Yes the characters of KOF like or hate them- lately its been the latter, Its all about having the correct variety /balance, and we are all entitled to our own opinions.
Strong muscle guys/ bishonen, pixies etc......All fighters of one type would be boring. A good Variety is nice...... Unfortunately the Sports team not much people liked them at all, (unlike myself I liked using them from time to time) Heavy D would be the Only one Id keep as a Valued fighter- as a Boxer hes Quality.Him and (Boxer) Vanesssa- she was cute too.....I wish they were both back....
Looking at a Character design perspective-
LUCKY - Lame design......he had damaging combos in 98, but carrying out attacks with a basketball is terrible....never really got into using him- and his Galford voice annoyed me.- a tall individual like him should have been in another form of fighting.....(kickboxing.....Joe Higashi needed a "rival" muay thai kick boxer, like the sense of Adon/Sagat SFAlpha).
BRIAN- also quite powerful in 98, just using Power attacks from football? = LAME design.....If hes a Musclehead Linebacker Tackling from football He should have been much more of a Grappler or something (Olympic wrestler??)...... that sholderpad has gotta go...
CHIN- I liked that guy- people didnt care about him either but man- Drunken Kung fu. I only used him as a joke, when I got tired with the other characters- but like Bao and Choi, hes one of them characters that one uses to piss other people off.