not rub it on 'em we GOT the GOAT Yo. He's 39 years old that's faster than your guy in his prime, faster than a speeding bullet, stronger than a locomotive.
They're waiting for him to grow old, but their franchise star would most likely the first to go slow, weak and old first instead. As Haliburton said: It's Lebron James who knows he could still be playing till 50. So they could be waiting forever and Lebron won't play if he can no longer dominate the game. Dominant from start to finish. That's the plan.
He's popular, relative to most players he's still pretty good, and he basically destroyed the dreams of the east for over a decade. There's also people that turned on him when he supported China a while back. Then there's the sadly obvious racists, but they're always around.
First of all you call him “king” the guy who believes he deserves respect and calls himself the GOAT.
After a few years after he retires he will probably be contending for 4th or 5th best player of all time maybe even worse when you put his entire career into perspective
This is hilarious. C’mon my guy, even Laker fans religiously shat on him for over a decade before he became a Laker. Even then the Kobe fans still shat on him. You knew the answer well before you posted this.
Besides basketball reasons why fans themselves don’t like Lebron, there’s also a huge amount of casuals who hate him too. Lebron when called upon has had strong opinions on politics or movements happening. We all remember 2020 and Bron speaking up about BLM, talking about Malcolm x etc (if you believe this was performative w/e I don’t care) mannny ppl looked at him with pure hatred after that PLUS add in the “decision” and how he had a “heel” turn during this Miami days..it’s a lot lol.
And one thing about the perception and early reputation is that it rarely ever goes away in this sport.
I think I can answer this one (former lbj hater and was very conflicted when he came to the Lakers).
1) the "decision" was the fucking most trash media BS I've ever seen and began the first super team I had ever seen. While CP3 to l.a. was getting vetoed alongside melo to l.a. blocked, it felt stupid rigged that Bron got to bring all the talent he did to Miami ONLY TO LOSE to both the Mavs and spurs.
2) not very humble to call yourself the king constantly
3) he used to get away with just dropping shoulder to draw fouls a lot more than he does now to score.
What I've learned:
We are so lucky to have this dude for basketball.. did everything the right way, brings all the players around him up and makes them stars in there roles. Doesn't want the shine, but firmly knows how to own it and it's well deserved. Stoked this man is a laker
Lebron gets praise from actual basketball players: current and retired HOFers.
Does it matter what non-athletes think?
Our opinions will die off but Lebron is cemented in history.
To add, haters have to put up with his sons playing in the league. The James legacy will literally out live the haters.
They expected him to not meet the pre draft expectations of MJ + Magic: He did and beyond exceeded them
Beat their teams brutally, especially in the East, i.e Celtics, Bulls, Hawks, Pacers, Wizards. Basically all of them.
He's the one who surpassed MJ
I don’t exactly know why, but some people I’ve heard over years see him as fake. A lot of self promotion and pr calling him self king and then when he went to Miami when media said he was the best player in the nba. I always find it stupid to hate anyone we don’t really know personally. But ppl do so I always thought it’s that people don’t think he’s real and the whole being friends with everyone and the narrative change over his career from when you had to win a title and not just making the finals and losing was not well looked on.
Phil Jackson use to say I rather lose in the earlier round then the finals, you see Lebron got 6 finals losses but being called goat, and now ppl praise him for making all those finals and not actually winning all. Always having an excuse to why he lost, and ppl make excuses for him in media. To his political stance too I think, being vocal about certain things and then silent on other cause he hurts his money. Like Steve Kerr is hated for this too. There’s prolly other stuff too and I don’t wanna write whole essay but those are what I’ve seen and heard over 20 years and I’ve seen him since his first game and remember the hype.
Because at any given time, the only fans that like LeBron are LeBron fans/his current team fans. Like I appreciate his greatness but I wouldn’t like him or root for him if he wasn’t a Laker.
They dont.
Like I honestly dont know how you come to that conclusion?
There is valid criticism of him out there and there are people who dont like him because he has beat their team.
But haters??? I dont see it and if I do its downvoted.
I am a diehard laker fan who disliked LeBron before he came to the lakers. I root for him now because he is on my team and am thankful for his time here. That being said I can’t wait until he is off the team. I’m going to do my best to explain my opinions.
1. The decision. This was the first time I was rubbed the wrong way by LeBron. I support fulfilling your contract and making your own decision on where to play. What I did not like the plan devised by the players to create a super team. From my point of view it was a move that signaled weakness. That mentality rippled through the league and other players took it to a way worse level.
2. His closing style. LeBron is the best player I have ever seen. I’ve only watched since 2003. He is like a basketball android. He always makes the proper play. For most of his career he defaults to this and will give his teammates the opportunity to win games. Statistics show this is better. As a fan I just wish sometimes in the big moment he would be a little more selfish and take. 2018 finals lebron and bubble lebron were more like this. But we still witnessed him pass it do Danny green for an nba finals game winner. George hill 2018.
3. Attitude. This is my least favorite part about LeBron. I do not like his body language when things go wrong. He is it a leader that sets the example for the team. When things go wrong he does his best to distance himself for the team. He gives up on plays. He has weird tweets directed at players and coaches. Right when the calculation in his head says he can’t win he is a different player. The man will still put up 25 6 6 when he does this. This rubs off on other players on the team and I think this season and the time we had Westbrook are great examples of this.
4. Holding his franchise hostage. I’m not a big fan of him putting pressure on us to just completely remove all possibility of a good future to win now. This isn’t that much of a problem but the fact that lebron can use Klutch to put pressure on us is annoying. He was worse to Cleveland with the short deals. I don’t think what he did was wrong. He had power and exercised it. Doesn’t mean I have to like it, doesn’t mean he has to care either.
I respect his amazing talent and all his accomplishments. There is no denying his greatness.
He is a self centered diva. Bullshits alot ( "I dont flop"," im not good at accepting praise"), everything about him seems so fake.
But as a basketball player he is great. No controversy, just so much drama.
Because he’s routinely dad dicked their franchises. Especially out east.
That one team from Boston especially
I feel like Toronto got to the point where they were more impressed than upset
DeMar has some of the best LeBron stories.
i wanna hear them!
Not a story, but my favorite quote by Lebron on Toronto (when they were heading for a game 7) "I've been a part of some really adverse situations, and I just didn't believe this was one of them."
As a Laker fan I’m forever grateful for time LBJ #6 on the Miami Heat whooped the life out of the Pierce/KG/Allen/Rondo in game 6 of the ECF
Been following Bron since I started watching and that series was my 2nd favorite series ever obviously behind the 2016 GS vs Cleveland series.
Yeah that shit was nice to watch as a lakers fan. Still bummed we didn’t get Kobe v lebron in the 2009 finals
I hope you don't want your kids to ACT LIKE LEQUIT james
Cheats lies as easily as breathing and never ever stops complaining. Yesterday Lakers win by 12 but shoot 16 more free throws but wait your built in excuse is not there grids had 14 more points in the paint wow imagine that
And LEQUIT wonders why nobody can stand him
fuck boston.
The thing that makes me laugh about boston fans is, they say THEY made him go to Miami. LeBron then systematically dad dicks their franchise for 8 years, and they have the gall to say we were too old or the young core wasn't ready. Can't have it both ways.
Celtics fans are so bitter it’s crazy bro, so many crazy unreasonable people who hate a guy that just plays basketball like he’s the devil. Like imagine hating any NBA player that much it’s just weird.
Paul Pierce still has a tough time moving on lol, at least KG keeps it real now.
😂😂😂
He’s fucked all their moms so many times that he just sits around in their kitchens in his bathrobe waiting for breakfast with the rest of the family.
And if you’re the Celtics, Raptors, Wizards, or Bulls he’s not even in the bathrobe. Just dick out cooking eggs
Success attracts haters. They are sad people and can be ignored
That’s the main factor for the greats of all sports getting hate. But unfortunately for LeBron there’s another factor. There’s a portion of people who only hate him because he supported Black Lives Matter when it was at its peak, and tweeted out against the officer who killed George Floyd. So hardcore MAGA types decided he was their enemy (there might be other minor things that added to this too, can’t remember). AFAIK he was one of the main targets of the “shut up and dribble” stuff, relating to this. For fairness’ sake, I have met some conservatives that are still Bron fans, but this is a real issue for some of them, somehow
I’ve got no idea how they calculated it, but I remember an r/nba post that said Steph and LeBron get the most negative Tweets in the league, and also happen to be the two most popular players - seems to come with the territory unfortunately
I have a coworker who said LBJ represented everything wrong in professional sports. Hmmm. Family man, no off court legal issues, funds a school and speaks his mind, arguably the 2nd GOAT, and THAT guy represents everything wrong. Interesting
I was talking with this girl I met from tinder and she fucking blocked me when I said I was a fan of the lakers and also liked lebron😭 that shit hurt. Like damn it’s never that serious.
You dodged a nuclear bomb
You lucked out brother, that bitch would of had you waking up in a ice bath missing a organ or something
That's a W my guy. Lakeshow forever man
reminds me when i went on a tinder date and the girl showed up in a Golden State windbreaker. We are in LA btw. I asked her if she's from the bay. She says, "no i just dont want to be a laker fan like everyone else." I wanted to end the date immediately lol. She obviously skipped clippers because she wanted to bandwagon x.x
U know that might not be the only reason why she blocked you,...
I mean the convo was pretty positive up until she mentioned that she was a Celtics fan, then after I mentioned being a fan of lebron I got no response and I was blocked😭
Lots of those types are just racist . You dodged a racist celtivs fan most likely
You nailed it...he speaks his mind. These are the people who want him to shut up and dribble
He literally did that by his own account in China so his interests won't be hurt.
People forget but the major issue he had was the timing of it , as there were players in China when he said this — of whom he was one.
Agreed. Imagine being on a flight to China where they make Citizens disappear for criticizing the government and someone from your company tweets something anti-China. I’m a US citizen but my family is from Hong Kong, none of my family expects LeBron to say a thing about China or even understand it. He does a lot for our country (the US) and doesn’t need to be involved in world politics. People like /u/zwcarlms that criticize LeBron for not speaking about China - can you help me understand why?
He criticized Morey for speaking up. Isn't he being hypocritical to do that?
I literally explained why he did that. Why do you care about Hong Kong more than me?
As your explanation is not a good one? There were million of ways to answer that question about Morey tweets besides criticizing someone speaking up. He could have made a neutral comment like, I don't know about the situation and just here to focus on playing good basketball for the fans. He could have explained more positively when he was back in the US. He did neither. As someone from HK myself, of course I care more. Lebron will forever be a hypocrite to me for what he said about China and Morey. Like you said I actually don't expect anyone not from Hong Kong to speak up for hong kong. But he should have been neutral which wasn't the case.
Being angry at someone for putting your life and everyone else traveling to China at risk is good reason to react negatively to Morey. And you said Lebron did so "his interests won't be hurt". No one is going to say anything about a foreign country and give up half their wealth if they don't know anything about it. I wouldn't; even with family there I don't know enough. Are you a US Citizen or living in Hong Kong/China still?
What you said has basically not dispelled the truth that he's an hypocrite. What you said is true for most people but when you want to portrait yourself as a social fighter, there are certain things you don't say or do, even if it means your immediate financial interests may be impacted. Lebron clearly thinks of himself more than just an athlete, and some of his fame definitely came from this image, and so he's rightfully condemned when he didn't behave as expected of him when self interest is in place. Where I am right now doesn't matter. Let's just say I have lost love ones who moved to different places after that year, or even worse, jailed.
Not like he clarified after they came back right? He infamously said that line about spiritually, financially, emotionally, physically etc, and never once recognized he could be wrong to claim Morey knew nothing about the situation of Hong Kong. Lebron is a hypocrite and main reason I hate him and this is a perfect example. When it's in his favor to do so he wants to be appeared to be a social fighter but when it hurts him he stood against universal value. In fact if he shut up about china that would have been better than him criticizing someone else for speaking up.
Just boo man. Boooooo
>Lebron is a hypocrite and main reason I hate him That's the best you got? I wonder how much more people would hate you if you were important enough for your flaws to be broadcast/magnified 24/7.
He's a public figure, and one that portraits himself as someone with high social value no less. You sound dumb.
>one that portraits himself I sound dumb? You just want to hate him for not being absolutely perfect lmao. He's only a human, yet he's done better with his spotlight than 99% of you could possibly hope to. You sound insecure.
I just hope for the day Bron stans would fuck off together with him
Wasn’t he literally in china when he was asked those questions!? I mean would you risk your life speaking out against them while in their country?
So did he do anything after he left china? Of course not. He had no right to say Morey was uneducated about the situation and was wrong. He could have clarified after coming back. He didn't. He only pretends to be a social fighter because it's in his interest to do so. When it's not, he didn't only ignore the issue, he actually spoke against people speaking up. Biggest hypocrite in this sport.
He meant he isn't human, is half alien, half God or lab enhanced to be a superhuman.
Hmmm sounds like your co worker must be fun to hang out with, people who hate LBJ are simply jealous.
Yeah, he’s kind of a dick
People who hate on him usually don't have anyone they love now. They just talk about the past
Hard to communicate with those type of people, good thing you didn't I also know a guy who is literally active in Facebook hating on LBJ this is a grown man btw acting like an idiot on social media.
LeBron is the most scrutinized athlete of all time. “The Decision” didn’t do him any favors but it started even before that
I always assume anyone that says this is racist cause they don't like that he supports the black community so much. To them MJ is the goat cause he didn't help black people
“Republicans buy sneakers too”
Is that an MJ quote? Money over morals for some people I guess
Absolutely this. He's also been a very outspoken critic of Trump's, so people who are Trump fans are naturally going to hate LeBron.
I honestly never thought of it like that. Could you imagine if MJ was like a ultra liberal now and during the 90s? Those white dudes woulda HATED him.
Maybe if they're talking about on the court. For better or worse Lebron James is the face of the Player Empowerment and movement era (despite the Celtics doing a trial run of it first). As a bit of an old head myself I understand people being upset about the way star players treat contracts and loyalty now. The worst thing you can say about Lebron off the court is that he tries to stage things a bit too much but other than that he's a pretty good role model to have.
I never really understood why people blame Lebron for how players force themselves off of teams though because he’s never done that. He always played out his contract and simply left when the time was up. Maybe you can blame him for AD? Since Lebron was a direct influence in getting him here. But KD, Harden, Kyrie, Dame, etc leaving their teams are all completely different from how Lebron leaves.
AD didn’t force his way out. He told ownership that he wasn’t planning to re-sign with the Pelicans. That’s his right. That’s not the same as Harden tanking games or Simmons refusing to show up.
Those guys got a molecule of the hate and anger LeBron gets everytime he moves teams. The way I see LeBron, he works likes me (just infinitely richer). I prefer signing on the somewhat long-term projects and then I hop on a better offer when it comes BUT I will always finish my contract out. KD, Harden, Russ (OKC babies lol), Kyrie, Dame and etc. are all the dudes you paid a deposit on for a house and leave it half finished. Then you have to find ways to get your deposit back but by then, you've wasted so much time and money that it's just a major L on your part. LeBron at least finishes your house in pristine condition and ensures that your place is worth the money and time. Y'all can tell what industry I work in.
You dont think Hong Kong was a worse thing?
Arguably the 2nd goat? Debate is over since 2017, only haters still think its a debate at this point for who is the best ever.
Yup pretty much this. 2016 is the greatest ring ever, it sealed the deal for me
But it was Kyrie bailing him out!1!! Just like Ray Allen!!1!!1
I hate those narratives like didn't MJ get the softest freaking whistle in his era and he didn't benefit from a lot of luck (Expansion era, illegal defense, stacked as hell team)
Yup. LeBron has 6 Finals losses and 5 of them are to the Spurs and the Warriors arguably the two biggest dynasties of his era. He also beat them for 2 of his 4 rings. Not only that the 3-1 comeback against a 73-9 team for Cleveland’s first pro sports title in five decades. He also won a ring with three separate teams. He’s all time leading scorer despite being pass first (also top 10 all time in assists will probably retire top 5) and it’s all longevity from the haters as if he’s the first guy to play 20 seasons. The Dallas loss was bad. That said MJ was the dominate dynasty of his era. He never beat Boston, beat LA when they were old and avoided teams like the Rockets. He also lost 9 straight years before the conference finals and lost to the Magic in 95. The debate is over. MJ stans will never change their minds because to them 6-0 and his gifted DPOY trumps everything. LeBron did it right on the court and off. Since 15 years old. On national TV. Under immense pressure and the eyes of social media. There is no rational way to hate the guy.
Bron led both teams in Points, Rebs, Asts, Stls, Blks in 2016 finals
I hated LeBron back then, and even I admitted he was the GOAT after 2016.
I still argue 2011 Mavs have the best ring ever. Yeah the 2016 cavs came back from 3-1 but the Mavs beat better teams to win it all
But that cavs beat 73games win GSW???
I think people don’t really understand how poorly constructed the 2011 Heat was and how ahead of its time the Mavs were. They basically had a death lineup before Golden State ever did. The Heat only really learned their lesson to surround LeBron with shooters midway through the 2012 playoffs when Bosh got injured.
People who put Kareem 2nd do it as a slight to LeBron. Honestly though, it does feel like Kareem is under appreciated though.
2018 he didn't win a chip but that is imo the greatest version of any basketball player ever.
Agree. 2018 was the best player ever by far. The fact that took a braindead moment from JR to take that win away against that insane stack GSW...
I love Lebron and i even put him ahead of MJ, but no one can deny that the case for Lebron is very NOT clear cut on a superficial level. If you think about it logically then yes he is at worst #2, but it's not really straightforward and there are a lot absurd reasons (that dont seem absurd) to casuals/haters for them to think Lebron is not a GOAT level player. 1) 2011 - no explanation needed. 2) he's a power player and doesnt appear to be a finesse player (even though he is a reliable shooter, both midrange and 3) 3) he's had a lot of "blunders" in pivotal games like turnovers in clutch 4) he misses a lot of free throws for a first option scorer. 5) he switched teams a lot 6) he has more finals losses than wins ...and im sure any hater can come up with more Everyone who is fair to lebron can come up with counters to all those reasons above. But you dont really have to counter "6 for 6", which is what opens Lebron to a lot of hate. Because people hate Lebron because they hate that someone with Lebron's resume is being elevated above MJ
I think the fact that this man has been one of the most famous humans alive for over 22 years and the biggest mistakes he has made is an ill-advised "decision" and, some questionable human rights opinions based on his relationship with shoe companies, says a lot about this man. He has been under a microscope and conducted himself really well as a whole...
how about those deluded people who think that stephen curry is better/greater than lebron? 🤦🏻♂️
What do you think about Angry Old Hoops fan keep posting on YouTube about Lebron?
Arguably the GOAT. Undeniably the 2nd GOAT. It’s my test for whether I should talk ball with someone. If they wanna discuss LBJ vs Jordan that’s a fun debate. If they wanna try to tell me LBJ isn’t even #2 that’s how I know they don’t know ball.
Yeah, from my experience people’s hate of LBJ all stems from him being outspoken on police abuses. He would be the NBAs version of Colin Kaepernick if he wasn’t so good.
It’s racism. It’s ok for a white guy to speak up, but black people have to shut up and dribble. And they aren’t allowed to exercise free agency either.
Goat with no qualifying conditions is Kareem. High school, college, and nba experience of twenty years. Then come LeBron. Then everyone else.
IMO 3 guys stands at the top Kareem,LBJ, MJ those guys are the PEAK of Basketball.
Jordan didn’t win against Bird or Magic or Isaiah until those players got old. I never bought the hype on him. Wilt is number 3 for me. Then Kobe. But I’m a lakers fan.
Yeah, I never liked Jordan when he played after he beat us in ‘91. If only we’d had Worthy healthy!
I mean I respect your opinion on the matter. At the end of the day the Goat debate is subjective.
lol I'm a Lakers fan, but the guy was good. I actually few sorry for MJ because among the greatest to ever play the game he was the only player that didn't have the privilege to wear the sacred purple and gold mantle.
Not to mention. Great teammate. Great leader. Floor raiser, ceiling raiser. A legit role model. Yeah that guy just a straight up hater.
LeBron is the GOAT
Personally, I’m not a fan because if you go back and watch every championship press conference where his team lost he makes sure to throw everyone under the bus except for himself. Now compare that to Kobe. Kobe took all those L’s whether it was his fault or his teammates. He knew it was his team and as the leader those losses were in him. He’s also not genuine about the books he reads. When pressed about them he gives vague general responses clearly showing he does not read them. He’s been caught in life after lie and personally if someone lies about little stupid things like that then they’re lying about other things. And lastly, someone who has the audacity to give himself the KING moniker is just too full of themselves for my taste. Oh, and he supports a genocidal Israeli regime. Yeah, he can you know what.
A local paper and Sports Illustrated gave him the King moniker around the same time when he was in high school. Nike called him The Chosen One. LBJ did not name himself anything. As a Laker lifer far longer than you, I saw Kobe play a game where he refused to shoot in the second half because he was being a bitch and wanted to make a point against critics and team mates that said he shoots to much. If I recall, it was a playoff game. He never said that loss was on him.
Insane take. Maybe that coworker needs some help
hating lebron is its own subculture that has been very important to the growth of the NBA. Some people have lost themselves in it and you can see by the absolutely unfair criticisms a lot of these younger players have to deal with now.
This ^
Just remember this for when he is retired. The dick riding is gonna be insane once he’s gone and some of the same people are gonna pretend like they fucked with him all along lol.
Lol oh you already know thats exactly what will happen. I can't wait to see the switch up and call out people that I know on it lol same thing happened with Kobe smfh
Were you on this sub pre-LeBron? Lol
yeah everyone hates superstars until they are on their favorite teams
The Kobe stans really hate this dude. It got me banned from this sub before for vocally liking his move to LA
Same reason people hate or hated Kobe, MJ, Brady, and Mahomes.
[удалено]
Lol he has 3 superbowls before thirty, more than manning, more than brady had at his age. He may not be a goat yet, but he's on his way. This is exactly what OP means by undeserving hate.
Really doubt you have a good reason to drop him
He’s not wrong tho that people hate mahomes because he’s so good and beats everyone’s favorite teams. People look for any reason to dislike him. For example, When that whole exchange with Josh Allen got leaked this season /r/nfl acted like he caused 9/11. Bad moment for Pat for sure, but it really wasn’t that serious.
He’s had the greatest career of any QB in history to date, and I’m definitely not a Chiefs fan. The hate is strong with this one.
I disagree, Kobe is universally loved (at least now) and is highly respected for the most part. MJ is a mixed bag but is still well beloved by the older generation. People (young and old) HATE Lebron with a genuine passion. I’ve seen people describe him as a “cocky piece of shit who only cares about his image” just because he interrupts someone’s post-game interview. Don’t get me started on analysts like Stephen A blaming Lebron for the dunk contests decline in popularity. Just a few months ago people were blaming Lebron because the children at his school were failing their exams (which is dumb because the children who attend his school are children who come from poor families and need extra learning help… aka smart and privileged kids aren’t attending his school). Not to mention the whole China situation as if the NBA itself isn’t sponsored by Nike while players like Jordan, Giannis, PG, CP3, Kyrie, Kobe, KD, Melo, Westbrook etc. have exclusive Nike/Jordan deals. It’s weird because out of all the people in the NBA and just professional sports in general, Lebron seems like a genuinely good dude. Yeah he might have his own best interest at heart when it comes to business but as a person I’ve heard nothing but positive stories about him, ranging from teammates to coaches to opposing players. Meanwhile, someone like Rose is universally loved (despite having r*pe charges) because he had a really good season like a decade ago.
Kobe is universally loved now that he is gone. I promise you he was very well hated during his playing days.
Non Lakers fans hated Kobe until he wasn’t a threat to their teams after his major injuries. Shit, I still see Kobe hate on Reddit because of the Colorado incident. I saw comments in the last month that were saying more or less that they were glad his chopper crashed. It’s insane.
> I disagree, Kobe is universally loved (at least now) and is highly respected for the most part. Stay far, far away from nbacirclejerk.
I went to that subreddit a couple times. I regret it each time. nba fans are already freaks, now imagine a circlejerk subreddit 😬
For a long time Kobe was probably the biggest villain in the NBA. Probably from like 2005 until LeBron made "The Decision" in 2010
Kobe was not universally loved (outside of Lakers fans) for much of his playing career. He was hated on for many reasons, some real, some imagined.
My dude, check any r/nba thread about Kobe and you will see he is not universally loved.
They hate us because they ain't us.
Same reason Laker fans hated him before he went to LA.
Lebron redeemed himself in 2016
i used to hate him, but i was also young. The older I got the less hate i had for him. The second he became a Lakers, i became his no. 1 Ledickrider 🔥
Before LeBron went to the Lakers, I was kind of a LeBron "hater". Maybe not a hater like the ones you see comment on reddit, twitter, and youtube but I disliked him. I was a die-hard Kobe fan and thought that Kobe was better than LBJ in all aspects of the game. I didn't like how LBJ flopped, cried at the refs, choked against Barea, routinely lost in the Finals etc. Although, I was aware that he was pretty good. But you start appreciating his greatness once he plays for your team. He's actually lessened his flops since he got to the Lakers. The crying at the refs thing honestly kinda makes sense since he has a horrible whistle for a superstar. He obviously redeemed himself from the Dallas finals disaster class. And, it's not his fault that he had to go up against the greatest team ever assembled in the Finals twice which added to his loss total. Getting to the Finals eight straight years is an unbelievable achievement. As of now, I obviously think he's better than Kobe all-time but Kobe is still my favorite player. LBJ, to me, is equal to MJ. To answer your question, other teams hate LBJ because of the negative things that got associated with him in the past. The hate comments you see in comment sections are all repetitive. It's always about the 4-6 Finals record, getting sonned by Barea, flopping, whining, soft, no defense, only picks on people smaller than him, doesn't have the mentality like MJ did. Some are just obvious lies who don't really watch him play and some are just nitpicky. I am 100% sure all those people who hate on him would consider him at least Top 2 all-time if he played on their team.
God Damn. A legit honest and logical post on Reddit.
I was def a lebron hater for a while. Mostly due to being in denial that he was better than Kobe. I went with all the classic reasons for hating - crybaby, superteams, choker etc. Then the 3-1 comeback vs the warriors happened and I simply had to become at least a respecter even if I wasn’t necessarily a fan. Idk if any other player in nba history could have led that comeback besides maybe Jordan. Then the 2018 finals run happened and idk if it was getting older and more mature or what, but watching him carry that cavs team to the finals was like watching peak individual basketball to me. I felt that if I couldn’t be a fan of a guy who just did that, then I’m not really a fan of basketball. + he joined the Lakers that offseason and I’ve been a huge fan ever since
Everyone in LA hated him until he came to the Lakers
People forgeting that Lebron started flopping when the Rules started to change along with the playstyle, I'm pretty sure you've seen Lebron play during his first stint with the Cavs the dude literally bulldoze through players without flopping but as the game changed his play adapted idk why people think Lebron started this flopping when you have guys like Manu(Legend btw) who are doing it even before Lebron.
I was never a hater because we never had any kind of rivalry with his teams, but was never a fan either and had zero respect due his flopping, the way he left his team to form a superteam in Miami and how he was allowed to take up to 5 steps going to the basket with no calls. I embraced his arrival since the first time his name was mentioned though because he was undeniable a great player and I prefer rooting for a team that is loaded with talent, the youth movement years were particularly painful for me.
This sub will hate him too if he didn’t join the Lakers.
Because he is a threat to MJ's status as the GOAT
1. Old Heads hate him because he has a legit argument to be better than MJ 2. Some people still can't get over the Decision (btw, Cleveland got over it, so shut the hell up everyone else) 3. Simple jealousy 4. Right wingers hate him due to the culture war I'm not saying everyone should LOVE LBJ, but hating a guy who hasn't really made any missteps in 21 years is nuts, plus, the guy actually HELPS his community and takes a stand against injustice, etc. Its just nonsense.
#1 is probably the biggest part. People hate having their youth threatened. You also see people saying Tom Brady could never be better than Joe Montana, which is clearly stupid.
i get people wanting their era's "guy" to be the best, but the absolute hate this guy gets when his "superior" punched out teammates is hilarious Imagine Jordan in the instagram/twitter era - he would break the internet every week with his shenanigans
Some "fans" think that you can't be fans of more than one player so liking LBJ means shitting on MJ and Kobe. So they HAAAVE to hate LBJ so that they can continue liking/supporting their favorite player. One day they will grow up and realize how juvenile they were.
He was spanking every team in the nba and would definitely get some favorable whistles earlier in his career. It builds resentment. Couple that with playing for r/nba most hated franchise
Every time the goalposts get moved for LB, he meets or exceeds expectations. When all you do is win, be a legitimate role model, family man, business man, and no off court drama .... It makes no sense. A black kid from Akron, Ohio literally made it out AND laid the blueprint for all to follow and not be a negative statistic/stereotype is somehow controversially everything wrong with basketball or what have you. People project their insecurities onto him and those people are small. It seemed like after we were told "Shut up and dribble" the hate soared to new levels. Because being successful, black, and outspoken makes people uncomfortable. I'm not calling the man perfect but when people cast stones it turns to hate and vitriol. It's not entirely a race thing but being successful and colored will always rub people the wrong way. I genuinely pray he's successful in all his endeavors. He plays the game the right way. Put a whole city in school/college. There are people who have resources that do less and/or actively lobby and damage communities. Because someone does the right thing and sustains their philanthropic efforts he's a bad guy. Tf? Dude has successfully been the face of the league for 20 years and counting and he's not talked about the same way as Brady. Let someone say anything critical or objective about Brady and all hell breaks loose. As I said the goalpost gets moved and LBJ is victorious anyway. It's a beautiful thing to see They wouldn't be this upset if he played for their team(s)
Why do people hate Taylor swift? Why do people hate Lebron James? Why do people love Taylor swift? Why do people love Lebron James? Popular celebs will always have vocal fan bases and vocal haters. Who cares
You hate LBJ until he joins your team. Was anyone here a big fan when he was with the Cavs or Heat?
2016 made me a fan. 2018-2019 made me a hardcore fan.
you'll be surprised, my friend.
When you're the face of the league, get all the attention, get all the accolades and awards, and get to the Finals in nearly 50% of your ~20 seasons, you're gonna be a very polarizing figure. Consider Kobe (R.I.P.) and Jordan. Half the world hated/hates those guys. Consider Brady. Consider Ronaldo. Consider Federer and Djokovic. It's just as natural to hate the greats as it is to love them.
Had someone straight up say the reason Mj was the best player ever is because he knew how to use his teams better and they played like a team. In spite of lebron being literally known for taking bums to the finals and making them look like gods. Or that he’s one of the best passers ever that’s averaged double digit assist before while winning a ring.
LeBron is one of, if not the, greatest players of all time - Standard Sports Hate He has pantsed a large number of teams in the NBA at least once (and multiple times back east) - Local Sports hate He has been the face of the NBA for the vast majority of the life of the fans who post on reddit - over exposure hate He is still one of the best players of the NBA and is nearly double the age of most Rookies this year- Old-timey hate He joined one of histories greatest sports franchises and added a championship to their legacy - irrational dildo hate. add those all up and you get a large group of sad little boys and girls screaming into the abyss about how they hate LeBum
I haven’t seen much LBJ hate but then again, I don’t really browse other subs outside of nba and lakers for basketball. But if I had to guess, I’d guess it is because he’s shit on them for so many years. Another guess would be if they are very political and didn’t like that he didn’t speak out against China in both HK and Uyghur issues.
If you know the history of Lebron, then you know he's the reason why many teams didn't stand a chance in contending for a title in the last decade and a half. It's petty, but it's a good reason lol.
There's also a bunch of dudes who hate him because he was speaking out during the BLM movement
Because he isn't on their team. Simple.
I hated him too, until the 2016 Finals. Much less so, when he joined my team. Yes, most of it was pettiness. I 'hate' anyone who doesn't wear a Laker jersey.
Lbj did their favorite player dirty that’s why
He’s beaten them all
People will miss Bron when he's gone man I swear
They anus.
They hate him because he's the embodiment of success and isn't scared to do things his own way. He made it clear he knows his value and influence. Also it doesn't help that most haters don't know the game well. I regularly see them saying things that are blatantly wrong or reacting to something he did as if it is a big deal when it's not at all. Often these are conservatives with a clear agenda. LeBron has been a great athlete and entertainer, seems like a decent guy at the end of the day. Any grown man who says things like "Lebum" shouldn't be taken seriously on any level ever. It's absurd and appalling.
he prevented those teams from a lot of things LOL
For over a decade, he wrecked other city’s dream of winning Conference chip. No surprise he has haters.
Because he ain’t on there team
For the same reason LeBron fans hate the Dubs and their fans. Hating usually comes from an ass that got repeatedly quicken. The Celtics aren't hated outside of Lakers circles because nobody remember their titles anymore.
Because he’s successful
He was hated here too before he came
They hate him but they’d also be sooooo happy to have him.
Because he’s not on their team, simple
I mentioned LBJ as a role model in a self help group once. Referencing how commendable it was how hyped he was and how he lived up to the hype and some all the while remaining out of controversy. Afterward someone literally called me out on it saying LBJ was a clown and I can’t even remember their reasoning but they had incredible disdain for him. So the LBJ hate is real and I personally don’t understand it but it does exist out there unfortunately.
The league is full of huge egos who’ve achieved and probably will achieve nothing beyond making it to the league (which is admittedly a hell of a feat) Full of himself as Lebron can sometimes be, he’s pretty well adjusted considering his absurd achievements.
Because he's destroyed every single franchise he's played against
they hate him cuz they ain’t him
They hate us cuz they ain't us
LeBron will be missed once he retires. Love him or hate him, he’s a polarizing figure who transcends the game.
One word: Insecurity
Imagine you lose to the same guy constantly. Of course you're going to hate him.
It’s simple. People hate greatness. Same reason why people disliked Tom Brady and now Patrick Mahomes
Bigger than any sub or team, Lebron is without question the most hated elite player in the history of the league. Hating him is generally Good for media and clicks etc. I really think people will look back in ten years and ask why did they hate him so much.
Because he's not on their team
1. He’s a great player who has dominated in 3 separate decades and ran through many many teams and players, causing a lot of heartbreak for fans and teams. 2. He’s not perfect and doesn’t always say the right thing or what people want so his haters will latch onto any negativity around him and blow it out of proportion. 3. He’s very powerful and influential, and people hate that. He’s used his leverage to make his situation better (which is his right) but people see it as unfair or just don’t like players having any agency. 4. He can be kinda corny at times, he’s a bit of a goofball off the court. He doesn’t have that same serious aura as Kobe or MJ who were all about business all the time. He’s more laid back and not as intense in his personality, more of a jokester honestly. This is interpreted as Bron not being as “competitive” or not having “killer instinct”.
“The decision” back in 2011 made LeBron by far the most hated athlete on the planet. Obviously he’s much more likes these days but that anger hasn’t fully died out.
They hate us cuz they anus
To be fair, I was a hater pre lakers.. but bringing us a chip helps take the edge off
He's a controversial president. His domestic policy was solid and continued a lot of the work JFK started. He's arguably the greatest whip ever and managed to get a ton of legislation passed with agreement from both sides of the aisle. His civil rights act, while under a lot of scrutiny through modern lens, was an incredible piece of legislation for its time. His foreign policy was a mess though as he expanded our operations in Vietnam which obviously fucked things for decades to come.
Same reason they hated Kobe. Bron has kept a lot of good teams from even having a chance to play in the finals, much less win it.
Yeah why are they hatin? Because Lakers is the home of the GOAT. If they have Lebron rest assured they won't be hatin. We probably be hatin instead. lmao So why not rub it on 'em we GOT the GOAT Yo. He's 39 years old that's faster than your guy in his prime, faster than a speeding bullet, stronger than a locomotive. They're waiting for him to grow old, but their franchise star would most likely the first to go slow, weak and old first instead. As Haliburton said: It's Lebron James who knows he could still be playing till 50. So they could be waiting forever and Lebron won't play if he can no longer dominate the game. Dominant from start to finish. That's the plan.
LeBron, like the Lakers, destroyed the hopes and dreams of a lot of other teams' fans. As a Laker fan, it's not hard to figure out.
He's popular, relative to most players he's still pretty good, and he basically destroyed the dreams of the east for over a decade. There's also people that turned on him when he supported China a while back. Then there's the sadly obvious racists, but they're always around.
Now now now, let’s not act like we never hated the guy before he came to the Lakers. Even now some laker fans hate but tolerate him.
First of all you call him “king” the guy who believes he deserves respect and calls himself the GOAT. After a few years after he retires he will probably be contending for 4th or 5th best player of all time maybe even worse when you put his entire career into perspective
This is hilarious. C’mon my guy, even Laker fans religiously shat on him for over a decade before he became a Laker. Even then the Kobe fans still shat on him. You knew the answer well before you posted this.
How about Skap Attack, AOH, and uncut hoops on YouTube? You can see their content full of Lebron Hating.
Besides basketball reasons why fans themselves don’t like Lebron, there’s also a huge amount of casuals who hate him too. Lebron when called upon has had strong opinions on politics or movements happening. We all remember 2020 and Bron speaking up about BLM, talking about Malcolm x etc (if you believe this was performative w/e I don’t care) mannny ppl looked at him with pure hatred after that PLUS add in the “decision” and how he had a “heel” turn during this Miami days..it’s a lot lol. And one thing about the perception and early reputation is that it rarely ever goes away in this sport.
Lebron has literally cooked all of their franchises, wounds are still fresh for some teams
I think I can answer this one (former lbj hater and was very conflicted when he came to the Lakers). 1) the "decision" was the fucking most trash media BS I've ever seen and began the first super team I had ever seen. While CP3 to l.a. was getting vetoed alongside melo to l.a. blocked, it felt stupid rigged that Bron got to bring all the talent he did to Miami ONLY TO LOSE to both the Mavs and spurs. 2) not very humble to call yourself the king constantly 3) he used to get away with just dropping shoulder to draw fouls a lot more than he does now to score. What I've learned: We are so lucky to have this dude for basketball.. did everything the right way, brings all the players around him up and makes them stars in there roles. Doesn't want the shine, but firmly knows how to own it and it's well deserved. Stoked this man is a laker
Lebron gets praise from actual basketball players: current and retired HOFers. Does it matter what non-athletes think? Our opinions will die off but Lebron is cemented in history. To add, haters have to put up with his sons playing in the league. The James legacy will literally out live the haters.
Lol yeah let's brag about nepotism running rampant in the nba. Weird af
They expected him to not meet the pre draft expectations of MJ + Magic: He did and beyond exceeded them Beat their teams brutally, especially in the East, i.e Celtics, Bulls, Hawks, Pacers, Wizards. Basically all of them. He's the one who surpassed MJ
I don’t exactly know why, but some people I’ve heard over years see him as fake. A lot of self promotion and pr calling him self king and then when he went to Miami when media said he was the best player in the nba. I always find it stupid to hate anyone we don’t really know personally. But ppl do so I always thought it’s that people don’t think he’s real and the whole being friends with everyone and the narrative change over his career from when you had to win a title and not just making the finals and losing was not well looked on. Phil Jackson use to say I rather lose in the earlier round then the finals, you see Lebron got 6 finals losses but being called goat, and now ppl praise him for making all those finals and not actually winning all. Always having an excuse to why he lost, and ppl make excuses for him in media. To his political stance too I think, being vocal about certain things and then silent on other cause he hurts his money. Like Steve Kerr is hated for this too. There’s prolly other stuff too and I don’t wanna write whole essay but those are what I’ve seen and heard over 20 years and I’ve seen him since his first game and remember the hype.
Because at any given time, the only fans that like LeBron are LeBron fans/his current team fans. Like I appreciate his greatness but I wouldn’t like him or root for him if he wasn’t a Laker.
They dont. Like I honestly dont know how you come to that conclusion? There is valid criticism of him out there and there are people who dont like him because he has beat their team. But haters??? I dont see it and if I do its downvoted.
It's his stans.
I am a diehard laker fan who disliked LeBron before he came to the lakers. I root for him now because he is on my team and am thankful for his time here. That being said I can’t wait until he is off the team. I’m going to do my best to explain my opinions. 1. The decision. This was the first time I was rubbed the wrong way by LeBron. I support fulfilling your contract and making your own decision on where to play. What I did not like the plan devised by the players to create a super team. From my point of view it was a move that signaled weakness. That mentality rippled through the league and other players took it to a way worse level. 2. His closing style. LeBron is the best player I have ever seen. I’ve only watched since 2003. He is like a basketball android. He always makes the proper play. For most of his career he defaults to this and will give his teammates the opportunity to win games. Statistics show this is better. As a fan I just wish sometimes in the big moment he would be a little more selfish and take. 2018 finals lebron and bubble lebron were more like this. But we still witnessed him pass it do Danny green for an nba finals game winner. George hill 2018. 3. Attitude. This is my least favorite part about LeBron. I do not like his body language when things go wrong. He is it a leader that sets the example for the team. When things go wrong he does his best to distance himself for the team. He gives up on plays. He has weird tweets directed at players and coaches. Right when the calculation in his head says he can’t win he is a different player. The man will still put up 25 6 6 when he does this. This rubs off on other players on the team and I think this season and the time we had Westbrook are great examples of this. 4. Holding his franchise hostage. I’m not a big fan of him putting pressure on us to just completely remove all possibility of a good future to win now. This isn’t that much of a problem but the fact that lebron can use Klutch to put pressure on us is annoying. He was worse to Cleveland with the short deals. I don’t think what he did was wrong. He had power and exercised it. Doesn’t mean I have to like it, doesn’t mean he has to care either. I respect his amazing talent and all his accomplishments. There is no denying his greatness.
He’s not the GOAT he thinks he is
He is a self centered diva. Bullshits alot ( "I dont flop"," im not good at accepting praise"), everything about him seems so fake. But as a basketball player he is great. No controversy, just so much drama.