Designed by profootballspace. He had three All-NBA team selections, two thirds, and a second cap off his individual awards. Your email address will not be published. For the first few seasons of his career, Jermaine ONeal struggled to find a role with the Portland Trail Blazers. 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. Some players on this list, like Mehmet Okur and Doug Christie, are, sadly, likely unknown to the young NBA fans of today. Can you name any other player who only made the all-star game once in his career? Thats not that tough. When coming into the league, there were no expectations for Michael Redd having been the 43rd pick of the 2000 NBA Draft. Drafted with the No. O'Neal also won the Most Improved Player of the Year Award that same year. In his first season in Los Angeles, he made his first All-Star Team. Championships: 0. He had a sweet jumper and smooth release that he could knock down from anywhere in front of half-court. From2004 through 2009, Redd battled injuries and bumps but still averaged at least 21.0 PPG every season. O'Neal would average a double-double over the next 2 seasons in Indiana, and make 5 straight All-Star Teams. 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) . Arteta to make 1 change, 'underrated' ace to be benched: Arsenal predicted line-up vs Bournemouth,After Arsenal made things look easy in their 4-0 thrashing of Everton, we have tried to call their predicted lineup against Bournemouth. Andrei Kirilenko was a prototype of what the modern-day NBA landscape now values above all else; versatility. Shareef could never take that next step up to consistent superstardom, and despite forming a talented trio alongside Glenn Robinson and Jason Terry, the Hawks never sniffed the playoffs. Miller also had an All-Star season with the Pacers in 2003 where he averaged 13.1 PPG and 8.3 RPG. Your email address will not be published. His stint with the Kings started in 2002 where he averaged 17.6 PPG and 5.4 APG over 7 seasons with the franchise. ONeal is an excellent example of the circumstances most players on these lists go through during their careers. Jackson is mainly known for his stints with the Indiana Pacers and the Golden State Warriors. Top 5 most underrated NBA players so far this season: PG - Malcolm Brogdon, Indiana Pacers. 25. With talk of which NBA players are the most underrated right making the rounds on social media this week, we thought it would be a good time to come up with our own All-Underrated Team for the . His only other individual awards were a 2004 All-Star selection after averaging 16-8-3 with 2 steals and 3 blocks. He drove, he shot, and he played a little selfishly. Read that sentence again. Basketball is one of the most loved sports worldwide. Show Printable Version; Today, 04:33 PM #1. In 2009, he earned the 2nd All-Star selection of his career when he averaged 17.7 PPG and helped lead Orlando to the NBA Finals. We'll focus primarily on his most impactful seasons, from 2001-2004. The following season in 2002-03, he was one of the best seasons of the decade for ANY player. O'Neal had a strong inside scoring game, was very active on the offensive boards, and was a capable shot-blocker. Gilbert Arenas. Injuries were a concern throughout Pejas career, especially in the second half of his NBA lifespan. Press Esc to cancel. Get the latest sports news from SportsSite about soccer, football and tennis. 6. He could force his way into the paint like a running back hitting the hole in the NFL and either finish at the rim easily or find the open man for an easier opportunity. For the first 12 seasons of his career, Miller was a consistent 15.0 to 17.0 PPG scorer but he really made his impact as a passer. Roy was impossible to keep up with in isolation. If the season ended today, he'd be second in the NBA in fantasy points per game, but few think of him . With the NBA season approaching fast, there are a few players who haven't gotten the credit they deserve. In 2002, ONeal won the NBAs Most Improved Player award by averaging 17.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 1.6 BPG. Was it worth it? Cameron Smith will be the first Players Championship winner since Tiger Woods in 2014 to not defend his title at the Players . 10. Getting to the free throw line. He finished with 11,972 points and 2,411 rebounds (3.8 per game). Roy would be named an All-Star the following 3 seasons and averaged 21.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 5.2 APG, and 1.1 SPG over that time. In the 2000 NBA draft, the Milwaukee Bucks got lucky when Ohio States Michael Redd fell all the way into the second round. He could force his way into the paint like a running back hitting the hole in the NFL and either finish at the rim easily or find the open man for an easier opportunity. 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. His true moment in the spotlight happened near the tail end of his career. George Hill . 11. 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 made 3 straight All-Star games from 2002 through 2004 and averaged 21.7 PPG on 48.1% shooting over that time. Thats why hes the first name on this list. The following season it came to fruition as Billups not only led the Pistons to a title but won Finals MVP in the process. However, when we look at this year, we can see that it was Rons best statistical start to an NBA season. Scotty Bags. Here are the 10 most underrated stars during the 2000s. Obviously, we have to mention the Malice at the Palace incident that saw him miss the entirety of the 2004-05 season with Indiana. 17.9 points, 2.9 RPG, and 1.9 APG. 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. With only one more high-scoring season under his belt, 22.7 points per game, Redd would suffer a torn ACL and MCL injury that would significantly impact the rest of his career. 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. Would the Clippers have been able to dispatch the Mavericks in the next round? Even some players who did make it onto that stage, like Rashard Lewis and Richard Hamilton, arent remembered as reverently as they should be. He was also a big reason the Cavaliers were able to make the 2007 NBA Finals, being LeBron James favorite option on offense. You have Kevin Garnetts MVP and Western Conference Finals season with the Wolves. He was the first NBA player to bring in the big balls dance celebration, injuring his groin, The 12 Most Underrated NBA Players of the 2010s, This Millennial Transformed One Rental Property Into A Multi-Million Dollar Empire, 10 Entrepreneurs Share Their Best Beauty Business Tips And Secrets. All the most overrated players in the NBA will be featured here to choose from. As a two-way player and one of the best athletes to ever play the game, Richardson was a gem in his prime. He would become an All-Star once more in 2005 averaging 16.9 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and 2.1 BPG. That needs to begin to change after you read this piece. Enter Sam Cassell. In an era littered with talented point guards, Baron Davis was among the most exciting to watch play. Forget the role in the fight. That season he averaged 16.2 PPG and it was clear that the Pistons had their championship point guard. He was one of the top players in the league until Gerald Wallace injured him. For the first few seasons of his career, Jermaine ONeal struggled to find a role with the Portland Trail Blazers. With Indiana, Jackson was part of a tough crew featuring Ron Artest and Jermaine O'Neal that was also involved in the Malice at the Palace. Fat Lever (#14) was Russell Westbrook before Westbrook. 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. Thread Tools. 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. Davis was an explosive point guard who was a blur on the floor in open space. Few players have taken the NBA by storm or altered the way teams play the game the way Curry has . Billups finished his career a 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team selection, and a 3x All-Defensive Team selection. He has been married to Clarenda Harris since September 12, 2006. Ronald Koeman - Barcelona. He was a menace on the defensive side of the ball as well, never shying away from a tough matchup or assignments. He finished 3rd in MVP voting and was arguably the best two-way player in basketball. 3. One of the most outspoken NBA analysts in the media, Stephen Jackson was a player that his teammates absolutely loved. Over NY's past three games, Mitchell Robinson is 16-for-16 from the floor & averaging 11.3 points and 12.0 rebounds Per @bball_ref, he is the first player in NBA history to record a double . You had a fashion that today would be laughed at, baggy jeans, shirts, shorts, and fabrics flying down the court. 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. Michael Redd is another interesting 2000s player. This season encapsulates why Redd isnt any higher on this list. He spent 3 seasons with the team and helped them transition to the City of New Orleans. The assessment was based on how players performed during this decade and this decade ONLY (2000-2009). He would lead the league in steals once more in 2007 with the Warriors with 2.1 SPG. The man consistently dropped games in which he earned anywhere from 30-50 points in 2021 and 2022. 1 seed Mavericks in 2007 but his career was so much more than one season. Nick Mac is an NBA Writer with over 5 years of experience in journalism. League championships: 0. A look at those who were ranked too high and too low in the preseason Coaches Poll released Tuesday 1969-1971 . Davis began his career as a member of the Charlotte Hornets. 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. But despite this, you should know that Jermaine ONeal was a beast. For his career, Redd shot 38.0% from three and 44.7% overall. He had a smooth lefty jumper that was as good as anyones in the game when he was on point. In every season in which he started over 60 games for one of his 9 NBA teams, he earned at least 6.0 APG. This happened because other great players such as Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Tim Duncan, and Shaquille O'Neal were the faces of the NBA and grabbed all the headlines all the time. Lewis was one of the NBAs top shooters for years with 8 seasons ranked in the Top 20 for 3-pointers made. He averaged a career-high of 26.7 points a game during the 2006-07 season. Vancouver selected Abdur-Rahim third overall, and he immediately became the teams leading scorer. The 2000s-era NBA was one of the more bizarre representations of basketball one could imagine. You must be a great player to fit into a team named The Greatest Show on Court. He helped the Kings lead the league in wins in 2001-02, and while he didnt average too many pointsending his career with averages of 11-4-3he made his mark on defense. Davis recorded 3 different seasons with at least 20.0 PPG and 2.0 SPG as one of the more dynamic point guards in basketball. Not only did he start playing precisely at the starting point of the decade after being selected 1st overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 1999 draft, but he proceeded to be one of the most under-the-radar players during his career. Elton Brand is the most underrated star of the 2000s because he managed to have 2 All-Star Seasons after being drafted No.1 in the 1999 Draft. 8 Most Expensive Kevin Garnett Basketball Cards, Title 15 Most Expensive Diamonds in the World. 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. COMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. He was a nightmare for defenders to stop and an even bigger one to try and score on in the paint. 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. Jason Terry: 1066.71 TPA. One last point on Cassell that bumps him higher on this list. 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. That should be considered common sense considering NBA players peak from 25-30 years old. Still, with his peak year coinciding with his healthiesthe appeared in 78 gameshe led the Utah Jazz in total points, points per game, total rebounds, rebounds per game, blocks, blocks per game, steals, steals per game, free throws made, free throws attempted, three pointers made, and three-pointers attempted. Shaq and Chuck don't have the defense, although O'Neal did finish 3rd in the 2000 DPOY. Redd was also a member of the 2008 U.S. mens Olympic basketball team that won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Beijing. With over a decade of writing articles for sports sites, Eddie Bitar has a unique writing voice that shines through in the latest collection of NBA-related content that captures trade rumors, power rankings, and team news. Gary Trent Jr. is easily one of the most exciting and underrated players in the NBA today, starting with a Toronto Raptor and ending with one. With the impressive season he just had with the Raptors, people are bound to take notice soon. 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. Redd had led Ohio State to a Final Four as a . www.basketball-timemachine.com. James Lofton is one of many cases of players being in the Hall of Fame and nevertheless being vastly underrated when compared with others who played the position. Drafted with the No. He also has a rare 83-game season under his belt after being traded from Phoenix to Dallas early in his career. That's why he's the first name on this list. Of course, we couldnt account for everyone who deserves to be on this list, but below are the most underrated NBA players of the early 2000s. He averaged 20.1 PPG and 10.0 RPG in his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls, making the All-Rookie Team. Here are the teams, odds and spread for Super Bowl 57 matchup, Super Bowl 2023 predictions and picks for each round of the NFL playoffs. 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. 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. But looking at his career as a whole, Jamison was an All-Star caliber talent. Throughout the NBA 's history, there have been many overlooked and underrated players. 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. all of who are . With the trade of superstar Ray Allen, the Bucks fell off as one of the NBAs top teams, but the leading role was filled by Redd, who went on to average 21.7 points en route to his only All-Star appearance. Luckily for this list, his two all-star appearances occurred within the decade when he made the cut in both the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons. #4 of 165. 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. He began a stretch of six straight seasons in which he averaged at least 21 points a game. By the time his 4th season in 2004 came around, Redd was an All-Star and a consistent and efficient 20.0 PPG scorer. A team dwarfed by the sheer size, glamor, and continued excellence in the shared city. With his ability to both score and pass the ball, Miller was must-watch television whenever he was in town. 15.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.7 BPG. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) In 2002, O'Neal won the NBA's Most Improved Player award by averaging 17.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 1.6 BPG. Magic Johnson. Bottom Line: Otis Thorpe. Brad Miller was a rare center in the 2000s because he had a consistent mid-range jump shot. The Clippers have always been the runt of LA. , Owner: (Registered business address: Germany), processes personal data only to the extent strictly necessary for the operation of this website. Redd was consistently criticized for his lack of a complete game but his scoring was by far the best part of his game. 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. While you probably wouldnt be able to get away with that nickname in the NBA today, it still earns him an easy placement on this list. Even in his later years when his scoring dropped, there was little drop-off in Kidd's assist or steal numbers. I say yes. As a member of the Indiana Pacers, O'Neal was a very gifted two-way big man. 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. The draw of Finley was his consistency and availability. Iverson took the fourth most shots per game in NBA history and is the worst-shooting volume chucker in the modern NBA. Ronald Koeman of the Netherlands lines up before the UEFA Euro 88 Group 2 match between England and the Netherlands at the Rheinstadion on June 15, 1988 in Dsseldorf, West Germany. His best season came in 2003-04, Peja averaged a career-high 24.2 PPG on 48.0% shooting overall and 43.3% from three. 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. 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. By 2003, Ilgauskas was an All-Star and averaged 17.2 PPG and 7.5 RPG while adding 1.9 BPG. Erteilung oder Widerruf von Einwilligungen, klicken Sie hier: Westbrook vs. KD beef Are They Cool Now? He scored 57 that same season, breaking the Bucks single-game scoring record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. By 2003, Ilgauskas was an All-Star and averaged 17.2 PPG and 7.5 RPG while adding 1.9 BPG. Davis can be credited with sparking the We Believe Warriors to an upset win over the No. The sample size doesn't include the '87 playoffs because McHale was playing on a broken foot. As we entered the 2000s, NBA fans were left with the question of who was going to take over the league after Michael Jordan left Chicago. 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. Seth Curry - Brooklyn Nets. Elton Brand was a special big man on offense and on the boards, and he was one of the most underappreciated players during his time. All details in the privacy policy. Lofton was the first player in NFL history to accumulate 14,000 receiving yards. 32786 posts. His best seasons come while playing for teams that arent popular or mainstream. 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. As only the No.13 pick, Maggette is one of the most underrated players during his era due to his impact on the Clippers. He was the spiritual successor to Dennis Rodman, released music featured in NBA 2K, and is infamous for his antics on-and-off court. We need to focus on exactly one year of Eltons career that solidifies his place on this list without a thought. Players like Russell Westbrook, John Wall, and Kyle Kuzma each get the overrated label due to playoff failures, huge contracts, or just being talked up more than their games can back up. 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. 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. Personally, I believe it is a crime that Wallace is still not a basketball Hall Of Famer. But the sheer fact that Clipper Contenderswas uttered during the 2005-06 playoffs firmly earns Elton a spot on this list. For some reason, ONeal was vilified relentlessly for his role in the brawl and his reputation has taken years to recover. He didnt have the chance to display his scoring prowess during his first season in Milwaukee since he was playing behind the great Ray Allen. He was a two-way mastermind who had a knack for coming through in a games biggest moments that earned him the nickname Mr. There are the 10 most underrated NBA players of the 2010s. 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. Bibby made the All-Rookie Team in 1999, averaging 13.2 PPG and 6.5 APG for the Vancouver Grizzlies. During his time in the NBA, Rasheed Wallace received a bad reputation as its resident bad boy. 1 seed Mavericks in 2007 but his career was so much more than one season. Elton averaged 30-10-4 with 3 blocks per game that series. Billups name never comes up in Top 20 conversations as far as point guards go, let alone Top 10 lists. He played one final season in Phoenix in 2011-12 before retiring. Yet, not all players who saw action at the NBA, the biggest basketball league in the world, are well-known. James demonstrated this when he surpassed Patrick Ewing for 20th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. The players listed here may be relatively unknown, underappreciated, or underrated in terms of not making the elite lists of other football raters. Still, ONeal was a franchise centerpiece to a team that consistently made the postseason, so he deserves his spot on this list. This reputation caused many to forget just how imp[actful Wallace was on the basketball court. 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. Expectations are high for every player in the league, and the overrated label . Six seasons into his career in 2005, Lewis earned his first All-Star selection and first 20.0 PPG season. His three years stretch from 2001-04 saw him average 22-6-2, make the All-Star team every year, and even get him a spot on the 2nd Team All-NBA squad. Tracy McGrady was born on May 24, 1979 in Bartow, Florida, USA. Unfortunately for Christie, what should have been a fruitful career as a spot-up shooter quickly ended due to a litany of injuries. Here are the 10 most underrated NBA players of the entire 2000s. Miller was as good as it gets running an NBA offense and he was one heck of a playmaker. Usually millions of dollars. To narrow down the list to 10 underrated players in the whole decade is about as tough as it gets. Milwaukee took Redd with the 43 rd overall pick and the former Buckeye would go on to play 11 years with the franchise. With his accurate 3-point shot and ability to pass the ball effectively, Stojakovidc would be a nightmare for defenses in todays game. He averaged 20.1 PPG and 10.0 RPG in his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls, making the All-Rookie Team. A 2000 trade to the Pacers changed everything and almost immediately transformed O'Neal into an MVP candidate. Thats right; were talking top player in the league status. He was one of many roleplayers that was able to fit seamlessly into talented teams throughout his career. Wallaces presence propelled Detroit to an NBA championship where Wallace averaged 13.0 PPG and 7.8 RPG on the playoff run. Ilgauskas struggled with injury the first few seasons of his career, missing his rookie season and 4th season with foot issues.