For many years, the Los Angeles Lakers have been perceived by many to be the most hated franchise in the NBA.
But it looks like there is now a team that is even more despised than the Purple and Gold – the Brooklyn Nets.
BetOnline, the sports betting site, geotagged Twitter data in the last month and tracked hashtags, tweets and direct keyword phrases about the NBA team fans dislike the most.
The result of the data is that there are more states in which the Nets are the most hated team than the Lakers.
Nets – 25 states
Lakers – 21 states
76ers – 2 states
Celtics – 2 states
The hate that many have for the Lakers could be seen as a sign of respect, as the franchise has earned 17 NBA championships going back to the 1940s.
The Nets, on the other hand, have always been seen as the stepchild of the New York area. The team has often been bad or mediocre, although it did reach the NBA Finals twice in the early 2000s.
Brooklyn is now seen as the monster in the midway due to its Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden. Harden was acquired early this season in a blockbuster trade from the Houston Rockets.
If the Lakers and Nets meet for this year’s world title, as many expect, it could be a ratings bonanza for the NBA.
