Redd shot a career 38.0% from three and his 6 straight years of scoring prowess rank him 3rd on this list. By signing up, you agree to the our terms and our Privacy Policy agreement. 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. This happened because other great players such as Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Tim Duncan, and Shaquille O'Neal were the faces of the NBA and grabbed all the headlines all the time. 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. He was also a big reason the Cavaliers were able to make the 2007 NBA Finals, being LeBron James favorite option on offense. His only season above 50% from the floor was with the 2009-10 Miami Heat, which isnt anything to write home about for a 611 power forward. Well focus primarily on his most impactful seasons, from 2001-2004. You can reach him via email:aaroncmansfield@gmail.com. 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. 8 Most Expensive Kevin Garnett Basketball Cards, Title 15 Most Expensive Diamonds in the World. Thats not that tough. He would become an All-Star once more in 2005 averaging 16.9 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and 2.1 BPG. He was the spiritual successor to Dennis Rodman, released music featured in NBA 2K, and is infamous for his antics on-and-off court. Forgive and forget and put Jermaine ONeal in the Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame. In fact, he was voted 4th overall in the 2003-04 MVP race, beating out the aforementioned shooting guard on the Lakers. 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. After being traded to the Sacramento Kings at the end of the 2000 season, he formed a potent shooting perimeter alongside Peja Stojakovi. Scotty Bags. Seth Curry - Brooklyn Nets. As a member of the Indiana Pacers, O'Neal was a very gifted two-way 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. 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. Finally, as with fellow Pacer Ron Artest, ONeal was heavily involved in the Malice at the Palace punishments and suspensions, so the NBA isnt jumping at the opportunity to push Jermaine into the mainstream hivemind. For those of us that remember ONeal at his peak, we remember an undersized two-way beast for the Indiana Pacers who helped them nearly capture a championship in his heyday. Michael Jordan and Karl Malone greet each other before Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 1, 1997, at the United Center. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. His best statistical season came in 2006-07, with a career-high 26.7 points per game. The most underrated scene in 'The Last Dance' was ___. Iverson took the fourth most shots per game in NBA history and is the worst-shooting volume chucker in the modern NBA. But how many of those players make their first all-star team at 34 years old? 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. He drove, he shot, and he played a little selfishly. With his accurate 3-point shot and ability to pass the ball effectively, Stojakovidc would be a nightmare for defenses in todays game. In his first season in Los Angeles, he made his first All-Star Team. There are dozens of underrated players most folks forget. Other Underrated NBA Players for 2021-22. His 2000s were spent with the Utah Jazz, playing alongside Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. 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. Honestly, call him the Russian Lebron James. He had a smooth lefty jumper that was as good as anyones in the game when he was on point. ONeal is an excellent example of the circumstances most players on these lists go through during their careers. Career Stats: 18.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.3 BPG. 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. The players listed here may be relatively unknown, underappreciated, or underrated in terms of not making the elite lists of other football raters. All the most overrated players in the NBA will be featured here to choose from. Roy attempted a comeback in 2013 but lasted just 5 games before calling it quits for good. However, when we look at this year, we can see that it was Rons best statistical start to an NBA season. I say yes. Here is our list of 12 of the most underrated players in the NBA today. Redd returned the following season but re-injured the same knee tearing the ACL again. Portland athletes have been underrated for a long time, sometimes due to geography, but also because of the early 2000s, which saw casual fans turned away from the NBA team after the ill-fated "Jail Blazers" era that was marred by a string of player arrests, untimely technical fouls, and disastrous playoff meltdowns. Obviously, we have to mention the Malice at the Palace incident that saw him miss the entirety of the 2004-05 season with Indiana. A small core of teams dominated the league in that era. Roy attempted a comeback in 2013 but lasted just 5 games before calling it quits for good. His stint with the Kings started in 2002 where he averaged 17.6 PPG and 5.4 APG over 7 seasons with the franchise. Mike Bibby is one of the most underrated basketball players of all time. Actor | Like Mike. He had a smooth lefty jumper that was as good as anyones in the game when he was on point. 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. 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. With his ability to both score and pass the ball, Miller was must-watch television whenever he was in town. He won the Rookie of the Year award with the least games played in history to win the award. James Harden is the only player in NBA history with 21-game . Expectations are high for every player in the league, and the overrated label . He also made the All-Star Team and the All-NBA Third Team after a strong season with the Milwaukee Bucks. Elton Brand was one of the most underrated players of the 2000s. Redd became an even more prolific scorer in the seasons that followed. He played one final season in Phoenix in 2011-12 before retiring. Milwaukee took Redd with the 43rd overall pick and the former Buckeye would go on to play 11 years with the franchise. . 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. Designed by profootballspace. 1 seed Mavericks in 2007 but his career was so much more than one season. 17.9 points, 2.9 RPG, and 1.9 APG. He found the end zone in three different decades. 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. One year later, he joined the Phoenix Suns where he averaged 14.9 PPG on 35.8% shooting from three. 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. 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. As the all-time and single-season leader in technical fouls, how could he not? By his fourth season with the Bucks, Allen was gone and Redd was a starter. Aaron Mansfield, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at Merrimack College. He ended his career with a well-deserved championship with the 2011 Dallas Mavericks. 3. He won the Rookie of the Year award with the least games played in history to win the award. When coming into the league, there were no expectations for Michael Redd having been the 43rd pick of the 2000 NBA Draft. 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. Date of birth: February 1, 1969. 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. He scored 57 that same season, breaking the Bucks single-game scoring record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. As we entered the 2000s, NBA fans were left with the question of who was going to. Roy was a special talent on offense confirmed by some of the greats such as Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant. 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. Maybe. 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. 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. Sure. During his time in the NBA, Rasheed Wallace received a bad reputation as its resident bad boy. 11. 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. 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. Erteilung oder Widerruf von Einwilligungen, klicken Sie hier: Westbrook vs. KD beef Are They Cool Now? Press Esc to cancel. Your email address will not be published. Tracy McGrady. Can you name any other player who only made the all-star game once in his career? 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. 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. Billups name never comes up in Top 20 conversations as far as point guards go, let alone Top 10 lists. 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. Career Stats: 17.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.1 BPG, Career Achievements: 3x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection. 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. Required fields are marked *. Corey Maggette was one of the most consistent scorers during the 2000s. Still, with his peak year coinciding with his healthiesthe appeared in 78 gameshe led the Utah Jazz in total points, points per game, total rebounds, rebounds per game, blocks, blocks per game, steals, steals per game, free throws made, free throws attempted, three pointers made, and three-pointers attempted. 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. By the time his 4th season in 2004 came around, Redd was an All-Star and a consistent and efficient 20.0 PPG scorer. Elton averaged 30-10-4 with 3 blocks per game that series. The man consistently dropped games in which he earned anywhere from 30-50 points in 2021 and 2022. Miller would go on to play 5 more seasons with Sacramento. Struggling with bone spurs, and ankle surgery, he left the NBA after the 2006-07 season. 1 of 25. 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. When coming into the league, there were no expectations for Michael Redd having been the 43rd pick of the 2000 NBA Draft. www.basketball-timemachine.com. 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. Bibby had a handle and jump shot that was among the best in his time, and he had tremendous success with Chris Webber in Sacramento. 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 was so fast with his first step off of the dribble and even faster once he got headed toward the basket. Wilt Chamberlain. 6. And when it comes to the 2000s, well, there are plenty of guys who deserved more love. Teams: Nets . Last time I did this series, 2 years ago, I had him as the most underrated SF in the league. He averaged 16.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 4.0 APG on 45.6% shooting in just 57 games. Roy would begin to experience his downfall by 2011, just his 5th season in the league. Get the latest sports news from SportsSite about soccer, football and tennis. He also set the record for most three-pointers made in a single quarter, with eight, before being overtaken when Klay Thompson made nine. He had three All-NBA team selections, two thirds, and a second cap off his individual awards. 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. 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. In a season sandwiched between two non-playoff years, Elton Brand and the Clippers lost in seven games to the Phoenix Suns. And make it not as a lifetime achievement award or an injury replacement, but during what would be a 2nd Team All-NBA season? 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. He's got some recognition since then, but he still isn't as respected as he should. 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. George Hill . Show Printable Version; Today, 04:33 PM #1. Center from Newark, New Jersey, United States of America. 1. 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. 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. He was so fast with his first step off of the dribble and even faster once he got headed toward the basket. He averaged 16.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 4.0 APG on 45.6% shooting in just 57 games. As a two-way player and one of the best athletes to ever play the game, Richardson was a gem in his prime. The problem with most underrated NBA lists is too many of the players are, well, overrated. 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.