40 Sports Stars Who Went From Heroes To Villains Overnight

6. Kevin Durant

Durant became one of the Thunders’ heroes after leading them to the NBA Finals. They hoped that he’d lead them to glory the following season against the Warriors. But then he crushed everybody’s dreams when he joined their conquerors (via The Ringer).

This was a bitter pill for fans to swallow because he joined the team that beat them. In the end, Durant won a pair of rings so he made the right decision for his career. But he also became one of the most hated players in basketball.

5. John Terry

Terry captained Chelsea and the England national team. He was also one of the best defenders of his generation. But then the news broke that he had an affair with a teammate’s girlfriend. It was humiliating for everybody involved.

Things became worse for Terry after a racism scandal. He was unable to play for his country again because of the image. It was shameful but showed the type of person that Terry is (via Sky Sports).

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4. Henry Ruggs III

Ruggs is one of the biggest wastes of talent in NFL history. The wide receiver had a tough rookie season but started to show his real potential in his second year. He established rapport with Derek Carr and became one of the team’s heroes.

Sadly, his downfall occurred in the blink of an eye after a fatal car crash. Ruggs drank too much and drove his vehicle into another car. He killed the driver instantly and ruined his own life in the process (via AL.com).

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3. LeBron James

James was once one of Cleveland’s biggest heroes. But he rocked the NBA when he announced “The Decision.” Fans hoped that he’d bring an elusive first championship. Instead, he abandoned them for the Miami Heat and broke their hearts.

He won two rings with the Heat before he returned to the Cavaliers. But those titles had a hollow feel because he didn’t have the same connection to the team. Later, he helped Cleveland win a championship and redeemed his image (via SB Nation).

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2. Conor McGregor

McGregor was arguably the UFC’s first mainstream superstar. The Irishman was a two-weight champion and had incredible charisma. But he went from hero to villain with his antics outside of the cage when punched an old man in a bar (via Daily Mail).

Meanwhile, he became involved in multiple unsavory legal issues. These included sexual assault allegations and multiple speeding offenses. A woman also accused him of impregnating her at a party in Liverpool.

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1. Aaron Hernandez

Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski struck fear into the hearts of opposition teams. The Patriots duo were two of the best tight ends in the sport. However, Hernandez never achieved his full potential because he was a murderer.

On paper, Hernandez was a phenomenal athlete, who combined wideout speed with tight end strength. However, his struggles evolved into something much more toxic. He should have been one of the Pats’ biggest heroes (via Fansided).

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