We conclude our countdown of the Top 10 Most Despised College Basketball Player of all-time. You might have heard of these guys:
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5. Art Heyman (Duke)
Heyman was the original hated Dookie. He already had Carolina fans fuming when the Long Island native decomitted from UNC at the last minute and went to Duke instead. And he didn’t win the public over with his attitude. Said Heyman: “Coaches would tell me to do something, and I’d say, ‘Go f*** yourself.’ I didn’t respect authority or structure.”
But Heyman really outdid himself on Feb. 4, 1961 in Chapel Hill, when instigated a fight with his “friend” from Long Island, Larry Brown. In the ensuing brawl, Heyman allegedly also punched a male cheerleader and nailed coach Frank McGuire in the groin. Whether that’s true or not is up for debate:
The #1 overall pick of the 1963 NBA Draft by the Knicks and recently owned “The Watering Hole” bar in Manhattan.
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4. Joakim Noah (Florida)
The chest-pounding. The screaming. That ridiculous hair. He infuriated everyone with the full repertoire while storming onto the scene during the 2006 NCAA Tournament. He even drew the ire of UCLA’s cheerleaders; after he claimed they calmed him ugly, Noah responded by blowing kisses in the ‘06 Final Four.
“No-ah’s ug-ly” chants rained down on him the full 2007 season en route to another national title. Playing off the Geico commercials, a sign at LSU with Noah’s face on it even read: “So easy a caveman can do it.”
Now with the Bulls, Noah appears to have matured, cutting down on the antics. He even recently called out LeBron James for dancing during a game. Odd coming from a player that once did this.
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3. The Fab Five: Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, Ray Jackson (Michigan)
The most notorious starting five in the history of college hoops is best remembered for black socks, baggy shorts, shaved heads – and lots and lots of trash talk. They were portrayed as thugs and a menace to society, which is ironic since they’ve gone on to become model citizens – aside from that whole Chris Webber perjury thing.
They certainly had a cult following, as the University of Michigan raked in record royalties. Everyone else saw them as the sign of the apocalypse for college basketball and like the Yankees, people showed up in opposing gyms just to boo them. Rival coaches like John Chaney openly despised them and to this day, many in the media still blame them for turning the college game into nothing more than street ball.
Certainly the perception of these five has become even more jaded with the revelation that booster “Uncle” Ed Martin paid them over $600,000. Their banners have been taken down and the program has turned its back on them, making them even bigger outcasts than when they played.
Check out where they are now:
Chris Webber: Retired and now working as analyst for NBA TV and TNT, living outside Atlanta.
Jalen Rose: Retired and now an NBA analyst for ESPN, living outside Washington, D.C.
Juwan Howard: In his 15th NBA season, Howard plays for the Portland Trail Blazers. His son, Juwan Jr., is a 2010 commit for Western Michigan.
Jimmy King: Radio analyst for Michigan basketball.
Ray Jackson: Resides in Texas and runs the non-profit group for children, Rise Up Inc.
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2. J.J. Redick (Duke)
He might not be #1 on this list, but he was certainly the worst treated player in college basketball history. Redick would be the first to tell you he was a cocky freshman when he arrived in Durham.
But no one could have anticipated the tidal wave of hate that then ensued the next three years. Even after he tried to tone it down, the hate mail was endless. Maryland fans in particular lost their minds, chanting “F*** you, J.J.” and one fan even bragging about sexual exploits with his sister. Stay classy, College Park.
Fans just piled on after he finished his career in tears and then got busted with a DUI the summer after.
After three sub-par NBA seasons, Redick appears to have found a role with the Orlando Magic this year, averaging nearly 10 PPG.
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1. Christian Laettner (Duke)
For better or worse, there will never be another Christian Laettner. He single-handedly changed the public perception of Duke 180-degrees with his Eddie Haskell act. Without him, there is no J.J. Redick.
Kentucky fans are still fuming that he was not ejected for stepping on the chest of Kentucky’s Aminu Timberlake during the 1992 Elite Eight classic, and that the crime was completely ignored after hitting that infamous 17-footer in overtime. Think that was a one-time deal? Ask Cherokee Parks, who was on the constant end of Laettner elbows to the stomach during practice.
And check out some of his testimonials.
“Christian is not a nice guy some of the time – I’ve seen what he can do to other people.” That’s from Laettner’s own flash and blood – his brother, Chris.
“It took a while for me to deal with all his advice,” said sidekick Bobby Hurley.
“Easy to hate.” Yeah, that was Coach K himself.
Constantly ridiculed during his 15-year NBA career, today Laettner is a self-described “soccer dad” living outside Jacksonville. He was most recently seen in a hilarious Vitamin Water ad that brought all that hate rushing back for college basketball fans:
Think we overlooked someone? E-mail us your submission and we’ll list the best below
Reader submissions:
“No Pyscho T? That guy got foul calls for sneezing.” – Dookie21
“I know this is the same year but Adam Morrison got a lot of s*** for crying too…” – Bobby S.
“What about Tyler Hansborough, Makhtar Ndiaye, King Rice, Vince Carter, Jerry Stackhouse, Rasheed Wallace, Derrick Phelps, Danny Green, Larry Brown, and Marcus Ginyard from UNC just to start.” – Chris C.
“Kelly Tripucka Notre Dame 1976-78 had all the charm of coach Digger Phelps. John Roche and Tom Owens S. Carolina 1969-71 another pair of Long Island bully boys.” – Joe H.
“Marvin “Bad News” Barnes for hitting his own teammate with a tire iron! Even his own team despised him.” – ProVE323
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