He doubled as the leagues premier perimeter defenderwinning the Defensive Player of the Year Awardhaving a rare combination of strength, size, and speed that allowed him to keep up with quicker, smaller guards; and be a physical presence to stop bigger small-forward bruiser type scorers. Can you name any other player who only made the all-star game once in his career? Even in his later years when his scoring dropped, there was little drop-off in Kidd's assist or steal numbers. Wallace helped to revolutionize the power forward position forever with his ability to spread the floor and shoot the ball He could play any role that a team needed him to. Theres not much else to say about Maggatte. Cameron Smith will be the first Players Championship winner since Tiger Woods in 2014 to not defend his title at the Players . Career highlights and awards * NBA champion (2011) * NBA Finals MVP (2011) * NBA Most Valuable Player (2007) * 14 NBA All-Star (2002-2012, 2014, 2015, 2019) * 4 All-NBA First Team (2005-2007, 2009) * 5 All-NBA Second Team (2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011) . Roy was destined to be a star from his first season in the NBA. He averaged 21.2 points a game that season and would never be the same. To narrow down the list to 10 underrated players in the whole decade is about as tough as it gets. 32 in Touchdown Wire list, Big Ten 2023 Football Power Rankings Too Soon, ASU Footballs Kenny Dillingham hopes QB room structure will push players, Oregon Football Recruitment: Nyckoles Harbor and Ducks Update, Big 12 Conference Tees 2023 Schedule Release, Know the Foe: Virginia Tech Footballs 2023 Away Opponents, Denver Broncos meet again with Michigan Footballs Jim Harbaugh. As the all-time and single-season leader in technical fouls, how could he not? There are dozens of underrated players most folks forget. Creighton's the favorite, Jay Wright's no longer at Nova, and three more huge coaching changes set up a competitive chase in the Big East He ended his career with a well-deserved championship with the 2011 Dallas Mavericks. All the most overrated players in the NBA will be featured here to choose from. But if the languid laziness of a typical baseball game was overrated by the purists who want to keep the three-and-a-half-hour games, it was underrated by the people who forgot just how much the . For those of us that remember ONeal at his peak, we remember an undersized two-way beast for the Indiana Pacers who helped them nearly capture a championship in his heyday. Press Esc to cancel. , Owner: (Registered business address: Germany), processes personal data only to the extent strictly necessary for the operation of this website. . The Bucks were dealt a huge blow during the 2008-09 season when Redd went down with a knee injury. Six seasons into his career in 2005, Lewis earned his first All-Star selection and first 20.0 PPG season. Jason Terry: 1066.71 TPA. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. Sacramento picked Pedrag Stojakovi at the 1996 NBA rookie draft while still playing in Greece. Career: 1989-2002. A 2000 trade to the Pacers changed everything and almost immediately transformed O'Neal into an MVP candidate. Miller was as good as it gets running an NBA offense and he was one heck of a playmaker. He was the first NBA player to bring in the big balls dance celebration, injuring his groin. Underrated? Davis can be credited with sparking the We Believe Warriors to an upset win over the No. People are bound to take notice of him soon after his impressive season with the Raptors. Mitch Richmond is one of the most electric yet underrated players of the 90s. During his time with the New Orleans Hornets for 3 seasons, he averaged 20.2 PPG, 8.1 APG, and 2.0 SPG. He was a menace on the defensive side of the ball as well, never shying away from a tough matchup or assignments. 12. Over time, Kidd improved as a shooter and scorer, so by the year 2000, he was arguably the most well-rounded point guard in the NBA. He was the baby Bryant from across the LA freeway. A team dwarfed by the sheer size, glamor, and continued excellence in the shared city. His stint with the Kings started in 2002 where he averaged 17.6 PPG and 5.4 APG over 7 seasons with the franchise. He was one of the top players in the league until Gerald Wallace injured him. Of course, there was Tim Duncan and the Spurs who captured 3 championships of their own in the 2000s after winning one in 1999 the year after MJ left the NBA. Roy was impossible to keep up with in isolation. The Most-Underrated NBA Players of All-Time. That season he averaged 16.2 PPG and it was clear that the Pistons had their championship point guard. As the all-time and single-season leader in technical fouls, how could he not? Theres been a lot of former all-stars. This reputation caused many to forget just how imp[actful Wallace was on the basketball court. As of early May, James and . With his ability to both score and pass the ball, Miller was must-watch television whenever he was in town. Bibby's best season came in 2006 where he averaged 21.1 PPG and 5.4 APG for the Kings squad that finished with a 44-38 record. He made the All-Star game and was selected to the All NBA-Third Team. Redd was consistently criticized for his lack of a complete game but his scoring was by far the best part of his game. Due to a knee condition that basically deteriorated his knee cartilage as time went on, we were only able to experience 3 real years of his peak. 5y. Career Stats: 17.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.1 BPG, Career Achievements: 3x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection. He averaged a career-high of 26.7 points a game during the 2006-07 season. The sample size doesn't include the '87 playoffs because McHale was playing on a broken foot. Finley was a no-nonsense small forward that was the perfect complement beside Dirk Nowitzki, had multiple seasons averaging above 20-5-5 per game, and capped his career off with a championship on the 2007 San Antonio Spurs. For some reason, as time has gone on, fans refer to Zydrunas Ilgauskas as one of those garbage players that LeBron James dragged to the NBA Finals early in his career. The NBA has done an unfortunately great job of sweeping Jermaine ONeals career under the rug after his role in the infamous Malice At The Palace. His jump shooting was his strongest attribute but unfortunately, his career took a dip after suffering injuries that never made him the same player after the 2009 season. For his career, Redd shot 38.0% from three and 44.7% overall. During his early days in Seattle, Lewis took a bit to develop into the shooter and scorer he went down as. Miller played 14 seasons in the NBA, mainly for the Kings and Bulls. The Most UNDERRATED NBA Players Of The 2000s..Welcome back to Sports Savvy. 25. Unfortunately, his fantastic rookie campaign was lost in history behind a similar scoring guard in Allen Iverson, but it was easy to see the skill and talent Shareef possessed. The Top NBA Players Of All Time. Bibby had a handle and jump shot that was among the best in his time, and he had tremendous success with Chris Webber in Sacramento. Career Stats: 19.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.1 BPG, Career Achievements: 1x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection. Shareef solidified his role as a scoring power forward and was selected as an All-Star in the 2002 season, the lone career selection. He was also one of the better offensive rebounders in basketball and led the league in that stat in the 2004-05 season with 299 offensive rebounds. You have Kevin Garnetts MVP and Western Conference Finals season with the Wolves. Wilt Chamberlain. He also made the All-Star Team and the All-NBA Third Team after a strong season with the Milwaukee Bucks. For years now, Jrue Holiday has been widely regarded as the most underrated player in NBA. When coming into the league, there were no expectations for Michael Redd having been the 43rd pick of the 2000 NBA Draft. Today, we honor the stars whose legacies have become underappreciated as time has gone on and we get further and further away from their playing days. Even Basketball-Reference.com doesnt give the man a prayer. Ilgauskas wasnt the strongest in the post but he made up for it with a beautiful 6to 8-foot jumper that he had a beautiful touch on and was nearly automatic. Finley played on two of the premier Western Conference powerhouses over the decade, starting with Dallas and moving to San Antonio after being waived. In every season in which he started over 60 games for one of his 9 NBA teams, he earned at least 6.0 APG. Scotty Bags. He won the Rookie of the Year award with the least games played in history to win the award. Today, we honor the stars whose legacies have become underappreciated as time has gone on and we get further and further away from their playing days.
Vancouver Grizzlies (1997-98), Washington Wizards (1998-99), Miami Heat (1990-2000), Charlotte Hornets (2000-01) All-Star Games: 2001. The 2000s was an awe-inspiring time to grow up as an NBA fan and witness these real-life superheroes hit the court every single night. Mookie Blaylock. In his first season in Los Angeles, he made his first All-Star Team. This honestly swayed an NBA championship, costing the Minnesota Timberwolves in their series against the Lakers, in which they were the better team. He finished with 11,972 points and 2,411 rebounds (3.8 per game). Few players have taken the NBA by storm or altered the way teams play the game the way Curry has . The NBA has done an unfortunately great job of sweeping Jermaine ONeals career under the rug after his role in the infamous Malice At The Palace. Today, we honor the stars whose legacies have become underappreciated as time has gone on and we get further and further away from their playing days. Jabbar was from the very beginning of his career being named the 1969-1970 rookie year, Abdul-Jabbar was a 5x MVP, 9x All-Star, 9x All-NBA, and 8x All-Defensive selection in the 1970s with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers; moreover, he averaged 28+ points, 14+ rebounds, and 5+ assists per game and led the Bucks to their first NBA title, winning Finals MVP in . He also set the record for most three-pointers made in a single quarter, with eight, before being overtaken when Klay Thompson made nine. At his peak, he had an argument for the best big man in basketball at a time when Tim Duncan and Shaq were still in the league. The Top 10 Most Underrated NBA Players Of The 1960s, The Top 10 Most Underrated NBA Players Of The 1970s, The Top 10 Most Underrated NBA Players Of The 1980s, The Top 10 Most Underrated NBA Players Of The 1990s, The Best NBA Player From Every Team In The 2010s. Mainly known for his part with the Washington Wizards Big Three including Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler, Jamison was a consistent scoring star in the NBA. Zum ndern Ihrer Datenschutzeinstellung, z.B. We present our all-time underrated teams, those great teams which don't receive their proper respect in the historical archive. By his fourth season with the Bucks, Allen was gone and Redd was a starter. Dating back to his time with the Pelicans, he was an All-Star level . Davis was an explosive point guard who was a blur on the floor in open space. However, when we look at this year, we can see that it was Rons best statistical start to an NBA season. Including averaging 10 attempts at the line per game when he averaged 22 points per game in his 2004-05 season. For his career, Redd shot 38.0% from three and 44.7% overall. He consistently made a significant impact early on with the Vancouver Grizzlies and was the leading point guard on some really good Sacramento Kings lineups in the early 2000s. Nick Mac is an NBA Writer with over 5 years of experience in journalism. Others, like Vince Carter and Joe Johnson, are still kicking around the league, but young fans are probably unaware of just how dominant they used to be. We have seen a host of very talented yet underappreciated stars during the past 20 years. A look at those who were ranked too high and too low in the preseason Coaches Poll released Tuesday Was he good enough that its a travesty that his name isnt among the great scorers in the history of the NBA? Due to a knee condition that basically deteriorated his knee cartilage as time went on, we were only able to experience 3 real years of his peak. But today, we arent talking about Tim, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille ONeal, or Dwyane Wade. He was a two-way mastermind who had a knack for coming through in a games biggest moments that earned him the nickname Mr. But looking at his career as a whole, Jamison was an All-Star caliber talent. Jamison would then form part of a consistent team with the Wizards, making 2 All-Star Teams during his tenure there and solidifying himself as one of the best power forwards in the NBA during his time. He was so good that Pacers fans couldrealistically argue that he was the best big man in the league. Seth Curry . He was so fast with his first step off of the dribble and even faster once he got headed toward the basket. He had a ton of athleticism and scoring prowess in his 6'6" frame, and played the majority of his career with the Los Angeles Clippers. He is an NBA History buff that details the game from the 1960s all the way up to today. 15.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.7 BPG. That was the year Richardson became a solid 3-point shooter, as he nailed 38.4% of his threes. Would the Clippers have been able to dispatch the Mavericks in the next round? The Best Athletes Of All Time. Billups name never comes up in Top 20 conversations as far as point guards go, let alone Top 10 lists. Yes, but just barely scratching this list. Tracy McGrady. Portland athletes have been underrated for a long time, sometimes due to geography, but also because of the early 2000s, which saw casual fans turned away from the NBA team after the ill-fated "Jail Blazers" era that was marred by a string of player arrests, untimely technical fouls, and disastrous playoff meltdowns. . By 2003, Ilgauskas was an All-Star and averaged 17.2 PPG and 7.5 RPG while adding 1.9 BPG. Forgive and forget and put Jermaine ONeal in the Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame. An . O'Neal had a very slow start to his career, before blossoming into an All-Star in his 6th season. During his 3rd season in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miller led the NBA in assists with 10.9 APG to go with 16.5 PPG and 1.6 SPG. I say yes. Read that sentence again. 19. That season he averaged 16.2 PPG and it was clear that the Pistons had their championship point guard. Michael Redd is another interesting 2000s player. Michael Jordan and Karl Malone greet each other before Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 1, 1997, at the United Center. Corey Maggette was the player version of the Los Angeles Lakers/Los Angeles Clippers relationship in that he was the Walmart version of Kobe Bryant. The assessment was based on how players performed during this decade and this decade ONLY (2000-2009). Besides the obvious suspension from the Malice incident, Jermaine didnt reach a higher level because of a lack of real playoff success and a subpar field goal percentage for a big man. 1) Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee Bucks. The most underrated player in fantasy basketball this season has to be Gilgeous-Alexander. Of course, there was Tim Duncan and the Spurs who captured 3 championships of their own in the 2000s after winning one in 1999 the year after MJ left the NBA. For some reason, as time has gone on, fans refer to Zydrunas Ilgauskas as one of those garbage players that LeBron James dragged to the NBA Finals early in his career. Wallaces impact was truly measured when he was acquired by the Detroit Pistons midway through the 2004 season. Personally, I believe it is a crime that Wallace is still not a basketball Hall Of Famer. Wallaces presence propelled Detroit to an NBA championship where Wallace averaged 13.0 PPG and 7.8 RPG on the playoff run. Career Stats: 16.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 7.2 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.4 BPG, Career Achievements: 2x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection. With his accurate 3-point shot and ability to pass the ball effectively, Stojakovidc would be a nightmare for defenses in todays game. Career Stats: 15.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG, Career Achievements: 1x Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team Selection, 3x All-Defensive Team Selection. In every season in which he started over 60 games for one of his 9 NBA teams, he earned at least 6.0 APG. Nine seasons into his career, the former USC Trojan has finally found his stride and established himself as one of the NBAs top guards. He would average a double-double over the next 4 seasons, and by his third season, he was a member of the Los Angeles Clippers. The play at power forward saw him have a couple of All-Star seasons. He helped lead the Magic to a Finals berth in 2009 by being a versatile scorer next to the dominant Howard. 1. He was a nightmare for defenders to stop and an even bigger one to try and score on in the paint. He was one of many roleplayers that was able to fit seamlessly into talented teams throughout his career. The 2000s were filled with incredible defenders, lights-out shooters, amazing ball handlers, solid secondary stars, and bench players who were elite at their jobs. His best season, 2003-04, when he averaged 20-10 and 2.6 blocks, earned him 3rd place in the MVP race. He was a scorer, plain and simple. Agent 0 going into L.A. and dropping 60 on the Lakers. www.basketball-timemachine.com. From 2001-2007 ONeal made six straight All-Star games while averaging a stellar 20-10 with 2 blocks per game. He led the league in steals in 2004 with 2.4 SPG. They say the best ability is availability, and Finley did just that. The 5 most overrated players in Madden NFL 23, including the Eagles' Darius Slay Jr. View 5 items Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. He was a two-way mastermind who had a knack for coming through in a games biggest moments that earned him the nickname Mr. CJ McCollum voted most underrated player since 2000. He blew past defenders and glided through the air and threw down rim-rocking dunks with brutal authority. He would average 20.0 PPG or more for the next 3 seasons and shot near or better than 40.0% from three during that time. One of the most valuable roleplayers in the early part of the decade, Doug Christie, was a deadeye shooter that brought it at an all-defensive level on the other end. Tracy McGrady was born on May 24, 1979 in Bartow, Florida, USA. During his All-Star seasons with Portland, Wallace was a double-digit scorer and rebounder while being a force to be reckoned with on defense. 10 James Lofton. He would have 5 more dominant scoring seasons for Milwaukee by averaging 23.0 PPG, 25.4 PPG, 26.7 PPG, 22.7 PPG, and 21.2 PPG. These are the most overrated players in NBA history. After two more seasons, he would win 6th Man of the Year with the Dallas Mavericks in 2004. The man consistently dropped games in which he earned anywhere from 30-50 points in 2021 and 2022. Of course, this was never true with the likes of Shaquille ONeal and Tim Duncan hanging around, but the conversation wasnt an insane one to have. With the impressive season he just had with the Raptors, people are bound to take notice soon. Required fields are marked *. Defensive teamsala the Championship Detroit Pistonsthat dominated to the point the NBA had to change the rules to speed up the game, which helped a dopey-haired small, white Canadian point guard pick up back-to-back MVPs. Redd was also awarded a 3rd-Team All-NBA spot, giving Milwaukee hope that the young guard could take on the role open with Ray Allens departure. Richardson made the All-Rookie Team in 2001 by averaging 14.4 PPG and 4.3 RPG for the Golden State Warriors. One of the most outspoken NBA analysts in the media, Stephen Jackson was a player that his teammates absolutely loved. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. At his peak, he became one of the most prolific scorers in the league and ignited the spirit of the game back in the City Of Milwaukee. During the 2000s, at various times, he was up against the likes of 15 time all-star Tim Duncan, 15 time all-star Kevin Garnett, 14 time all-star Dirk Nowitzki, 10 time all-star Carmelo Anthony, 6 time all-star Pau Gasol, 6 time all-star Amar'e Stoudemire (yes, he got the nod as a forward), 5 time all-star Chris Webber.