Is LeBron James the most disrespected player in NBA history?
Who is the most disrespected player in NBA history?
That question led to a spirited debate among NBA fans this week. Current stars such as Kawhi Leonard and James Harden received plenty of support, while former NBA icons Hakeem Olajuwon and Isiah Thomas were thrown into the conversation as well.
However, Shannon Sharpe believes that the answer to the question is a no-brainer.
"It's not even close — it's LeBron James," Sharpe said on Thursday's "Undisputed."
While James is consistently viewed as one of the greatest players of all time, Sharpe believes James is the most disrespected player because of the standard he's held to.
LeBron James the most disrespected NBA player of all time?
"Everything that you thought he would've accomplished coming out of high school, he's exceeded everything you possibly thought he could be," Sharpe said. "'But he's still not [Michael] Jordan.' You see?
"The man has won four MVPs, gone to 10 NBA Finals, he's about to become the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. When he's done, he'll probably be top-3 or top-4 all time in assists. 'But he’s not Jordan. Or he's not graceful like Kobe. He's a poor free-throw shooter. He can't shoot the 3. He cakewalked through the East.'"
Sharpe believes another Lakers legend isn't too far behind James on the "most disrespected player of all time" list.
"You could actually make the case that Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] is actually the greatest high school player, there's no doubt he's the greatest college player, and you could make the case he's the greatest NBA player," Sharpe said. "He has six MVPs. He has six championships. He has the third-most rebounds and the most points. He played in 10 NBA Finals."
While Sharpe acknowledges that Abdul-Jabbar could be the greatest player in NBA history, he still maintains that James is indeed the most disrespected. He went on to cite some recent social media studies that determined which players receive the most hate as part of his proof.
"There's no question about it. That's what the analytics say. When you go back and check social media, the most disliked guy, the most talked about guy, is LeBron James. And it's factual."
