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I remember thinking KD’s decision to join the Warriors was the weakest thing I’d ever seen

Seeing how he’s handled his tenure in Brooklyn and Phoenix despite everything going on around him got him back in my good books

I mean Jordan Poole has to qualify here. Warriors don’t win a title without him and now he’s a D-league guy.

Westbrook but for the exact opposite reason

Harden

Ayton. Thought he had the potential to be an allstar a few years ago, now I think he’s a bum

Full 360 on Jordan Poole. Thought he was the worst the in the league the first couple years, full 180 and thought he looked good in one playoff run, full 180 again right after that the following season and on the wizards and think he’s terrible again

Honestly the same for me. I hated Kobe before 1999 because I thought he shot too much, or more specifically, missed too much. Then he made the below shot against Phoenix in 2000 and I was forever a Kobe believer. I wanted him taking every shot.

https://youtu.be/teIq5v0tTnY?si=i2TVNm4XjpRWB1Lt

And Westbrook, I thought was a good player until he came to the lakers and realized he has zero basketball IQ and can’t make a layup.

I really really hated Clippers Chris Paul.

Ant Edwards...i was really just a hater because I didn't like his attitude at first.

More like a team than a player: Spurs with Tim Duncan, Manu and Tony Parker. Hated them growing up, but man, those last few years had me rooting for them and it helped me appreciate a different side of basketball.

Tatum.

Used to find him streaky and he had this tendency to shoot like crazy when cold and brick everything. Also, 2022 didn’t helped as Brown and Horford outplayed him.

But last season and this season, that boy NICE. He gives that vibe that he can score at will and nobody can stop him. Defends pretty well and can use his gravity to facilitate for teammates.

A bit of an older one but Dirk was always known as a stat sheet stuffer who couldn't deliver in the playoffs. That 2006 finals collapse vs Miami and embarassing first round exit vs Golden State the next year solidifed that reputation. But then somehow he lead the Mavs to a championship 4 years later with 0 choking, I still can't really believe it.

ben simmons really soured me on the nba. dude could've had it all but he doesn't want it.

Lebron. As much as I like his game and his raw skills. His GOAT proclamation, crybaby-ness, flopping, recruiting all stars, jumping teams to chase rings made me lose respect for him and like him less.

Lebron. Used to like the guy and everyone hated on him, especially Lakers/Kobe fans. Of course now they love him 😂 For me, when he flopped and antagonized Dray to get him ejected in the finals, then had his team complain harshly he needed to be suspended when the NBA was considering not suspending him out of technicality. I lost respect for the guy. The best players and “Goats” in the league wouldn’t want to win in this manner. Why would you want to win this way? He also tried to get Erik Spoelstra fired, among other coaches. Never won anything without one or two top superstars in the NBA. He wants all high salaried veterans on his team unless you’re a very talented rookie. He will trade you away. He’s never been a skilled shooter. Still to this day, he can only drive and run through players for and ones and cry for fouls all the time. Always been great at flopping too, hence people call him LeFlop. Despite all the above, the media talks like he is better than MJ or other greats

Jokic. When I first saw him play in 2016 I thought he was too slow to even be a rotation player. Boy was I wrong.

Mac Miller

I didn't like him at all his first couple seasons, but after he got traded and had that movies with the sound off season he went crazy.

jimmy butler, lonzo ball, draymond at one point in time too

Klay Thompson. He actually got me to respect Curry. Always thought they were annoying during their dynasty but seeing over the years how mature Curry is. Klay though especially as a grizzlies fan I'm tired of him. Like yeah Draymond is an idiot but we known that since day 1. Klay though is a sore lower that flashes his rings every time someone even thinks about calling out his lows.

Westbrook got way too much hate, which obscured the real issues that he didn't seem to be taking accountability or trying to change his approach. He'd then get defiant and confrontational over even basic questions

Lebron I didn't like for years because he just struck me as too image obsessed and entitled. Granted, what being called the "king" does to a teenage brain. He feels more authentic now and he's clearly top 3, so I give him all deserved respect, though I hate the LeGM stuff he pulls still

Dillon brooks

Thought he was cocky and only fit into Memphis's system until he came to my team,Rockets. He's been such a hard nosed defender and very good vet for our younger guys to learn defense from

Honestly? Joel Embiid. I used to be a Jokic or nothing kinda guy. A real low IQ basketball watcher. Then I watched Embiid. I saw a block. What was that? Guys were afraid to drive against him. Then he scored a million points on the other end. Sometimes you're Jokic. Sometimes you're Gobert. Rarely are you the best of both. It was like a window being opened and revealing a new world. I never imagined playing TWO sides of the ball. That's why I fully support Joel's MVP last year and, don't tell anyone, but he should have won the year before, too! Jokic deserved the first one because of games played. Respect.

Wiggins

I couldn’t agree more with what you said about Westbrook. Never been a huge fan of the way he plays, but his competitiveness and just his motor I got mad respect for. Even as a LeBron fan and rooting for the Lakers, yeah he didn’t play well and the fit of the team didn’t help at all btw, he handled the situation the best he could

Chris Paul. I’ve always known how good of a player he is, but I had the same problems with him that everyone else does until he went to the Thunder. From the beginning of that year everyone was expecting them to literally be the worst team in the league and he was considered washed. He could’ve easily decided to not play, as is the trend, but he gave it his all and was a professional night in and night out. He was the best player on that team that shouldn’t have been even close to the playoffs and was one timely James Harden block away from the second round. He played a big mentor role to SGA that I think still shows to this day. 2019-20 was one of the best seasons to be a Thunder fan largely because of him, and we’re talking about a team that contended every single year from 2010 until 2016

Draymond Green. I used to like his intensity, and thought he got a bad rep. The rep is real. He’s trash.

If this off-season means anything, a bunch of mfers not saying Brandon Miller...

Jokic. While everyone was high on jokic the last 5 years i wasn’t because i thought embiid giannis and ad were better. I can humbly say i was wrong as fuck. Dude is literally looking like a top 3 offensive player ever.