In fact, I dont think I would have him on here if not for having the greatest NBA nickname of all time, Bad Porn.. 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. 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. Giannis and LeBron? Injury replacements, lifetime achievement awards, and many players that might not entirely deserve it. Roy was a special talent on offense confirmed by some of the greats such as Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant. 2023 profootballspace. NBA underrated performers are one of the more challenging lists to rank. The following season it came to fruition as Billups not only led the Pistons to a title but won Finals MVP in the process. In 2002, ONeal won the NBAs Most Improved Player award by averaging 17.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 1.6 BPG. Here is our list of 12 of the most underrated players in the NBA today. Andre Miller was never an MVP candidate or even an All-Star but he was quietly one of the better point guards during the 2000s. Just 3 seasons later, he would become a 20.0 PPG scorer and an automatic 40.0% shooter from deep. The Most UNDERRATED NBA Players Of The 2000s..Welcome back to Sports Savvy. He led the league in steals in 2004 with 2.4 SPG. Here are the 10 most underrated NBA players of the entire 2000s. He could dominate the game on both sides from the low block, he possessed a turnaround jumper that was as unblockable as DIrks fadeaway, and he was a defensive nightmare for opponents nightly. Michael Redd is another interesting 2000s player. His best season came in 2002 after being traded to Atlanta. Personally, I believe it is a crime that Wallace is still not a basketball Hall Of Famer. Due to the emergence of other superstars like Allen Iverson, Vince Carter, LeBron James, and Tracy McGrady, many other solid players who had massive success in the decade have flown under the radar as time has gone on. Nick Mac is an NBA Writer with over 5 years of experience in journalism. He was one of many roleplayers that was able to fit seamlessly into talented teams throughout his career. For the first few seasons of his career, Jermaine ONeal struggled to find a role with the Portland Trail Blazers. Richardson was drafted by the Clippers and had his best season in 2004 with the team averaging 17.2 PPG. Basketball Time Machine Shaq and Chuck don't have the defense, although O'Neal did finish 3rd in the 2000 DPOY. Seth Curry - Brooklyn Nets. 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. Even with Minnesota, Cassell also owns a space in a potential worst trade of all time discussion, being moved, along with a first-round pick, from Minnesota in 2005 to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Marko Jaric and Lionel Chalmers. During his early days in Seattle, Lewis took a bit to develop into the shooter and scorer he went down as. Usually millions of dollars. He would become an All-Star once more in 2005 averaging 16.9 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and 2.1 BPG. He would have a few more All-Star seasons with Indiana but after the 2004 brawl in Detroit, the damage had been done to his stance within the league. Required fields are marked *. He tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee after playing just 33 games. He spent 3 seasons with the team and helped them transition to the City of New Orleans. This is the plight of DeMar DeRozanhes criminally underrated, and probably will be for his entire career. The Most Underrated NBA Player of the Early 2000s, Your email address will not be published. Yet, not all players who saw action at the NBA, the biggest basketball league in the world, are well-known. With the impressive season he just had with the Raptors, people are bound to take notice soon. Forgive and forget and put Jermaine ONeal in the Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame. Even Basketball-Reference.com doesnt give the man a prayer. A small core of teams dominated the league in that era. James demonstrated this when he surpassed Patrick Ewing for 20th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Maybe. One of the best dunkers in NBA history, Richardson's athleticism often took eyes away from his all-around game. Many superstars surfaced at this time but perhaps none bigger than Shaquille ONeal and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers who led them to 3 straight titles at the beginning of the decade. He could rebound the ball well at 610 tall and his passing and court vision were a perfect recipe for success with how much those Kings teams liked to run. He is an NBA History buff that details the game from the 1960s all the way up to today. It is borderline insanity that Miller was never even honored with an All-Star selection and for that, he is the 3rd most underrated player of the 200s decade. The following season in 2002-03, he was one of the best seasons of the decade for ANY player. A 2000 trade to the Pacers changed everything and almost immediately transformed O'Neal into an MVP candidate. 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. Teams: Charlotte Hornets (1998-2000), Miami Heat (2000-01), Cleveland Cavaliers (2001-03), Boston Celtics (2003-06), Minnesota Timberwolves (2006-07), Miami Heat . Height: 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Playing position: Striker. He had a sweet jumper and smooth release that he could knock down from anywhere in front of half-court. 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. Career Stats: 13.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.7 BPG, Career Achievements: 1x Most Improved Player, 6x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team Selection. Jackson would have his best seasons with the Golden State Warriors averaging over 20 PPG for 3 straight seasons. I will say it here and now. Yet, not all players who saw action at the NBA, the biggest basketball league in the world, are well-known Not all basketball players are well known, Sports Mania Asia lists the top five most underrated NBA players from the late 1990s to 2000s. 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. He would improve his scoring over the next few seasons, boosting his scoring to a career-high 23.2 PPG during the 2006 season. 10. Jackson is mainly known for his stints with the Indiana Pacers and the Golden State Warriors. Roy attempted a comeback in 2013 but lasted just 5 games before calling it quits for good. Roy would begin to experience his downfall by 2011, just his 5th season in the league. Seth Curry . Now, I could go up to as many as 25 maybe 30 players that are forgotten stars from the 2000's but i'm only going to focus on 12, enjoy. He made the All-Star game and was selected to the All NBA-Third Team. The Top NBA Players Of All Time. All the most overrated players in the NBA will be featured here to choose from. Ilgauskas struggled with injury the first few seasons of his career, missing his rookie season and 4th season with foot issues. Wilt Chamberlain. Six seasons into his career in 2005, Lewis earned his first All-Star selection and first 20.0 PPG season. After being traded to the Sacramento Kings at the end of the 2000 season, he formed a potent shooting perimeter alongside Peja Stojakovi. 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. 6. The Most Underrated NBA Player of the Early 2000s. His only postseason trip was as a role player averaging 12-5 on the 2005-06 Sacramento Kings, who would lose in the first round to San Antonio. Milwaukee took Redd with the 43 rd overall pick and the former Buckeye would go on to play 11 years with the franchise. He made 3 straight All-Star games from 2002 through 2004 and averaged 21.7 PPG on 48.1% shooting over that time. 1) Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Top 5 most underrated NBA players so far this season: PG - Malcolm Brogdon, Indiana Pacers. For years now, Jrue Holiday has been widely regarded as the most underrated player in NBA. It is borderline insanity that Miller was never even honored with an All-Star selection and for that, he is the 3rd most underrated player of the 200s decade. Tracy McGrady was born on May 24, 1979 in Bartow, Florida, USA. The Best Athletes Of All Time. He also has a rare 83-game season under his belt after being traded from Phoenix to Dallas early in his career. 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. In 2002, ONeal won the NBAs Most Improved Player award by averaging 17.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 1.6 BPG. Brand's best year came in 2006 as an MVP candidate averaging 24.7 points and 10 rebounds while leading the Los Angeles Clippers back into the playoffs. Alex Novick, NBA.com Global Editions (): Quick, name the only player other than David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon to average at least two . Expectations are high for every player in the league, and the overrated label . He was a nightmare for defenders to stop and an even bigger one to try and score on in the paint. Lewis was one of the NBAs top shooters for years with 8 seasons ranked in the Top 20 for 3-pointers made. We started the decade with Lakers championships and ended with Lakers championships, and yet you can rightfully argue that Tim Duncan was the most important player of the ten years. O'Neal would average a double-double over the next 2 seasons in Indiana, and make 5 straight All-Star Teams. His scoring jumped from 12.9 PPG to 19.0 PPG, and he made his first All-Star Team in 2002 for the Pacers. He was so fast with his first step off of the dribble and even faster once he got headed toward the basket. Redd shot a career 38.0% from three and his 6 straight years of scoring prowess rank him 3rd on this list. Richardson was a solid scorer throughout his career and was a very capable defender. Mitch Richmond, Detlef Schrempf, and Vin Baker are among the underrated players from the 90s. In every season in which he started over 60 games for one of his 9 NBA teams, he earned at least 6.0 APG. During his time in the NBA, Rasheed Wallace received a bad reputation as its resident bad boy. Davis was an explosive point guard who was a blur on the floor in open space. My point is that after further analysis, it becomes apparent that the top five point guards, right now . Latrell Sprewell was a great player. Roy was a special talent on offense confirmed by some of the greats such as Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant. Unfortunately for Christie, what should have been a fruitful career as a spot-up shooter quickly ended due to a litany of injuries. This honestly swayed an NBA championship, costing the Minnesota Timberwolves in their series against the Lakers, in which they were the better team. 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. Think about Dennis Johnson of the 1980sthe dude was a five-time All-Star and a Finals MVP. His best season, 2003-04, when he averaged 20-10 and 2.6 blocks, earned him 3rd place in the MVP race. 10 James Lofton. 19. He's got some recognition since then, but he still isn't as respected as he should. During his time in the NBA, Rasheed Wallace received a bad reputation as its resident bad boy. He averaged 24-6-3 on a Pacers team that was seen as among the top teams in the NBA and potentially a future NBA champion. Despite his demise over the latter course of his career, Redd still averaged 19.0 points per game for his career. 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. Can you name any other player who only made the all-star game once in his career? You can't go wrong by picking Ariza here, mainly because actual NBA players back it up.Trevor Ariza possessed such a valuable skillset that even as late as the 2021-22 season with the Lakers, fans were claiming he was the missing piece that would allow them to ascend to playoff contention. Erteilung oder Widerruf von Einwilligungen, klicken Sie hier: Westbrook vs. KD beef Are They Cool Now? With the NBA season approaching fast, there are a few players who haven't gotten the credit they deserve. But the sheer fact that Clipper Contenderswas uttered during the 2005-06 playoffs firmly earns Elton a spot on this list. If the season ended today, he'd be second in the NBA in fantasy points per game, but few think of him . 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. Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics. #NBA #NBATwitter #BYL #NBAPicks #Goats #Underrated. In the Finals against the Lakers, Billups averaged 21.0 PPG, 5.2 APG, and 3.2 RPG in the 5-game series to win the championship. You had a fashion that today would be laughed at, baggy jeans, shirts, shorts, and fabrics flying down the court. His most valuable skill? Mehmet Okur - Career Stats : 13.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.7 apg - Best season (2005-06) : 18.0 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.4 apg - Achievements : NBA Champion (2004), NBA All-Star (2007) - Best years were with the Jazz I will say it here and now. Schrempf is often overlooked and considered one of the most underrated players in NBA history. Despite sharing the court with Ray Allen early on, Redd carved his own path and should be revered for his unbelievable scoring at his peak. 4. The Top 10 Most Underrated NBA Players Of The 2000s, Valentina Shevchenko doesnt lose a step just because she fought for a split decision: I really dont care what people say, UFC 285 start time, TV schedule for Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane, Texans divorce from QB Deshaun Watson could affect CJ Strouds court, Texans finish 32nd in Touchdown Wire NFL power rankings, Houston finishes No.
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