6 NBA Players Who Rival LeBron James' Polarizing Presence

Is LeBron James comparable to Tim Tebow, Tiger Woods or any other prominent athlete in another sport?

No.

However, James prompts a lot of interesting responses when his name is brought up in NBA circles and discussions, but that is typically what happens when discussing a polarizing figure.

There is a very split opinion on James, and it's easy to understand why that's the case.

Could winning a championship(s) change how he's viewed in the public sphere? Absolutely, but as we've seen previously, it's not the sole determinant.

These six guys get a lot of love from those who like their game, but catch a whole lot of flak from those who don't hold the same appreciation.

Kris Humphries

Unfortunately for Humphries, it's not his reputation as a basketball player that has landed him on this list.

After a very public relationship with Kim Kardashian resulted in a divorce less than three months after it was consummated, Humphries has been booed in and out of arenas around the NBA.

Proving that last season was no fluke, Humphries is once again averaging a double-double this season and is showing that he's a very serviceable big man in a league that doesn't have enough of them.

It says a lot about those who are booing him to continue to do so, but it's not the first time a great deal of people have used off-court drama as logic to deride a player on the hardwood.

Joakim Noah

Noah gets a lot of love from the Chicago faithful for his style of play, but he really irritates a great deal of fans who don't root for the Bulls on a consistent basis.

He's tough and unafraid to challenge anyone in his way on the court, but with a bun atop his head and a number of intriguing photos (like this one) floating through the Internet, Noah just rubs some people the wrong way.

The center has a shooting form that makes Shawn Marion's unorthodox release look like something out of a textbook.

Noah isn't looking to win the public relations war, and he's never been afraid to express exactly what is on his mind.

Kevin Garnett

Whether it's describing a bar fight or adamantly expressing the fact that he can shoot it from beyond the arc, Garnett is a guy who doesn't play the game for anyone but himself.

To say that Garnett has an aggressive style of play would be an understatement, considering the amount off trash he's talked on the court over the course of his career.

There was the controversy that involved Garnett reportedly hurling something very hurtful toward Charlie Villanueva, but Kobe Bryant previously embraced Garnett's trash talking as something that was simply a part of his game.

He wears his heart on his sleeve, and although his nature to converse on the court is met with some resentment, it's a part of KG's game that has been present for a long time, and it's certainly not going anywhere.

Blake Griffin

Some might be surprised to see Griffin on this list, but the "Blake Show" isn't drawing exactly the same type of lure from opposing fanbases that it did during his rookie season.

Matt Barnes has had no trouble calling out Griffin for being a flopper, and it's easy to see why he made his comments when Griffin does something like this with the game on the line.

There are more than a few fans who have expressed some displeasure regarding Griffin's style of play, and it will be interesting to see how he's received going forward during his career.

It's incredibly rare to find a star player who meets the approval of every evaluator, and that is exactly what we're beginning to see with Griffin.

Dwight Howard

For someone who has worked so hard to ensure that there is very little negative opinion about him, the perception of Howard has really swung this season.

His request to be traded before the season immediately changed how some Magic fans saw Orlando's franchise player, and his apparent inability to serve as a leader of a winning team has many extremely frustrated.

He's forcing his way out of town but will not talk about it publicly, but he has no trouble giving teams like Los Angeles and Boston some very nice compliments along the way.

It's left a salty taste in the mouths of many, especially those who have worn a Howard jersey proudly in Orlando since he was drafted.

Kobe Bryant

Love him, like him, hate him or completely despise him—there is no question Bryant draws a number of different adjectives from a variety of people around the world.

The five championship rings he has in his collection are more four more than anyone else on this list has combined (including LeBron), and that is the type of success that can get detractors going on a rant.

The thing about Bryant's game is that he is only motivated by a will to win at the highest level, and as we've seen in almost every interview he gives, Bryant doesn't buy into hype, storylines or really anything except winning games.

Phrases like "ballhog," "he shoots too much" and "no-pass Kobe" are often used to describe him, but those same critics are left searching for words whenever he's enjoying success in a big moment.

He deserves appreciation while he's still a part of the game, because like LeBron, it's going to be a very long time before we see anybody comparable.