Polls Find Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons as the Most Disliked NBA Players

Morning Consult has recently revealed a new set of polls that have highlighted which players fans love and hate the most in the NBA league.

Despite missing the playoffs for two consecutive NBA seasons, Golden State Warriors‘ Steph Curry reigns on top as the most-liked player amongst NBA fans. With the most recent data, it seems like Under Armour’s choice to place their bet on the star shooter for his own standalone Curry Brand is paying off. Hot on the heels of Steph, his former teammate and now Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant comes in second while Los Angeles Lakers‘ LeBron James sits at third as most liked. Others on the list include James’ teammate Anthony Davis and last year’s champion, Milwaukee Bucks‘ Giannis Antetokounmpo to round out the top five.

The study also cites that “18 percent of NBA fans who have an unfavorable opinion of James was the third highest in the survey.” James has previously been criticized by current and former players for not taking a stance to convince others in the league to be vaccinated.

Philadelphia 76ers Ben Simmons and Nets’ guard Kyrie Irving are tied for last, receiving the title for the most disliked players in the NBA. Simmons has recently received a slew of negative publicity due to his offseason attitude and supposed beef with the Sixers organization and Joel Embiid. Irving, on the other hand, has been heavily criticized for his vaccination status and have seen fans become divided over his choice to stay unvaccinated even though that means he cannot play.