The Golden State Warriors have proven themselves to be the best team in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the last few years. They’ve won three of the last four championships, and are currently third in the competitive Western Conference, holding a 27-14 record.
It may or may not come as a surprise that, according to a data map by ZCode System, the Warriors were voted the most hated team in the NBA. It was a decisive win, with a whopping 26 out of 50 states expressing their dislike for the Warriors, including the Warriors’ home state of California.
But should this news come as a surprise? Certainly, national dislike for the team increased after Kevin Durant joined the squad. The Warriors created a superteam, comprised of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green.
“Superteams,” teams that have at least three all-stars, or elite players, have been plaguing the NBA for decades now. Opponents of these teams argue that they breed a lack of competition. Additionally, they prevent talent from being spread across the league. Recent examples include the 2007-08 Boston Celtics and the 2011-12 Miami Heat. Both of these teams have received significant backlash during reign.
Basketball fans needn’t worry much longer, for a superteam’s reign can only last so many years. Given the exceptional standards that they have set in the past few seasons, their performance this year has been subpar. Even Curry and Green’s recent returns from injury has not yielded the improvement that fans were expecting.
Eventually, when the Warriors’ time is over as a superteam, a new team will become the most hated in the country. But for now, while the Warriors may not be enjoying the widespread hate, they are surely enjoying their three championship trophies.