But today, we arent talking about Tim, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille ONeal, or Dwyane Wade. In fact, Kirilenko was born in Izhevsk, where the weapon was first manufactured. Corey Maggette was one of the most consistent scorers during the 2000s. Brad Miller was a rare center in the 2000s because he had a consistent mid-range jump shot. 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. 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. 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. He would lead the league in steals once more in 2007 with the Warriors with 2.1 SPG. He was named an NBA All-Star in 2004 after averaging 21.7 points and a career-best 5.0 rebounds a game. They say the best ability is availability, and Finley did just that. The little brother. The play at power forward saw him have a couple of All-Star seasons. 6. Lofton was the first player in NFL history to accumulate 14,000 receiving yards. , Owner: (Registered business address: Germany), processes personal data only to the extent strictly necessary for the operation of this website. Top 5 most underrated NBA players so far this season: PG - Malcolm Brogdon, Indiana Pacers. Thats not that tough. 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. He finished his career averaging 5.5 three-point attempts per game in an era that was just startingto see the actual value of the deep ball. Billups name never comes up in Top 20 conversations as far as point guards go, let alone Top 10 lists. 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. We dont even have to look at career averages or anything. 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. Was it worth it? As a member of the Indiana Pacers, O'Neal was a very gifted two-way big man. He had a sweet jumper and smooth release that he could knock down from anywhere in front of half-court. Not related to Shaquille O'Neal, Jermaine O'Neal was one of the best big men in the NBA during his time. He is incredibly well known; hes played beside Kobe on the Championship Lakers, delivered us with one of the best post-championship press conferences ever, and been a member of the infamous Malice and the Palace. Redd returned the following season but re-injured the same knee tearing the ACL again. Shareef solidified his role as a scoring power forward and was selected as an All-Star in the 2002 season, the lone career selection. 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. 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. Peja Stojakovic is one of the better perimeter scorers of the 2000s decade. Redd was consistently criticized for his lack of a complete game but his scoring was by far the best part of his game. Redd became an even more prolific scorer in the seasons that followed. Mookie Blaylock. Michael Jordan and Karl Malone greet each other before Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 1, 1997, at the United Center. 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. 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. Show Printable Version; Today, 04:33 PM #1. Your email address will not be published. Brandon Roy is one of the biggest what-ifs in NBA history and the little we did get to see of his career left us as NBA fans wanting so much more. If the season ended today, he'd be second in the NBA in fantasy points per game, but few think of him . 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. However, when we look at this year, we can see that it was Rons best statistical start to an NBA season. His only other individual awards were a 2004 All-Star selection after averaging 16-8-3 with 2 steals and 3 blocks. It's tough to argue with a top five like that, but Acho brought up several great points while making a case for the former San . Miller was as good as it gets running an NBA offense and he was one heck of a playmaker. The following season it came to fruition as Billups not only led the Pistons to a title but won Finals MVP in the process. During his early days in Seattle, Lewis took a bit to develop into the shooter and scorer he went down as. 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. Career Stats: 13.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.6 BPG. He's got some recognition since then, but he still isn't as respected as he should. Aaron Mansfield, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at Merrimack College. Tracy McGrady was born on May 24, 1979 in Bartow, Florida, USA. 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. Gilbert Arenas. That could not be further from the truth as Ilgauskas was a solid two-way big man who helped LeBron James adapt to the NBA. I say yes. NBA underrated performers are one of the more challenging lists to rank. The Most-Underrated NBA Players of All-Time. Enter Sam Cassell. 5y. He also set the record for most three-pointers made in a single quarter, with eight, before being overtaken when Klay Thompson made nine. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. 1 seed Mavericks in 2007 but his career was so much more than one season. This honestly swayed an NBA championship, costing the Minnesota Timberwolves in their series against the Lakers, in which they were the better team. Richmond scored the 4th-most total points for the entire decade of the 90s , mainly with the Warriors and Kings. 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. With his accurate 3-point shot and ability to pass the ball effectively, Stojakovidc would be a nightmare for defenses in todays game. He was so good that Pacers fans couldrealistically argue that he was the best big man in the league. 1 / 32 OrlandoMagic.com ranks the best NBA point guards from the 2000s. 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. LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers. 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. Struggling with bone spurs, and ankle surgery, he left the NBA after the 2006-07 season. Thread Tools. He averaged 20.7 PPG, 22.2 PPG, and 22.1 PPG during those years while missing out on All-Star Teams despite his scoring. He was a menace on the defensive side of the ball as well, never shying away from a tough matchup or assignments. 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. Forgive and forget and put Jermaine ONeal in the Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame. Neither made an impact, with Lionel Chalmers never playing another NBA game. Mitch Richmond is one of the most electric yet underrated players of the 90s. 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. 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. Six seasons into his career in 2005, Lewis earned his first All-Star selection and first 20.0 PPG season. Again, ONeal might be remembered more for his last season with Golden State, just before the team ascended into the perennial dynasty. These players tend to make their presence felt different than your average superstar, whether . Roy was destined to be a star from his first season in the NBA. Get the latest sports news from SportsSite about soccer, football and tennis. 8 Most Expensive Kevin Garnett Basketball Cards, Title 15 Most Expensive Diamonds in the World. Landers mens soccer closes out the season with a penalty-kick loss to Florida Tech. By signing up, you agree to the our terms and our Privacy Policy agreement. He made the All-Star game and was selected to the All NBA-Third Team. He was an entertaining player, scorer, and consistent all-star-level talent in the 90s. 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. He was one of the top players in the league until Gerald Wallace injured him. 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. That needs to begin to change after you read this piece. One of the best dunkers in NBA history, Richardson's athleticism often took eyes away from his all-around game. There are the 10 most underrated NBA players of the 2010s. 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. 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. 15.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.7 BPG. He blew past defenders and glided through the air and threw down rim-rocking dunks with brutal authority. With the impressive season he just had with the Raptors, people are bound to take notice soon. Jackson is mainly known for his stints with the Indiana Pacers and the Golden State Warriors. For the first few seasons of his NBA career, Billups bounced around until he found a home with the Detroit Pistons in 2003. Required fields are marked *. Career best stat line: 19.6 points, 9.1 assists, 41% 3PT (1989-90) The Cavs always had their hearts broken when running into Jordan, in the late '80s and early '90s, but Price was also one of . He averaged 16.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 4.0 APG on 45.6% shooting in just 57 games. Redd blossomed as a scorer in his 4th season, averaging 21.7 PPG on 35.0% shooting from three. He played in just 18 games and then 10 more in 2010-11. Richardson was a solid scorer throughout his career and was a very capable defender. Billups finished his career a 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team selection, and a 3x All-Defensive Team selection. During his time in the NBA, Rasheed Wallace received a bad reputation as its resident bad boy. 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. Scottie Pippen is #15 on this list and would have been much higher a decade ago, but recent lists have been very kind to Pippen and have listed the versatile defensive small forward in the top twenty of all-time (which we believe is way too high for a player with his numbers).. Out of all the players on this list, O'Neal was the most talented big man and also one of the most underrated players during his time. The top 10 players in the NBA according to ISH posters in August of 2000; Results 1 to 1 of 1 Thread: The top 10 players in the NBA according to ISH posters in August of 2000. Agent 0 going into L.A. and dropping 60 on the Lakers. He tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee after playing just 33 games. 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. He began a stretch of six straight seasons in which he averaged at least 21 points a game. Roy was a special talent on offense confirmed by some of the greats such as Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant. 20. The problem with most underrated NBA lists is too many of the players are, well, overrated. When coming into the league, there were no expectations for Michael Redd having been the 43rd pick of the 2000 NBA Draft. In 2002, ONeal won the NBAs Most Improved Player award by averaging 17.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 1.6 BPG. 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. 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. Forget the role in the fight. Billups finished his career a 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team selection, and a 3x All-Defensive Team selection. There are dozens of underrated players most folks forget. 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. 1. Roy attempted a comeback in 2013 but lasted just 5 games before calling it quits for good. He averaged 22.8 PPG and led the league with 17.5 RPG, and 3.0 BPG. Roy would begin to experience his downfall by 2011, just his 5th season in the league. I have never seen a Finals MVP and a more impactful point guard be overlooked in NBA history more than Chauncey Billups. From there, he developed his offensive game and defensively got more aggressive. The Bucks were dealt a huge blow during the 2008-09 season when Redd went down with a knee injury. From 2001-2007 ONeal made six straight All-Star games while averaging a stellar 20-10 with 2 blocks per game. Glen Rice was a three-time All-Star and won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. . He was also a big reason the Cavaliers were able to make the 2007 NBA Finals, being LeBron James favorite option on offense. 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. A 2000 trade to the Pacers changed everything and almost immediately transformed O'Neal into an MVP candidate. He was a nightmare for defenders to stop and an even bigger one to try and score on in the paint. 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. But looking at his career as a whole, Jamison was an All-Star caliber talent. Underrated? 4 pick in the 1998 draft, Jamison made the All-Rookie Team with the Warriors averaging 9.6 PPG and 6.4 RPG. Most Overrated NBA Players of All Time. Redd had led Ohio State to a Final Four as a sophomore and was known as a proven scorer averaging 21.9, 19.5, and 17.5 points per game in his three seasons in Columbus. He also has a rare 83-game season under his belt after being traded from Phoenix to Dallas early in his career. Career Achievements: 1x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection. Elton is perfect for this list. He was the first NBA player to bring in the big balls dance celebration, injuring his groin. He led the league in steals in 2004 with 2.4 SPG. 10. The assessment was based on how players performed during this decade and this decade ONLY (2000-2009). 1 seed Mavericks in 2007 but his career was so much more than one season. He found the end zone in three different decades. He scored 57 that same season, breaking the Bucks single-game scoring record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 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. 5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He was selected only behind guards Kobe Bryant and Jason Kidd, which is the greatest single accomplishment in his career. 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. At his peak, Billups was a serious threat as a scorer, passer, and defender who was the perfect point guard to lead the Detroit Pistons to the 2004 NBA championship. He won the Rookie of the Year award with the least games played in history to win the award. 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. After being traded to the Sacramento Kings at the end of the 2000 season, he formed a potent shooting perimeter alongside Peja Stojakovi. He was a 6'6" shooting guard who could also play the small forward position and had solid defensive skills. The Clippers have always been the runt of LA. Teams: Charlotte Hornets (1998-2000), Miami Heat (2000-01), Cleveland Cavaliers (2001-03), Boston Celtics (2003-06), Minnesota Timberwolves (2006-07), Miami Heat . Jermaine does that by propelling himself to All-Star status with Indiana. Career Stats: 12.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG. Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics. He peaked in 2007 when he averaged 26.7 PPG on 46.5% shooting. #513 of 1,316. Here are the 10 most underrated stars during the 2000s. Im Still Ballin. Some players on this list, like Mehmet Okur and Doug Christie, are, sadly, likely unknown to the young NBA fans of today. Unfortunately for Rahim, he will be remembered for being the centerpiece of this lopsided trade that sent Pau Gasol to Memphis, where he would quickly *not*become one of the most underrated players of the 2000s. View Profile View Forum Posts Dating back to his time with the Pelicans, he was an All-Star level . He has been married to Clarenda Harris since September 12, 2006. He finished 3rd in MVP voting and was arguably the best two-way player in basketball. I will say it here and now. After two more seasons, he would win 6th Man of the Year with the Dallas Mavericks in 2004. His best seasons come while playing for teams that arent popular or mainstream.

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