The Oklahoma City Thunder have been named the 15th most despised team in the NBA according to a new survey of over 2,000 basketball fans.
The survey, conducted by Hard Rock Bet ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season, found that 2.3% of total votes selected the Thunder as the most despised franchise. That places them squarely in the middle of the league's perception rankings. The Los Angeles Lakers topped the list as the most disliked team, commanding 17.1% of the vote. Other generational organizations like the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks also landed in the top five. At the opposite end, the Portland Trail Blazers were deemed the least despised team, receiving just 0.5% of the total votes.
The perception from the survey stands in stark contrast to the team's actual results on the hardwood. Since then, they've been on a tear. This strong finish to the regular season, which also included a 114-110 win over the Detroit Pistons on March 31, provides a much more positive narrative than the fan survey suggests.
Head coach Mark Daigneault's squad is now focused on the immediate future. The Thunder are scheduled to tip off their regular season with a high-profile Western Conference Finals rematch against the San Antonio Spurs on October 20. The game will be broadcast nationally on NBC. This opener presents a major early test and a chance to set the tone for the new campaign. Fans eager to follow the team's progress can keep track of the upcoming schedule on our schedule page. With a core featuring Chet Holmgren, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jalen Williams, the Thunder have the talent to convert any outside disdain into motivated, winning basketball.
The team's blend of youth and experience, coupled with their demonstrated ability to string together wins, makes them a formidable opponent regardless of popular opinion. Their performance against Phoenix, where they averaged over 120 points per game in their victories, proves their offensive firepower. As the new season approaches, the Thunder will look to let their play do the talking and climb much higher in the standings than they did in this particular survey.
