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. 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. 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. 19. , Owner: (Registered business address: Germany), processes personal data only to the extent strictly necessary for the operation of this website. 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. COMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. Lofton was the first player in NFL history to accumulate 14,000 receiving yards. He was a two-way mastermind who had a knack for coming through in a games biggest moments that earned him the nickname Mr. That season he averaged 16.2 PPG and it was clear that the Pistons had their championship point guard. He was so fast with his first step off of the dribble and even faster once he got headed toward the basket. He was selected only behind guards Kobe Bryant and Jason Kidd, which is the greatest single accomplishment in his career. He was a nightmare for defenders to stop and an even bigger one to try and score on in the paint. 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. The Top NBA Players Of All Time. Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics. He ended his career with a well-deserved championship with the 2011 Dallas Mavericks. Me and other NBA analysts and NBA content creators have said it before and we will keep on saying it, Robert Covington is the DEFINITION of the NBA 3&D player. The Most UNDERRATED NBA Players Of The 2000s..Welcome back to Sports Savvy. 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. Other Underrated NBA Players for 2021-22. Here are the 10 most underrated NBA players of the entire 2000s. Teams: Charlotte Hornets (1998-2000), Miami Heat (2000-01), Cleveland Cavaliers (2001-03), Boston Celtics (2003-06), Minnesota Timberwolves (2006-07), Miami Heat . He made 3 straight All-Star games from 2002 through 2004 and averaged 21.7 PPG on 48.1% shooting over that time. He was an entertaining player, scorer, and consistent all-star-level talent in the 90s. 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. By 2003, Ilgauskas was an All-Star and averaged 17.2 PPG and 7.5 RPG while adding 1.9 BPG. He would lead the league in steals once more in 2007 with the Warriors with 2.1 SPG. He averaged a career-high of 26.7 points a game during the 2006-07 season. As a member of the Indiana Pacers, O'Neal was a very gifted two-way big man. We dont even have to look at career averages or anything. From2004 through 2009, Redd battled injuries and bumps but still averaged at least 21.0 PPG every season. Redd had led Ohio State to a Final Four as a . 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. Magic Johnson. He finished 3rd in MVP voting and was arguably the best two-way player in basketball. Lewis retired with the Miami Heat in 2014, one year after adding an NBA championship to his already impressive resume. Lewis retired with the Miami Heat in 2014, one year after adding an NBA championship to his already impressive resume. He was also a big reason the Cavaliers were able to make the 2007 NBA Finals, being LeBron James favorite option on offense. 8 Most Expensive Kevin Garnett Basketball Cards, Title 15 Most Expensive Diamonds in the World. Was he better than he is remembered? Roy was destined to be a star from his first season in the NBA. Roy was impossible to keep up with in isolation. James demonstrated this when he surpassed Patrick Ewing for 20th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. 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. Finley played on two of the premier Western Conference powerhouses over the decade, starting with Dallas and moving to San Antonio after being waived. Not a chance. 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. He was the spiritual successor to Dennis Rodman, released music featured in NBA 2K, and is infamous for his antics on-and-off court. The most underrated scene in 'The Last Dance' was ___. This reputation caused many to forget just how imp[actful Wallace was on the basketball court. During his time with the New Orleans Hornets for 3 seasons, he averaged 20.2 PPG, 8.1 APG, and 2.0 SPG. 10 James Lofton. 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. Ilgauskas struggled with injury the first few seasons of his career, missing his rookie season and 4th season with foot issues. During his time with the New Orleans Hornets for 3 seasons, he averaged 20.2 PPG, 8.1 APG, and 2.0 SPG. Required fields are marked *. Potential only counts for so much. He had a smooth lefty jumper that was as good as anyones in the game when he was on point. 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. 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. 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 . Only one year later, Jamison jumped his stats tremendously averaging 19.6 PPG and 8.3 RPG followed by a career-high in scoring at 24.9 PPG. James Harden is the only player in NBA history with 21-game . Career Stats: 14.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG. Height: 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Playing position: Striker. He's got some recognition since then, but he still isn't as respected as he should. He was a two-way mastermind who had a knack for coming through in a games biggest moments that earned him the nickname Mr. 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. Elton Brand was one of the most underrated players of the 2000s. His most valuable skill? 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. 1) Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee Bucks. There are the 10 most underrated NBA players of the 2010s. 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. Mike Bibby is one of the most underrated basketball players of all time. 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. For years now, Jrue Holiday has been widely regarded as the most underrated player in NBA. 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. Theres not much else to say about Maggatte. One year later, he joined the Phoenix Suns where he averaged 14.9 PPG on 35.8% shooting from three. In an era littered with talented point guards, Baron Davis was among the most exciting to watch play. As one of the original stretch forwards in the game, Lewis used both his size and shooting ability to become a scoring machine. When coming into the league, there were no expectations for Michael Redd having been the 43rd pick of the 2000 NBA Draft. Another is that many of these players are often misremembered for their time and play late in their careers when theyre past their prime, bouncing around to teams and being fitted for jerseys that will probably struggle to sell ten total copies. He was also a big reason the Cavaliers were able to make the 2007 NBA Finals, being LeBron James favorite option on offense. He helped lead the Magic to a Finals berth in 2009 by being a versatile scorer next to the dominant Howard. A 2000 trade to the Pacers changed everything and almost immediately transformed ONeal into an MVP candidate. 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. He made his mark from deep and, with an increase in playing time, averaged 11.4 points per game while shooting 44% from beyond the arc. Required fields are marked *. The following season in 2002-03, he was one of the best seasons of the decade for ANY player. Dating back to his time with the Pelicans, he was an All-Star level . You had a fashion that today would be laughed at, baggy jeans, shirts, shorts, and fabrics flying down the court. The Clippers have always been the runt of LA. A look at those who were ranked too high and too low in the preseason Coaches Poll released Tuesday He was the baby Bryant from across the LA freeway. The man consistently dropped games in which he earned anywhere from 30-50 points in 2021 and 2022. 17.9 points, 2.9 RPG, and 1.9 APG. With his ability to both score and pass the ball, Miller was must-watch television whenever he was in town. 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 . His presence on the early 2000s Kings teams was a perfect fit that put them over the top as a contender at the time. In his best season in 2005/06 with Sacramento, Bibby helped the team make the playoffs, which is . He averaged 22.8 PPG and led the league with 17.5 RPG, and 3.0 BPG. Including averaging 10 attempts at the line per game when he averaged 22 points per game in his 2004-05 season. . But looking at his career as a whole, Jamison was an All-Star caliber talent. 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. Here are the 10 most underrated stars during the 2000s. He had a sweet jumper and smooth release that he could knock down from anywhere in front of half-court. His scoring jumped from 12.9 PPG to 19.0 PPG, and he made his first All-Star Team in 2002 for the Pacers. Sure. 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 . In 2002, O'Neal won the NBA's Most Improved Player award by averaging 17.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 1.6 BPG. 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. However, when we look at this year, we can see that it was Rons best statistical start to an NBA season. 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. Usually millions of dollars. 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. Richmond scored the 4th-most total points for the entire decade of the 90s , mainly with the Warriors and Kings. 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. 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. 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. Miller was as good as it gets running an NBA offense and he was one heck of a playmaker. The players listed here may be relatively unknown, underappreciated, or underrated in terms of not making the elite lists of other football raters. 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. Bibby made the All-Rookie Team in 1999, averaging 13.2 PPG and 6.5 APG for the Vancouver Grizzlies. Again, ONeal might be remembered more for his last season with Golden State, just before the team ascended into the perennial dynasty. 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. That's why he's the first name on this list. For the first few seasons of his career, Jermaine O'Neal struggled to find a role with the Portland Trail Blazers. Roy was impossible to keep up with in isolation. A 2000 trade to the Pacers changed everything and almost immediately transformed ONeal into an MVP candidate. 1 seed Mavericks in 2007 but his career was so much more than one season. 1 of 25. 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. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. For the first few seasons of his career, Jermaine ONeal struggled to find a role with the Portland Trail Blazers. But today, we arent talking about Tim, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille ONeal, or Dwyane Wade. The sample size doesn't include the '87 playoffs because McHale was playing on a broken foot. But for now, Lillard looks like the young PG with the most potential to grow into the best point guard of his era. Even Basketball-Reference.com doesnt give the man a prayer. That needs to begin to change after you read this piece. 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. 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. We have seen a host of very talented yet underappreciated stars during the past 20 years. Sacramento picked Pedrag Stojakovi at the 1996 NBA rookie draft while still playing in Greece. 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. This is the plight of DeMar DeRozanhes criminally underrated, and probably will be for his entire career. His best season, 2003-04, when he averaged 20-10 and 2.6 blocks, earned him 3rd place in the MVP race. That was the year Richardson became a solid 3-point shooter, as he nailed 38.4% of his threes. Scotty Bags. League championships: 0. 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. The play at power forward saw him have a couple of All-Star seasons. NBA underrated performers are one of the more challenging lists to rank. He was one of many roleplayers that was able to fit seamlessly into talented teams throughout his career. Seth Curry . 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. Injury replacements, lifetime achievement awards, and many players that might not entirely deserve it. Just 3 seasons later, he would become a 20.0 PPG scorer and an automatic 40.0% shooter from deep. 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. One of the most outspoken NBA analysts in the media, Stephen Jackson was a player that his teammates absolutely loved. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) For his career, Redd shot 38.0% from three and 44.7% overall. Wallaces impact was truly measured when he was acquired by the Detroit Pistons midway through the 2004 season. 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. Glen Rice was a three-time All-Star and won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. . 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. 10. 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. Agent 0 going into L.A. and dropping 60 on the Lakers. Anyways. His 2000s were spent with the Utah Jazz, playing alongside Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. His true moment in the spotlight happened near the tail end of his career. Enter Sam Cassell. The Most Underrated NBA Player of the Early 2000s, Your email address will not be published. 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. Redd returned the following season but re-injured the same knee tearing the ACL again. Throughout the NBA 's history, there have been many overlooked and underrated players. I say yes. And . From there, he developed his offensive game and defensively got more aggressive. 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. 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. Career Stats: 14.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG. Fat Lever (#14) was Russell Westbrook before Westbrook. Can you name any other player who only made the all-star game once in his career? 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. Last time I did this series, 2 years ago, I had him as the most underrated SF in the league. Center from Newark, New Jersey, United States of America. 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. 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. 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. In nine of his last ten NBA seasons, James has scored at least 2,000 points. In fact, Kirilenko was born in Izhevsk, where the weapon was first manufactured. Elton Brand led the way with 24-10 as the best player on a championship contender, the 2005-06 Clippers. As a result, a number of quality players had their careers pass without ever getting exposure on the highest level. Roy would begin to experience his downfall by 2011, just his 5th season in the league. Top 5 most underrated NBA players so far this season: PG - Malcolm Brogdon, Indiana Pacers. Career Stats: 12.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG. Career Stats: 12.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG. With his ability to both score and pass the ball, Miller was must-watch television whenever he was in town. Unfortunately, but very reasonably, he will also be remembered for one incident above any other when he choked his coach P.J Carlesimo.Sprewell was suspended from the NBA for an entire season after playing for the Golden State Warriors for 14 games. Averaging 16.0 PPG, he is one of the most recognizable offensive players for the Clippers over the last 20 years. Your email address will not be published. 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. Thats not that tough. Michael Redd is another interesting 2000s player. He played one final season in Phoenix in 2011-12 before retiring. 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. And while many fans will remember the Clippers for continuously being one of the dumpster fires of NBA teams, alongside Sacramento, Minnesota, and others, those other teams have had moments in the spotlight that are remembered fondly. 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. 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. People are bound to take notice of him soon after his impressive season with the Raptors. He averaged 20.1 PPG and 10.0 RPG in his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls, making the All-Rookie Team. Here is our list of 12 of the most underrated players in the NBA today. 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. He had three All-NBA team selections, two thirds, and a second cap off his individual awards. I have never seen a Finals MVP and a more impactful point guard be overlooked in NBA history more than Chauncey Billups. 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. All details in the privacy policy. Ronald Koeman - Barcelona. His only other individual awards were a 2004 All-Star selection after averaging 16-8-3 with 2 steals and 3 blocks. He won the Rookie of the Year award with the least games played in history to win the award. 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. Thread Tools. Davis was an explosive point guard who was a blur on the floor in open space.
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