most underrated nba players of the 2000s

Just 3 seasons later, he would become a 20.0 PPG scorer and an automatic 40.0% shooter from deep. Mitch Richmond, Detlef Schrempf, and Vin Baker are among the underrated players from the '90s. 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. Think about Dennis Johnson of the 1980sthe dude was a five-time All-Star and a Finals MVP. He led the league in steals in 2004 with 2.4 SPG. Billups finished his career a 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team selection, and a 3x All-Defensive Team selection. Richardson's ability to help teams defend the perimeter and also score when needed makes him an underrated player during the 2000s. 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. Well focus primarily on his most impactful seasons, from 2001-2004. After taking 2 years to play overseas in Greece, Peja made his NBA debut in the 1998-99 season. 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. Still, ONeal was a franchise centerpiece to a team that consistently made the postseason, so he deserves his spot on this list. Seth Curry . 11. The Best Athletes Of All Time. Richmond scored the 4th-most total points for the entire decade of the 90s , mainly with the Warriors and Kings. He has been married to Clarenda Harris since September 12, 2006. 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. 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 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. 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. CJ McCollum voted most underrated player since 2000. James Harden is the only player in NBA history with 21-game . These players tend to make their presence felt different than your average superstar, whether . Mitch Richmond, Detlef Schrempf, and Vin Baker are among the underrated players from the 90s. Six seasons into his career in 2005, Lewis earned his first All-Star selection and first 20.0 PPG season. Jackson's role in the Warriors upset over the #1 seed Dallas Mavericks will forever be remembered. He had a sweet jumper and smooth release that he could knock down from anywhere in front of half-court. 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. 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. You have the heartbreaking series between the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2002 Western Conference Finals series. 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. Career: 1989-2002. Wallaces impact was truly measured when he was acquired by the Detroit Pistons midway through the 2004 season. 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 was consistently criticized for his lack of a complete game but his scoring was by far the best part of his game. In every season in which he started over 60 games for one of his 9 NBA teams, he earned at least 6.0 APG. Even some players who did make it onto that stage, like Rashard Lewis and Richard Hamilton, arent remembered as reverently as they should be. We present our all-time underrated teams, those great teams which don't receive their proper respect in the historical archive. He played one final season in Phoenix in 2011-12 before retiring. 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. O'Neal's strongest season came in 2005 by averaging 24.3 PPG, 8.8 RPG, and 2.0 BPG. 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. In his first season in Los Angeles, he made his first All-Star Team. He peaked in 2007 when he averaged 26.7 PPG on 46.5% shooting. He averaged a career-high of 26.7 points a game during the 2006-07 season. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) A look at those who were ranked too high and too low in the preseason Coaches Poll released Tuesday 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. 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 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. Championships: 0. In an era littered with talented point guards, Baron Davis was among the most exciting to watch play. Getting to the free throw line. 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. Vancouver selected Abdur-Rahim third overall, and he immediately became the teams leading scorer. His scoring jumped from 12.9 PPG to 19.0 PPG, and he made his first All-Star Team in 2002 for the Pacers. As one of the best big men in Clippers history, Brand had a superstar season in 2006 averaging 24.7 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 2.5 BPG. The following season in 2002-03, he was one of the best seasons of the decade for ANY player. 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. 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 . A team dwarfed by the sheer size, glamor, and continued excellence in the shared city. Can you name any other player who only made the all-star game once in his career? Ilgauskas struggled with injury the first few seasons of his career, missing his rookie season and 4th season with foot issues. An . 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. A lethal gunner from range, Stokakoi was one of the first NBA players to bomb away from range who hit a high percentage of their shots. In the 2000 NBA draft, the Milwaukee Bucks got lucky when Ohio State's Michael Redd fell all the way into the second round. The assessment was based on how players performed during this decade and this decade ONLY (2000-2009). Elton Brand led the way with 24-10 as the best player on a championship contender, the 2005-06 Clippers. There are the 10 most underrated NBA players of the 2010s. 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 can reach him via email:aaroncmansfield@gmail.com. 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 Elton Brand was one of the most underrated players of the 2000s. 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. 1. The play at power forward saw him have a couple of All-Star seasons. Aaron Mansfield, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at Merrimack College. In the 2000 NBA draft, the Milwaukee Bucks got lucky when Ohio States Michael Redd fell all the way into the second round. His true moment in the spotlight happened near the tail end of his career. His only other individual awards were a 2004 All-Star selection after averaging 16-8-3 with 2 steals and 3 blocks. The man consistently dropped games in which he earned anywhere from 30-50 points in 2021 and 2022. Despite having the aura of a rugged workhorse, Kirilenko struggled with durability, usually finishing NBA seasons between 60-70 games played. During his early days in Seattle, Lewis took a bit to develop into the shooter and scorer he went down as. 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. Thats right; were talking top player in the league status. All details in the privacy policy. One year later with the Kings, Miller would have a career year averaging 14.1 PPG and 10.3 RPG while making his second straight All-Star Team. Read that sentence again. 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. He is an NBA History buff that details the game from the 1960s all the way up to today. 5 pick in the 2001 draft, Richardson was expected to be one of the most impactful shooting guards in the NBA and he was certainly underappreciated in his time. O'Neal also won the Most Improved Player of the Year Award that same year. #6 of 290. For years now, Jrue Holiday has been widely regarded as the most underrated player in NBA. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); My name is Hayden, and I'm a digital marketing consultant. 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. 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. Erteilung oder Widerruf von Einwilligungen, klicken Sie hier: Westbrook vs. KD beef Are They Cool Now? Philadelphia 76ers Premier League UFC Television The Real Housewives of Atlanta The Bachelor Sister Wives 90 Day Fiance Wife Swap The Amazing Race Australia Married at First Sight The Real Housewives of Dallas My 600-lb Life Last Week Tonight with John Oliver One last point on Cassell that bumps him higher on this list. Tracy McGrady. Unfortunately for Christie, what should have been a fruitful career as a spot-up shooter quickly ended due to a litany of injuries. And . , Owner: (Registered business address: Germany), processes personal data only to the extent strictly necessary for the operation of this website. Miller had solid shooting numbers for a big man at that time, finishing with career averages of 80.4% from the line and 48.0% from the field. 1969-1971 . However, when we look at this year, we can see that it was Rons best statistical start to an NBA season. 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. Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports, Career Stats: 18.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG, Career Achievements: 1x Rookie of the Year, 3x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Team Selection. 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. He would lead the league in steals once more in 2007 with the Warriors with 2.1 SPG. 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. 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. There are dozens of underrated players most folks forget. 3. During his early days in Seattle, Lewis took a bit to develop into the shooter and scorer he went down as. In 2002, O'Neal won the NBA's Most Improved Player award by averaging 17.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 1.6 BPG. DeRozan may be cementing his status as the best player in franchise history in front of our eyes, but say he belongs in the MVP conversation and most NBA fans will laugh at you. He averaged 16.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 4.0 APG on 45.6% shooting in just 57 games. 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. Lofton was the first player in NFL history to accumulate 14,000 receiving yards. For the first few seasons of his NBA career, Billups bounced around until he found a home with the Detroit Pistons in 2003. Seth Curry - Brooklyn Nets. NBA underrated performers are one of the more challenging lists to rank. Agent 0 going into L.A. and dropping 60 on the Lakers. For some reason, ONeal was vilified relentlessly for his role in the brawl and his reputation has taken years to recover. Again, ONeal might be remembered more for his last season with Golden State, just before the team ascended into the perennial dynasty. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But when we focus on his game, we can see that he was overlooked for his talent, with many casual fans not understanding that at points in the 2000s, Ron Artest was seen as one of the top NBA players in the league. He was a menace on the defensive side of the ball as well, never shying away from a tough matchup or assignments. Expectations are high for every player in the league, and the overrated label . Would the Clippers have been able to dispatch the Mavericks in the next round? 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. 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. #513 of 1,316. He was so good that Pacers fans couldrealistically argue that he was the best big man in the league. Milwaukee took Redd with the 43 rd overall pick and the former Buckeye would go on to play 11 years with the franchise. 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. He averaged 16.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 4.0 APG on 45.6% shooting in just 57 games. Lewis retired with the Miami Heat in 2014, one year after adding an NBA championship to his already impressive resume. He blew past defenders and glided through the air and threw down rim-rocking dunks with brutal authority. 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. Career Stats: 19.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.1 BPG. Most Overrated NBA Players of All Time. 1 of 25. Right off the bat, you can tell Rashard Lewis is highly underrated simply by his lack of accolades to his name. 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. 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. 20. Career Stats: 18.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.3 BPG. Redd shot a career 38.0% from three and his 6 straight years of scoring prowess rank him 3rd on this list. He won the Rookie of the Year award with the least games played in history to win the award. Theres been a lot of former all-stars. He was the first NBA player to bring in the big balls dance celebration, injuring his groin. ONeal is an excellent example of the circumstances most players on these lists go through during their careers. He epitomized, you dont know what youve got till its gone.. Maggette had his best seasons during the 2004, 2005, and 2008 seasons. Were discussing the most underrated NBA players of the 2000s. O'Neal would average a double-double over the next 2 seasons in Indiana, and make 5 straight All-Star Teams. His presence on the early 2000s Kings teams was a perfect fit that put them over the top as a contender at the time. 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. Forget the role in the fight. Iverson took the fourth most shots per game in NBA history and is the worst-shooting volume chucker in the modern NBA. 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. From2004 through 2009, Redd battled injuries and bumps but still averaged at least 21.0 PPG every season. By the time his 4th season in 2004 came around, Redd was an All-Star and a consistent and efficient 20.0 PPG scorer. 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. 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. Designed by profootballspace. During his time in the NBA, Rasheed Wallace received a bad reputation as its resident bad boy. Lewis retired with the Miami Heat in 2014, one year after adding an NBA championship to his already impressive resume. The Clippers have always been the runt of LA. Injuries took away superstar potential from Michael Redd, but he was an offensive machine when he was healthy. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Roy was impossible to keep up with in isolation. He would be forced to retire from the game at 27 years old. He won the Rookie of the Year award with the least games played in history to win the award. 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. 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. After two more seasons, he would win 6th Man of the Year with the Dallas Mavericks in 2004. 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. 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. 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. To narrow down the list to 10 underrated players in the whole decade is about as tough as it gets. Wilt Chamberlain. 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. He spent 3 seasons with the team and helped them transition to the City of New Orleans. The following season it came to fruition as Billups not only led the Pistons to a title but won Finals MVP in the process. 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. From there, he developed his offensive game and defensively got more aggressive. He spent 3 seasons with the team and helped them transition to the City of New Orleans. Forgive and forget and put Jermaine ONeal in the Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame. For the first few seasons of his career, Jermaine ONeal struggled to find a role with the Portland Trail Blazers. Wallaces presence propelled Detroit to an NBA championship where Wallace averaged 13.0 PPG and 7.8 RPG on the playoff run. He was also a big reason the Cavaliers were able to make the 2007 NBA Finals, being LeBron James favorite option on offense. 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. This is the plight of DeMar DeRozanhes criminally underrated, and probably will be for his entire career. 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. 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. He ended his career with a well-deserved championship with the 2011 Dallas Mavericks. 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. Underrated? Mike Bibby is one of the most popular and respected point guards in NBA history. As the all-time and single-season leader in technical fouls, how could he not? Redd fell behind Ray Allen on the depth chart and barely appeared during his rookie season but came on strong in his sophomore campaign. . He averaged 21.2 points a game that season and would never be the same. Ilgauskas deserves so much more respect than modern-day fans give him. 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. #4 of 165. Sacramento picked Pedrag Stojakovi at the 1996 NBA rookie draft while still playing in Greece. He became the first Russian player selected in the first round and made the all-rookie team in his first year. We'll focus primarily on his most impactful seasons, from 2001-2004. 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. re: Most Underrated NBA Players (Historically) Posted on 1/14/23 at 11:11 am to Gaggle. 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. He made the All-Star game and was selected to the All NBA-Third Team. 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. Lewis is considered one of the best second options ever for his time with both the Seattle SuperSonics next to Ray Allen and in Orlando with Dwight Howard. Lewis was one of the NBAs top shooters for years with 8 seasons ranked in the Top 20 for 3-pointers made. Get ready to relive some of the best moments from the decade of the 2010s with the players who brought them to you. Big Shot. Well, that counts for something, right? The Most Underrated NBA Player of the Early 2000s, Your email address will not be published. He scored 57 that same season, breaking the Bucks single-game scoring record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Redd was consistently criticized for his lack of a complete game but his scoring was by far the best part of his 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. Right off the bat, you can tell Rashard Lewis is highly underrated simply by his lack of accolades to his name. Top 5 most underrated NBA players so far this season: PG - Malcolm Brogdon, Indiana Pacers. 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. But for now, Lillard looks like the young PG with the most potential to grow into the best point guard of his era. 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