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.
