Big Shot. As a result, a number of quality players had their careers pass without ever getting exposure on the highest level. Career Achievements: 1x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection. 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. He averaged 16.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 4.0 APG on 45.6% shooting in just 57 games. He was a menace on the defensive side of the ball as well, never shying away from a tough matchup or assignments. I have never seen a Finals MVP and a more impactful point guard be overlooked in NBA history more than Chauncey Billups. He began a stretch of six straight seasons in which he averaged at least 21 points a game. COMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. He averaged 22.8 PPG and led the league with 17.5 RPG, and 3.0 BPG. Here are the 10 most underrated NBA players of the entire 2000s. Still, you dont hear much talk about the years the Clippers might have been the championship favorite. Elton Brand was one of the most underrated players of the 2000s. Billups finished his career a 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team selection, and a 3x All-Defensive Team selection. 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. In the Finals against the Lakers, Billups averaged 21.0 PPG, 5.2 APG, and 3.2 RPG in the 5-game series to win the championship. 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. His presence on the early 2000s Kings teams was a perfect fit that put them over the top as a contender at the time. O'Neal had a strong inside scoring game, was very active on the offensive boards, and was a capable shot-blocker. Davis began his career as a member of the Charlotte Hornets. He peaked in 2007 when he averaged 26.7 PPG on 46.5% shooting. 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. Peja Stojakovic is one of the better perimeter scorers of the 2000s decade. Like many on this list, the 2003-04 season was the best of Rons career. Roy attempted a comeback in 2013 but lasted just 5 games before calling it quits for good. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. By 2003, Ilgauskas was an All-Star and averaged 17.2 PPG and 7.5 RPG while adding 1.9 BPG. 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. He averaged 16.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 4.0 APG on 45.6% shooting in just 57 games. Mitch Richmond is one of the most electric yet underrated players of the 90s. O'Neal also won the Most Improved Player of the Year Award that same year. Vancouver selected Abdur-Rahim third overall, and he immediately became the teams leading scorer. 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 . Mike Bibby is one of the most popular and respected point guards in NBA history. An elite scorer and underrated playmaker, Jason Terry spent the majority of the 2000s playing the role of starting guard for the Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks, and the last bit dominating off the bench for the latter franchise. During his early days in Seattle, Lewis took a bit to develop into the shooter and scorer he went down as. Complex Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. He was one of the top players in the league until Gerald Wallace injured him. Designed by profootballspace. Wallaces impact was truly measured when he was acquired by the Detroit Pistons midway through the 2004 season. 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. 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).. Schrempf is often overlooked and considered one of the most underrated players in NBA history. Over time, Kidd improved as a shooter and scorer, so by the year 2000, he was arguably the most well-rounded point guard in the NBA. He was selected only behind guards Kobe Bryant and Jason Kidd, which is the greatest single accomplishment in his career. Im Still Ballin. He had a smooth lefty jumper that was as good as anyones in the game when he was on point. 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. Tracy McGrady was born on May 24, 1979 in Bartow, Florida, USA. 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. CJ McCollum voted most underrated player since 2000. 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. 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. But the sheer fact that Clipper Contenderswas uttered during the 2005-06 playoffs firmly earns Elton a spot on this list. Neither made an impact, with Lionel Chalmers never playing another NBA game. 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. 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. 32786 posts. Thats why hes the first name on this list. 4 pick in the 1998 draft, Jamison made the All-Rookie Team with the Warriors averaging 9.6 PPG and 6.4 RPG. He's got some recognition since then, but he still isn't as respected as he should. As only the No.13 pick, Maggette is one of the most underrated players during his era due to his impact on the Clippers. Personally, I believe it is a crime that Wallace is still not a basketball Hall Of Famer. 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. He was a 6'6" shooting guard who could also play the small forward position and had solid defensive skills. 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. Again, ONeal might be remembered more for his last season with Golden State, just before the team ascended into the perennial dynasty. He made 3 straight All-Star games from 2002 through 2004 and averaged 21.7 PPG on 48.1% shooting over that time. Gilbert Arenas. Potential only counts for so much. The most underrated scene in 'The Last Dance' was ___. 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. His best statistical season came in 2006-07, with a career-high 26.7 points per game. 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. The 2000s-era NBA was one of the more bizarre representations of basketball one could imagine. That season he averaged 16.2 PPG and it was clear that the Pistons had their championship point guard. He made the All-Star game and was selected to the All NBA-Third Team. Finley played on two of the premier Western Conference powerhouses over the decade, starting with Dallas and moving to San Antonio after being waived. 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. Injuries were a concern throughout Pejas career, especially in the second half of his NBA lifespan. Roy would begin to experience his downfall by 2011, just his 5th season in the league. Richardson's ability to help teams defend the perimeter and also score when needed makes him an underrated player during the 2000s. As one of the original stretch forwards in the game, Lewis used both his size and shooting ability to become a scoring machine. O'Neal had a very slow start to his career, before blossoming into an All-Star in his 6th season. 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 drove, he shot, and he played a little selfishly. He peaked in 2007 when he averaged 26.7 PPG on 46.5% shooting. Roy was impossible to keep up with in isolation. In fact, Kirilenko was born in Izhevsk, where the weapon was first manufactured. Michael Redd is another interesting 2000s player. As the all-time and single-season leader in technical fouls, how could he not? His best seasons come while playing for teams that arent popular or mainstream. He would become an All-Star once more in 2005 averaging 16.9 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and 2.1 BPG. Despite having the aura of a rugged workhorse, Kirilenko struggled with durability, usually finishing NBA seasons between 60-70 games played. Mitch Richmond, Detlef Schrempf, and Vin Baker are among the underrated players from the '90s. To narrow down the list to 10 underrated players in the whole decade is about as tough as it gets. 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 found the end zone in three different decades. Your email address will not be published. The Rise of Paul George Can he bring a championship to LA. Richmond scored the 4th-most total points for the entire decade of the 90s , mainly with the Warriors and Kings. Right off the bat, you can tell Rashard Lewis is highly underrated simply by his lack of accolades to his name. 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. 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. One of the most outspoken NBA analysts in the media, Stephen Jackson was a player that his teammates absolutely loved. 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 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. 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. . Top 5 most underrated NBA players so far this season: PG - Malcolm Brogdon, Indiana Pacers. The following season in 2002-03, he was one of the best seasons of the decade for ANY player. 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. Career Stats: 13.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.6 BPG. He was an entertaining player, scorer, and consistent all-star-level talent in the 90s. The man consistently dropped games in which he earned anywhere from 30-50 points in 2021 and 2022. Basketball Time Machine Career Stats: 12.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG. I will say it here and now. 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 has been married to Clarenda Harris since September 12, 2006. Brad Miller was a rare center in the 2000s because he had a consistent mid-range jump shot. Jackson would have his best seasons with the Golden State Warriors averaging over 20 PPG for 3 straight seasons. That was the year Richardson became a solid 3-point shooter, as he nailed 38.4% of his threes. Wilt Chamberlain. He blew past defenders and glided through the air and threw down rim-rocking dunks with brutal authority. Thread Tools. A team dwarfed by the sheer size, glamor, and continued excellence in the shared city. Honestly, call him the Russian Lebron James. Despite his demise over the latter course of his career, Redd still averaged 19.0 points per game for his career. He also has a rare 83-game season under his belt after being traded from Phoenix to Dallas early in his career. Shaquille O'Neal. He was an empty-calories kind of player who put up stats on losing teams and couldnt carry a team to any relevancy. But if the languid laziness of a typical baseball game was overrated by the purists who want to keep the three-and-a-half-hour games, it was underrated by the people who forgot just how much the . Billups finished his career a 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team selection, and a 3x All-Defensive Team selection. Thats not that tough. Magic Johnson. One year later, he joined the Phoenix Suns where he averaged 14.9 PPG on 35.8% shooting from three. In every season in which he started over 60 games for one of his 9 NBA teams, he earned at least 6.0 APG. That needs to begin to change after you read this piece. Even though he never made an All-Star Team, Bibby certainly played like one and he was a major reason the Kings were a problem in the West. Davis can be credited with sparking the We Believe Warriors to an upset win over the No. Richardson made the All-Rookie Team in 2001 by averaging 14.4 PPG and 4.3 RPG for the Golden State Warriors. 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. By the time his 4th season in 2004 came around, Redd was an All-Star and a consistent and efficient 20.0 PPG scorer. Iverson was an MVP, an 11-time All-Star, and a four-time scoring champion . Elton deserves this spot. 6. He would lead the league in steals once more in 2007 with the Warriors with 2.1 SPG. 10. 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. 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. Forgive and forget and put Jermaine ONeal in the Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame. 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. 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. Was he good enough that its a travesty that his name isnt among the great scorers in the history of the NBA? Billups name never comes up in Top 20 conversations as far as point guards go, let alone Top 10 lists. DeMar DeRozan is having an incredible 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. Championships: 0. 7 min read. Landers mens soccer closes out the season with a penalty-kick loss to Florida Tech. He was so good that Pacers fans couldrealistically argue that he was the best big man in the league. Jermaine does that by propelling himself to All-Star status with Indiana. 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. Teams: Nets . After taking 2 years to play overseas in Greece, Peja made his NBA debut in the 1998-99 season. There are the 10 most underrated NBA players of the 2010s. 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. Miller would go on to play 5 more seasons with Sacramento. As a member of the Indiana Pacers, O'Neal was a very gifted two-way big man. He was a nightmare for defenders to stop and an even bigger one to try and score on in the paint. A 2000 trade to the Pacers changed everything and almost immediately transformed ONeal into an MVP candidate. 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. Injuries took away superstar potential from Michael Redd, but he was an offensive machine when he was healthy. Peja Stojakovi. 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. And make it not as a lifetime achievement award or an injury replacement, but during what would be a 2nd Team All-NBA season? This season encapsulates why Redd isnt any higher on this list. 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. Playing for a middling Milwaukee Bucks squad throughout the 2000s, he led the team and was a fantastic all-around scorer. 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. Richardson was a solid scorer throughout his career and was a very capable defender. He averaged 22.8 PPG and led the league with 17.5 RPG, and 3.0 BPG. 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. Trevor Ariza. He was a two-way mastermind who had a knack for coming through in a games biggest moments that earned him the nickname Mr. Get the latest sports news from SportsSite about soccer, football and tennis. Malcolm Brogdon might have the quietest 20/6/6 stat line in the NBA. He had three All-NBA team selections, two thirds, and a second cap off his individual awards. 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. 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. To narrow down the list to 10 underrated players in the whole decade is about as tough as it gets. 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. 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.

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