Alex Novick, NBA.com Global Editions (): Quick, name the only player other than David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon to average at least two blocks . He peaked in 2007 when he averaged 26.7 PPG on 46.5% shooting. To narrow down the list to 10 underrated players in the whole decade is about as tough as it gets. He made the All-Star game and was selected to the All NBA-Third Team. Agent 0 going into L.A. and dropping 60 on the Lakers. That's why he's the first name on this list. 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. 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. Big Shot. Even some players who did make it onto that stage, like Rashard Lewis and Richard Hamilton, arent remembered as reverently as they should be. That season he averaged 16.2 PPG and it was clear that the Pistons had their championship point guard. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) 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. Getting to the free throw line. Yet, not all players who saw action at the NBA, the biggest basketball league in the world, are well-known Not all basketball players are well known, Sports Mania Asia lists the top five most underrated NBA players from the late 1990s to 2000s. And make it not as a lifetime achievement award or an injury replacement, but during what would be a 2nd Team All-NBA season? Yes, but just barely scratching this list. 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. He was a menace on the defensive side of the ball as well, never shying away from a tough matchup or assignments. 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. The following season in 2002-03, he was one of the best seasons of the decade for ANY player. Averaging 16.0 PPG, he is one of the most recognizable offensive players for the Clippers over the last 20 years. Mike Bibby is one of the most underrated basketball players of all time. By the time his 4th season in 2004 came around, Redd was an All-Star and a consistent and efficient 20.0 PPG scorer. Playing for a middling Milwaukee Bucks squad throughout the 2000s, he led the team and was a fantastic all-around scorer. Shareef solidified his role as a scoring power forward and was selected as an All-Star in the 2002 season, the lone career selection. 3. 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).. Dating back to his time with the Pelicans, he was an All-Star level . 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. Just 3 seasons later, he would become a 20.0 PPG scorer and an automatic 40.0% shooter from deep. 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. He was so fast with his first step off of the dribble and even faster once he got headed toward the basket. 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. 6. 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. The problem with most underrated NBA lists is too many of the players are, well, overrated. Davis recorded 3 different seasons with at least 20.0 PPG and 2.0 SPG as one of the more dynamic point guards in basketball. But despite this, you should know that Jermaine ONeal was a beast. Would the Clippers have been able to dispatch the Mavericks in the next round? Last time I did this series, 2 years ago, I had him as the most underrated SF in the league. Alex Novick, NBA.com Global Editions (): Quick, name the only player other than David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon to average at least two . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. 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. 50 Most Underrated NBA Players of All Time. But today, we arent talking about Tim, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille ONeal, or Dwyane Wade. He was the first NBA player to bring in the big balls dance celebration, injuring his groin. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Redd blossomed as a scorer in his 4th season, averaging 21.7 PPG on 35.0% shooting from three. Miller played 14 seasons in the NBA, mainly for the Kings and Bulls. 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 . The following season it came to fruition as Billups not only led the Pistons to a title but won Finals MVP in the process. 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. The Best Athletes Of All Time. Ilgauskas deserves so much more respect than modern-day fans give him. 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. By the time his 4th season in 2004 came around, Redd was an All-Star and a consistent and efficient 20.0 PPG scorer. These are the most overrated players in NBA history. Billups finished his career a 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team selection, and a 3x All-Defensive Team selection. A 2000 trade to the Pacers changed everything and almost immediately transformed O'Neal into an MVP candidate. #6 of 290. Get the latest sports news from SportsSite about soccer, football and tennis. Was he good enough that its a travesty that his name isnt among the great scorers in the history of the NBA? 8. 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. With the impressive season he just had with the Raptors, people are bound to take notice soon. Elton is perfect for this list. His best statistical season came in 2006-07, with a career-high 26.7 points per game. Milwaukee took Redd with the 43 rd overall pick and the former Buckeye would go on to play 11 years with the franchise. 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. 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. 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. Required fields are marked *. As a member of the Indiana Pacers, O'Neal was a very gifted two-way big man. Read that sentence again. O'Neal would average a double-double over the next 2 seasons in Indiana, and make 5 straight All-Star Teams. 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. Giannis and LeBron? Sure. Mitch Richmond, Detlef Schrempf, and Vin Baker are among the underrated players from the 90s. 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. Roy was impossible to keep up with in isolation. Roy would begin to experience his downfall by 2011, just his 5th season in the league. In the 2000 NBA draft, the Milwaukee Bucks got lucky when Ohio States Michael Redd fell all the way into the second round. His presence on the early 2000s Kings teams was a perfect fit that put them over the top as a contender at the time. Schrempf is often overlooked and considered one of the most underrated players in NBA history. This is the plight of DeMar DeRozanhes criminally underrated, and probably will be for his entire career. Redd was consistently criticized for his lack of a complete game but his scoring was by far the best part of his game. The Top NBA Players Of All Time. He was so good that Pacers fans couldrealistically argue that he was the best big man in the league. 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. 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. Few players have taken the NBA by storm or altered the way teams play the game the way Curry has . Thats right; were talking top player in the league status. 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. The 2000s were a period in the NBA that featured the rise of some of the greatest players to ever play the game, including LeBron James , Kobe Bryant , Dwyane Wade , Kevin Garnett , Tim Duncan and . Mike Bibby is one of the most popular and respected point guards in NBA history. NFL NBA Megan Anderson Atlanta Hawks Los Angeles Lakers Boston Celtics Arsenal F.C. I have never seen a Finals MVP and a more impactful point guard be overlooked in NBA history more than Chauncey Billups. The most underrated scene in 'The Last Dance' was ___. He would average 20.0 PPG or more for the next 3 seasons and shot near or better than 40.0% from three during that time. Thats why hes the first name on this list. He averaged 16.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 4.0 APG on 45.6% shooting in just 57 games. He has been married to Clarenda Harris since September 12, 2006. Richardson was drafted by the Clippers and had his best season in 2004 with the team averaging 17.2 PPG. 10. 19. 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. After being traded to the Sacramento Kings at the end of the 2000 season, he formed a potent shooting perimeter alongside Peja Stojakovi. 10 James Lofton. Fans have a tendency to overlook certain players, and that effect is amplified as years and decades pass. Career Stats: 18.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.3 BPG. He would be forced to retire from the game at 27 years old. 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. For some reason, ONeal was vilified relentlessly for his role in the brawl and his reputation has taken years to recover. He was also a big reason the Cavaliers were able to make the 2007 NBA Finals, being LeBron James favorite option on offense. 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.