most underrated nba players of the 2000s

Here is our list of 12 of the most underrated players in the NBA today. Redd fell behind Ray Allen on the depth chart and barely appeared during his rookie season but came on strong in his sophomore campaign. Throughout the NBA 's history, there have been many overlooked and underrated players. 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. 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. 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. Davis was an explosive point guard who was a blur on the floor in open space. Alex Novick, NBA.com Global Editions (): Quick, name the only player other than David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon to average at least two blocks . Milwaukee took Redd with the 43 rd overall pick and the former Buckeye would go on to play 11 years with the franchise. Iverson was an MVP, an 11-time All-Star, and a four-time scoring champion . The 2005-06 campaign. Including averaging 10 attempts at the line per game when he averaged 22 points per game in his 2004-05 season. Was he better than he is remembered? Image via Complex Original. NFL NBA Megan Anderson Atlanta Hawks Los Angeles Lakers Boston Celtics Arsenal F.C. Peja Stojakovic is one of the better perimeter scorers of the 2000s decade. By 2003, Ilgauskas was an All-Star and averaged 17.2 PPG and 7.5 RPG while adding 1.9 BPG. Lofton was the first player in NFL history to accumulate 14,000 receiving yards. He was the first NBA player to bring in the big balls dance celebration, injuring his groin. While Redd played amazingly, the team finished the season with a horrible record28-54. In every season in which he started over 60 games for one of his 9 NBA teams, he earned at least 6.0 APG. Bottom Line: Otis Thorpe. 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. 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. 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. 5. 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. 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. After two more seasons, he would win 6th Man of the Year with the Dallas Mavericks in 2004. He averaged 16.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 4.0 APG on 45.6% shooting in just 57 games. Photo: Paul Popper. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. People are bound to take notice of him soon after his impressive season with the Raptors. He was the baby Bryant from across the LA freeway. Lewis was one of the NBAs top shooters for years with 8 seasons ranked in the Top 20 for 3-pointers made. Cassell would then lead the way to another franchise turnaround, bringing the Clippersthat featured two players on this listto their then-most successful season in franchise history. He played in just 18 games and then 10 more in 2010-11. He played one final season in Phoenix in 2011-12 before retiring. Sacramento picked Pedrag Stojakovi at the 1996 NBA rookie draft while still playing in Greece. 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. Elton Brand was one of the most underrated players of the 2000s. He made 3 straight All-Star games from 2002 through 2004 and averaged 21.7 PPG on 48.1% shooting over that time. COMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. Here is our list of 12 of the most underrated players in the NBA today. Top 5 most underrated NBA players so far this season: PG - Malcolm Brogdon, Indiana Pacers. This reputation caused many to forget just how imp[actful Wallace was on the basketball court. Jackson's role in the Warriors upset over the #1 seed Dallas Mavericks will forever be remembered. That should be considered common sense considering NBA players peak from 25-30 years old. 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. Yes, but just barely scratching this list. Peja Stojakovic is one of the better perimeter scorers of the 2000s decade. There are dozens of underrated players most folks forget. Last time I did this series, 2 years ago, I had him as the most underrated SF in the league. Wallaces impact was truly measured when he was acquired by the Detroit Pistons midway through the 2004 season. He had a smooth lefty jumper that was as good as anyones in the game when he was on point. 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. Shareef solidified his role as a scoring power forward and was selected as an All-Star in the 2002 season, the lone career selection. Peja is one player that would have been awesome to watch in the current NBA era. 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. Drafted with the No. Cleveland's superstar is regarded as one of the greatest offensive players in NBA history. Injuries took away superstar potential from Michael Redd, but he was an offensive machine when he was healthy. 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. He peaked in 2007 when he averaged 26.7 PPG on 46.5% shooting. Career Stats: 14.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG. Career Stats: 13.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.6 BPG. One of the most outspoken NBA analysts in the media, Stephen Jackson was a player that his teammates absolutely loved. Finley played on two of the premier Western Conference powerhouses over the decade, starting with Dallas and moving to San Antonio after being waived. He has been married to Clarenda Harris since September 12, 2006. Again, ONeal might be remembered more for his last season with Golden State, just before the team ascended into the perennial dynasty. 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. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. I say yes. Landers mens soccer closes out the season with a penalty-kick loss to Florida Tech. Get the latest sports news from SportsSite about soccer, football and tennis. Big Shot. The Best Athletes Of All Time. By looking at individual statistics, team impact, and skills during their era; we have compiled a ranked list of the best stars who went underappreciated during their time. He averaged 21.2 points a game that season and would never be the same. As of early May, James and . A small core of teams dominated the league in that era. Michael Jordan and Karl Malone greet each other before Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 1, 1997, at the United Center. Would the Clippers have been able to dispatch the Mavericks in the next round? 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. Vancouver Grizzlies (1997-98), Washington Wizards (1998-99), Miami Heat (1990-2000), Charlotte Hornets (2000-01) All-Star Games: 2001. Sure. After taking 2 years to play overseas in Greece, Peja made his NBA debut in the 1998-99 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. One year later, he joined the Phoenix Suns where he averaged 14.9 PPG on 35.8% shooting from three. Potential only counts for so much. 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. Billups finished his career a 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team selection, and a 3x All-Defensive Team selection. 10. Lewis was one of the NBAs top shooters for years with 8 seasons ranked in the Top 20 for 3-pointers made. 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. 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. Well focus primarily on his most impactful seasons, from 2001-2004. Getting to the free throw line. In nine of his last ten NBA seasons, James has scored at least 2,000 points. 5y. All details in the privacy policy. We need to focus on exactly one year of Eltons career that solidifies his place on this list without a thought. Despite sharing the court with Ray Allen early on, Redd carved his own path and should be revered for his unbelievable scoring at his peak. From there, he developed his offensive game and defensively got more aggressive. The little brother. 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. From 2001-2007 ONeal made six straight All-Star games while averaging a stellar 20-10 with 2 blocks per game. 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. During his early days in Seattle, Lewis took a bit to develop into the shooter and scorer he went down as. He was also a big reason the Cavaliers were able to make the 2007 NBA Finals, being LeBron James favorite option on offense. 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. He was so good that Pacers fans couldrealistically argue that he was the best big man in the league. Fat Lever (#14) was Russell Westbrook before Westbrook. For the first few seasons of his NBA career, Billups bounced around until he found a home with the Detroit Pistons in 2003. Teams: Charlotte Hornets (1998-2000), Miami Heat (2000-01), Cleveland Cavaliers (2001-03), Boston Celtics (2003-06), Minnesota Timberwolves (2006-07), Miami Heat . In an era littered with talented point guards, Baron Davis was among the most exciting to watch play. . Career Stats: 18.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.3 BPG. 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. That season he averaged 16.2 PPG and it was clear that the Pistons had their championship point guard. 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. 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. Gabriel Batistuta, Argentina. And Pascal Siakam continues to have one of the league's more underrated individual campaigns (perhaps because Toronto had . 1 of 25. Ilgauskas struggled with injury the first few seasons of his career, missing his rookie season and 4th season with foot issues. He scored 57 that same season, breaking the Bucks single-game scoring record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Mitch Richmond, Detlef Schrempf, and Vin Baker are among the underrated players from the 90s. 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. The Most UNDERRATED NBA Players Of The 2000s..Welcome back to Sports Savvy. As we entered the 2000s, NBA fans were left with the question of who was going to. Aaron Mansfield, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at Merrimack College. The Clippers have always been the runt of LA. Richardson's ability to help teams defend the perimeter and also score when needed makes him an underrated player during the 2000s. 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. 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. 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. Davis can be credited with sparking the We Believe Warriors to an upset win over the No. 2008-09 Upper Deck MVP #206 Danilo Gallinari RC ($2.50) Gallinari has had multiple seasons with All-Star caliber production, with his best numbers coming during the 2018-19 season when he averaged . From2004 through 2009, Redd battled injuries and bumps but still averaged at least 21.0 PPG every season. 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. James Harden is the only player in NBA history with 21-game . 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. All the most overrated players in the NBA will be featured here to choose from. 25. The Most-Underrated NBA Players of All-Time. Well, that counts for something, right? When coming into the league, there were no expectations for Michael Redd having been the 43rd pick of the 2000 NBA Draft. 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. He would lead the league in steals once more in 2007 with the Warriors with 2.1 SPG. His three hasn't been falling . From there, he developed his offensive game and defensively got more aggressive.