Predicting Who Will Be the 10 Most Hated College Basketball Players in 2014-15

A little bit of hate goes a long way in college basketball.

As passionate and devoted that fans can be toward their teams, part of what fuels that commitment is a healthy distaste of a team's rivals and their top players. But certain players elicit a special level of disdain, either because of the way they play or how they operate on the court.

Some truly hated players have moved on from college basketball, leaving a bit of a void in that area. We no longer have Ohio State point guard Aaron Craft, Ole Miss shooter Marshall Henderson or Oklahoma State star Marcus Smart to abhor, so it's time to find some new standouts to hate. 

We're not advocating hatred in sports, rather acknowledging how it's part of the game. The best rivalries in college basketball have hate as a main ingredient, with most of that enmity directed toward particular players.

Here's our prediction of who will be the most hated players in college basketball during the 2014-15 season, listed in alphabetical order.

Cliff Alexander, PF, Kansas

Year: Freshman

Height, weight: 6'9", 240 lbs

Why he will be hated: For Illinois fans, hating Cliff Alexander will be almost a given after the 5-star prospect did the old fake-out during his commitment announcement. Alexander initially picked up an Illinois hat before dropping it and donning one for Kansas, deciding to pass over the in-state school for an old rival.

Adding to that hatred will be the fact that Kansas' coach, Bill Self, came to the Jayhawks after coaching Illinois.

Kansas and Illinois don't face each other this season, but fans of other Big 12 Conference teams will probably adapt a hatred for Alexander because his inclusion in Kansas' recruiting class gives it a great shot at yet another conference title. The Jayhawks have won the last 10 regular-season Big 12 crowns, and even after losing two players who went in the top three of the 2014 NBA draft, they should again be a contender.

We haven't even gotten to Alexander's physical abilities, of which there are many. An athletic big man who can dunk with the best of them, he didn't start playing organized basketball until eighth grade, yet quickly became a top prospect. That's bound to earn him some hate from rival fans who might think he hasn't earned his reputation yet.

Ron Baker, G, Wichita State

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Year: Junior

Height, weight: 6'3", 222 lbs

Why he will be hated: As one of the key pieces to Wichita State's ascension the past two years from mid-major to elite power, Ron Baker has developed a reputation as a high-energy player who leaves it all out on the court. That fervor is adored by Shockers fans, and outright hated by the followers of nearly every team Wichita faces.

Baker, who averaged 13.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game last season, tends to get very animated when on the court. After a big play he'll show his excitement in outward ways, while still keeping himself involved in the play with nearly constant movement. Baker is all over the court, hustling until the last second, but to fans of the rival team that just feels like a pest.

Baker is likely to take over as Wichita's top scorer this year with the graduation of Cleanthony Early, which will make him even more hated. Not only will he continue to play with maximum energy, the fact that he'll be the one sticking in more of the daggers will negatively endear him to even more opposing fans.

Marcus Foster, G, Kansas State

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Year: Sophomore

Height, weight: 6'2", 200 lbs

Why he will be hated: After a breakout freshman season in which he quickly took on a leadership role, Marcus Foster will have increased expectations this year as he tries to get Kansas State deeper into the NCAA tournament. And with that responsibility will come a natural byproduct, in the form of hatred from rival fans.

Whether it be from Kansas, other Big 12 teams or when the Wildcats head to the Maui Invitational or to places like Tennessee and Long Beach State, Foster is going to be a target of boos and hisses. He's earned that attention, though, after scoring a team-high 15.5 points per game in 2013-14.

Foster started trying to do too much down the stretch last year, and while he averaged 21.7 points over K-State's final three games he shot more than normal and the Wildcats ended up losing all three of those games. He'll want to atone for that poor finish whenever possible this season, and any time he goes off he'll hear it from the haters.

Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Year: Junior

Height, weight: 6'8", 240 lbs

Why he will be hated: The decision by Montrezl Harrell to return to school for one more season was among the biggest surprises of the offseason, and instantly made Louisville a contender again in 2014-15. It also guaranteed that the ferocious, intense Harrell will be among the most disliked players in the country this year.

Harrell, who averaged 14 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 60.9 percent last season, will be the Cardinals' go-to weapon on offense. He'll also be the team's main enforcer inside on defense, where his ability to block shots and alter other attempts is already well-documented.

A fierce dunker, Harrell gets very animated on the court after a big play. That fuels the cheers from Louisville fans, and will provide plenty of ammunition for haters who don't want to see a rival succeed.

Tyler Haws, G, BYU

Jeffrey Phelps/Associated Press

Year: Senior

Height, weight: 6'5", 195 lbs

Why he will be hated: As the second-leading returning scorer in the country behind former Niagara guard Antoine Mason (now at Auburn), Tyler Haws is a known commodity when it comes to his ability to find or create his shot and get in as many attempts as possible. With such scoring prowess, Haws gets labeled as a ball hog by rival fans, many of whom probably secretly wish he could pour in points for their team.

Haws averaged 23.2 points per game last season, and 21.7 in 2012-13 as a sophomore, and enters this final year needing 56 points to reach 2,000 for his career. Much like previous BYU scoring machine Jimmer Fredette, he'll take and make shots from wherever, either spotting up from outside or driving into the lane to create offense or draw contact.

Fredette torched teams throughout his Cougars career, and as a result was not very loved by the opposing fans. The same has already been the case for Haws, and it will continue this season.

Tyus Jones, PG, Duke

Year: Freshman

Height, weight: 6'1", 180 lbs

Why he will be hated: If college basketball has a list of unwritten rules, one of them has to be that true point guards at Duke have to be hated. That means incoming freshman Tyus Jones will hit the court this fall with a built-in hostility toward him.

Don't believe us? Think back to some of the most accomplished point guards that Duke has had during the past 25 years, and nearly every one of them has been among the more hated players in college basketball. Bobby Hurley, Greg Paulus, J.J. Redick, Jon Scheyer and Steve Wojciechowski are just a few on the list.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has a fondness for points with a high energy level and a desire to take charge. While that translates into success for his team, it usually manifests in pure hatred from the Blue Devils' many non-fans. Jones is set to be the next point guard to feel opposing fans' rancor, but his experience that's come from winning gold medals for multiple Team USA clubs in international competition will help him be prepared for hostile environments.

Shawn Long, PF, Louisiana-Lafayette

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Year: Junior

Height, weight: 6'9", 245 lbs

Why he will be hated: As one of only three players in Division I who averaged a double-double in each of the past two seasons, Shawn Long has developed a reputation as a dynamic talent who plays with the kind of intensity that should get him into the NBA. But his ability to outrebound those bigger than him also has drawn scorn, particularly from the fans of the team he's ripping offensive rebounds away from and blocking the shots of.

In 2014-15, Long averaged 18.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks as Louisiana-Lafayette reached the NCAA tournament. He did that against mostly unknown teams, but this year the Ragin' Cajuns play at Auburn early in the season, a game where he'll draw a lot of boos from Tigers fans if he dominates inside as he's done throughout his career.

Long may have to do a lot more offensively this season, as ULL lost prolific point guard Elfrid Payton to the NBA. If that means he gets more hate as a result, that's just an unavoidable side effect.

Tyler Ulis, PG, Kentucky

Year: Freshman

Height, weight: 5'9", 155 lbs

Why he will be hated: Lined up against the vast majority of other college basketball players, Tyler Ulis looks like he'd be at a competitive disadvantage because of how small he is. But if his performance during all-star games and other events leading up to his arrival at Kentucky are any indication, Ulis will do just fine, and that's not going to make opposing fans very happy.

"He's a pest on defense and that will definitely be one of his advantages, teammate Andrew Harrison said of Ulis, according to Larry Vaught of Central Kentucky News.

Ulis' lack of height requires him to impact the game in other ways, like being able to get his hands in on ball-handlers or slipping through lanes that bigger players wouldn't be able to. This will be a huge asset for the Wildcats, but Ulis is apt to draw a lot of ire from opposing fans because of how it will look like he seems to always be getting in the way.

Briante Weber, G, VCU

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Year: Senior

Height, weight: 6'2", 165 lbs

Why he will be hated: As the reigning Division I steals leader, Briante Weber is the poster boy for the "Havoc" style of defense that VCU has become known for under coach Shaka Smart. By creating chaos on the court, he and his teammates take opponents out of their game and use confusion to their advantage.

While stealing is allowed in basketball, it's certainly not something appreciated by the fans of the team getting pilfered. Weber had 121 in 35 games last season, 25 more than any other player in the country, and on 11 occasions he had at least five swipes while also averaging 9.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.

The speedy Weber gets himself involved in every part of the game, which makes him resemble a pest that deserves swatting. Opponents haven't managed to do so, but rival fans will still wish they could just shoo him aside.

Delon Wright, G, Utah

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Year: Senior

Height, weight: 6'5", 178 lbs

Why he will be hated: Delon Wright will draw the most hate of any player in the Pac-12 Conference—and more than most guys throughout the country—because it won't seem like there's anything he cannot do this season. As a high-scoring guard who also happens to lead his team in assists and is one of the top rebounders, Wright gets his hands in there in everything.

Wright averaged 15.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists last season, when Utah went 21-12 for its best season since 2008-09. He is bigger than most point guards, which gives him an advantage against most guys he's defended by. And on defense, that length can cause problems by getting into passing lanes and being able to guard both on the perimeter and closer to the basket.

The Utes' schedule this season features some big games in hostile environments, games that will either help or hinder a return to the NCAA tournament for the first time in six years. Expect the fans at San Diego State, BYU, Kansas and UNLV, as well as throughout the Pac-12, to do whatever they can to knock Wright off his game, but when that doesn't happen they'll instead just rain down hate on him.

All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.