NCAA Basketball: 10 most hated players all-time in the sport

8. Metta World Peace – St. Johns

Metta World Peace or the player formally known as Ron Artest is known for one thing and that is being a dirty player on the basketball court. It is a shame that has overshadowed what was a great career in Jamaica, New York while attending St. John’s. In his two years with the Red Storm the guard made a name for himself as a defensive stalwart and a hard-nosed gritty player.

The New York native made a name for himself in the high-profile summer basketball tournaments held around the city. He was able to show his ability to play at a high level on the defensive end of the floor while also at times being a prolific scorer. He was also able to show the same ability in his games at St. Johns. This earned him the nickname of the New World Order, because many thought he was changing the way the basketball was played.

It is the hard-nosed gritty way that World Peace played that earned him a spot on this list. He was known for stretching the rules of his aggressiveness to the end and would often let them result in a cheap shot on the opponent or a technical for an egregious foul. Whether it was a punch to the opponent he got away with or just the way he used to use his body on a boxout he was rough and physical to the point of many deeming him a “thug”.

World Peace may never be famous for his actual basketball ability but for the way he played and carried himself on the court. The branding of thug has carried over to conversations to this day about his play. Everyone forgets how talented of a basketball player he was.