Is there a more polarizing athlete than Lebron James?

[Shadow King]

white v black is a type of polarizing, and there was a point in which even a lot of black people weren't fans of Ali for some of his stances, his conversion to Islam, and his braggadocios nature

White vs black is the stat quo. Polarizing is dividing people across almost all groups. Those black people were the exception not the rule or a significant portion.

 

[MJ Truth]

Lol right. People were trying to shyt on Kobe’s legacy AFTER he retired. He had to pass away for some people to switch up

Unfortunately I think we are going to see the same, at a higher level, whenever Bron finally retires. ESPECIALLY if it’s at a low.

 

[calh45]

Floyd?

Half the people who watched him fight were in amazement the other half wanted/hoped he would lose/get KO'd.

On the field/court/ring I think it's Floyd

Kaepernick.

Off the field it's Kaep.

Y'all are both right to me. I don't think Bron is authentically disliked and I think that's a major part of being polarizing. Even the biggest Bron hater will say that he's one of the best ever (top 25 at most) and say he's a good cat off the court with the schools/scholarships/being a father/etc. I don't think the variance on people with opposing views of Bron start at terrible/trash. It's basically "Bron ain't better than <insert other all time great player>" and I don't think that's ever an insult. Skip Bayless will never say Bron isn't top 50 without looking like a dumbass.


There are people who authentically hate who Colin and Kaepernick and Mayweather are as people.......I did see Arod and I'd say he had the biggest turnaround. People HATED him when he was playing and now people genuinely dig him. He was just on the pivot podcast and had me the whole time.

 

[Devil Plisken…CMS]

AI....and it's not even close.

Had broadcasters outwardly rooting against him at the Olympics and mocking his durag and all sorts of shyt.

Was the face of the "I hate the NBA now" post-mj cac movement.

You’re another one that doesn’t get what OP is saying

 

[Mike18jj]

No there's not, case in point other athletes y'all named have off the field/court accusations that people use as an excuse to hate them, Lebron is this hated with no off the court drama could you imagine if he actually did?

 

[mastermind]

Kareem is probably the most polarizing

 

[JYoung24]

Has to be Kobe Aaron Rodgers should be honerable mention though

 

[homiedontplaydat]

Barry Bonds

 

[get these nets]

:;

Bump because of the ridiculous "should the Warriors trade for LeBron" thread,

 

[Amare's Right Hook]

There aren't players as well traveled.....

 

[Bryan Danielson]

Kaep

 

[Baka's Weird Case]

polarizing as in their athletic performance, or personal popularity?

i dont think theres a lot of level-headed people who wouldn’t say that lebron and kobe are all time greats.

the most polarizing to me would be more like the players who were borderline and being argued about in the tmac-melo top 75 thread. like those two, vince carter, vince carter, AD.

 

[Swagnificent]

Normally a polarizing sports figure has fans/detractors split along race, nationality, generation, or geographic lines.
Lebron James will have two biological brothers, close in age who are in different camps about him. I've not seen anything like it, but I'm asking y'all whether I just have a bad memory?

Also, I remember when he was universally cheered by basketball fans after we saw that he lived up to the tremendous hype (the first Finals appearance).
When did he turn heel to you?

LeBron says more about us as people than anything to do with him. I personally can't rock with his beta male tactics which is why I don't root for him. My mom likes LeBron because of these same beta male traits. It is what it is.

LeBron says more about your testosterone levels than anything else in my opinion.

 

[Swagnificent]

Kobe

There are people who love kobe and hold him high All time

And there are haters/detractors who see him as overrated and don't even think he's top 10.

Espescially Ole envious Cacs who hold resentment over the rape case.

He prolly not more polarizing but he's the closest.

But Kobe doesn't divide families. His haters mostly were cacs. Especially after Eagle, Colorado. LeBron haters cut across all ideological lines. Also Kobe's hate was limited to his persona on the court. His personal life (outside of Colorado) was not really a lightning rod. I would argue more people hate LeBron for his off-court behavior (i.e. trying to trade everyone on his team/jumping from super team to super team) than how he acts on the court.

 

[Jcotton1]

I don't check for Lebron. I respect his basketball acumen and putting his guys on that's it.


If I have resources and know a few folk you can go to Wally's and get a table in the back and some back vintage vino. Hell you can go to Giorgio Baldi some have a great meal.


I know who I know in the league . It's cool getting reservations to a restaurant courtesy of who you know.