- Shaq doubles down, challenges artist who Photoshopped Donovan Mitchell dunking on him to 1-on-1
- Report: Kobe Bryant’s family has asked teams and NBA to not hold tributes for him this year
- Tony Romo says Patrick Mahomes vs. Tom Brady will be like ‘LeBron and Jordan playing in the Finals’
- Anthony Davis admits he lost desire to practice or play basketball during final season with Pelicans
- Anthony Davis claims he’s ‘never’ seen LeBron James angry since joining Lakers
- Shaq DMs artist who Photoshopped Donovan Mitchell dunking on him: ‘Shut yo dumb a-s up’
- LeBron James pays massive tribute to Tom Brady after Buccaneers advance to Super Bowl
- Anthony Davis speaks volumes about Kobe Bryant’s impact on people outside of basketball
- Report: Lakers will not commemorate 1st anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s death in any manner
- LeBron James’ ecstatic reaction to Stephen Curry passing Reggie Miller on all-time 3-pointers list
New Data Shows That LeBron James Is the Most Hated Player in California
- Updated: June 27, 2019

LeBron James changed the NBA landscape last summer when he decided to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers and join the Los Angeles Lakers.
While conventional wisdom would lead one to believe that that fact would make James a fan favorite in California, the exact opposite seems to be true.
According to geotagged Twitter data following the 2018-19 NBA season, James appears to be the most hated player in the state of California.
Most hated NBA player by state! pic.twitter.com/h6lIG620wp
— BLACK ADAM SCHEFTER (@B1ackSchefter) June 27, 2019
It’s a pretty astounding revelation, but perhaps given the circumstances that surround James’ first season with the Lakers, it should not come as so much of a shock.
Expectations were sky high in his first season with the team. Unfortunately a number of injuries, including the most serious injury of James’ career, and endless trade rumors got in the way of any sustained on-court success.
The Lakers limped to a 37-45 record on the season and missed the playoffs entirely.
Entering the 2019-20 season, things figure to be very different for both James and the Lakers. They have already managed to bring one All-Star to L.A. when they traded for Anthony Davis.
According to reports on Thursday, the Lakers now have the cap space necessary to bring yet another max salary star to play in the Purple and Gold.
It’s starting to seem like all of James’ plans for his tenure in Los Angeles are coming to fruition. It’s also starting to seem like he might end up being the most beloved NBA star in California by the end of next season. That is, as long as he can bring another Larry O’Brien trophy to Los Angeles.