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15 Most Polarizing Players of the 2014-15 NBA Season

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15 Most Polarizing Players of the 2014-15 NBA Season

Kobe Bryant Lakers
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No league has its fans take sides behind players quite like the NBA. You have your Kobe Bryant fans who are rarely also LeBron James fans and vice versa. You have your Russell-Westbrook-needs-to-stop-shooting crowd versus the Westbrook-is-just-as-good-as-Kevin-Durant crowd. It is never ending in today’s NBA. With that said, here are the 15 most polarizing players in the 2014-15 NBA season.

15. Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin Clippers
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15. Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin Clippers
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A man of Griffin’s size and strength should not be falling down and flailing so often. Once called a “bull in a China shop,” Griffin has become known for flopping on a far too regular basis. What else is Griffin known for? Some of the most powerful, acrobatic, jaw-dropping dunks in league history.

14. James Harden

James Harden Rockets
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14. James Harden

James Harden Rockets
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With the decline of Kobe and Dwyane Wade, the Rockets' star is now the best shooting guard in the league. Harden has also become the primary example of a star who does not play, or better said, chooses not to play, any defense. Until the bearded-lefty changes his game on the defensive end, there will be doubts to whether he will ever help lead the Rockets to the promise land.

13. LeBron James

LeBron James Cavaliers
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13. LeBron James

LeBron James Cavaliers
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LeBron is up there with the all-time most polarizing players in league history. Before "King James" took his talents to South Beach, there were the questions if LeBron could ever get it done in crunch time and there was a split between fans whether LeBron or Kobe was the best player in the league. There’s no denying now James is the best player, but there’s a large group of people out there who have not forgiven LeBron for the “The Decision.”

12. Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant Lakers
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12. Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant Lakers
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As Kobe’s career nears its conclusion, it is safe to say he will go down as one of the greatest players in NBA history. With five NBA Titles, it would be nearly impossible to argue Kobe does not know how to win, but time and time again the future Hall of Famer is questioned for taking too many shots. The sexual assault allegations in 2003 did not help quiet the Kobe haters.

11. Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook Thunder
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11. Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook Thunder
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The injured guard gets flack any time the Thunder lose and he puts up more shots than his teammate and four-time scoring champion Kevin Durant. Westbrook is right there with LeBron for most athletic player in the league, but his propensity to force shots and get too emotional on the court are holding him back. As a point guard, there may be something to Westbrook needing to facilitate more as a point guard and focus less on his own scoring.

10. Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving Cavaliers
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10. Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving Cavaliers
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Only four games into his career with “The King,” you can already tell we're going to be hearing a lot about Kyrie. The point guard is going to hear a lot of the same talk that Westbrook often does, should the Cavaliers continue to struggle. The debate is over what role Irving takes: distribute the ball like a point guard is classically trained to do or continue his scoring ways. Only time will tell if LeBron and Kyrie will be able to mesh.

9. DeMarcus Cousins

DeMarcus Cousins
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9. DeMarcus Cousins

DeMarcus Cousins Kings
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There’s little middle ground when it comes to the big Sacramento Kings center. It has been difficult for Cousins to remove the "immature" label placed on him ever since he was drafted. Cousins took a major leap in 2013 and grew into one of the more dominant big men in the league. Even with what from the surface looks like a more mature player, there’s a steady group who believe Cousins will forever be a cancer to the Kings.

8. Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo Anthony Knicks
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8. Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo Anthony Knicks
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With the Nuggets and now with the Knicks, Anthony has proven to be one of the preeminent offensive forces in the NBA. His inability to lead a team to any real success and his lack of consistent intensity on the defensive end is holding Anthony back from being an elite player. Until Melo rounds out his game and becomes a more complete player, he will be regarded by many as just a scorer.

7. Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard Rockets
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7. Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard Rockets
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The Houston Rockets' center is arguably the NBA's foremost impactful defensive player. With all the physical tools in the world, there is no reason Howard should not be dominating and deciding games night in and night out. Howard's lack of post moves and his Shaq-like abilities at the free-throw line create questions as to how skilled Howard really is and if he'll ever take home the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

6. Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade Heat
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6. Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade Heat
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It is a little sad watching D-Wade play now, at least for me. The three-time champ relied heavily on attacking the rim with reckless abandon during his prime. He is largely unable to play the same way he used to which made him so successful. Injuries in combination with age have slowed Wade down and the big question is if sans-Lebron, can Wade lead the Heat to their fifth-straight title appearance?

5. Chris Bosh

Chris Bosh Heat
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5. Chris Bosh

Chris Bosh Heat
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Prior to joining LeBron and Wade in Miami, Bosh was one of the underrated talents in the NBA. Year after year, Bosh has slowly moved his game further and further away from the block, where you’d think he would spend most of his time. Bosh has his supporters who back him as one of the best big men of today, but he has a large chunk of detractors who will call him soft until they run out of breath.

4. Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose Bulls
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4. Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose Bulls
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First, I would like to say how great it is to have the former MVP back on the court. The NBA is simply not the same without him. Now the question is how long he will be able to stay out there. The return so far looks promising (if his new ankle injury is not serious), but it is wait-and-see if Rose can return to the same electric player he was prior to the knee injuries for an entire season.

3. Joakim Noah

Joakim Noah Bulls
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3. Joakim Noah

Joakim Noah Bulls
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Joakim Noah is not afraid to say what is on his mind; he’s made that much clear. The Bulls' big man has taken shots at LeBron and is not afraid to get into some scuffles on the floor. Although Noah has become one of the dark horse MVP candidates in the league, his aggressive and at times abrasive play has turned him into one of the more disliked players in the league.

2. Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson Nets
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2. Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson Nets
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The Brooklyn Nets' guard has what most believe to be the worst contract in the NBA. Johnson is still an effective scorer at 33 years old, but is still widely viewed as a volume shooter. Johnson has his fans who do not blame him for the Nets’ struggles, but with a contract paying over $ 23 million per year, many view him as one of the reasons, among many, holding the Nets back.

1. Lance Stephenson

Lance Stephenson Hornets
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1. Lance Stephenson

Lance Stephenson Hornets
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Stephenson had a very good season with the Indiana Pacers last year. Unfortunately for him, he is better known for his more unusual actions, like blowing into LeBron’s ear or feigning sleep on the court. The jury is out on whether Stephenson is more of a joke or a dependable contributor to a good team.

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