Huskies with underrated pro careers

[yungdowork]

While we haven't had a ton of MVP-caliber guys, we have sent a ton of good players to the league. What are some NBA careers or seasons that you think are slept on or forgotten?

I think something that people don't really appreciate is the start of Okafor's NBA career. He won ROY, averaged a double-double his first 5 years in the league (granted year 2 he missed a lot of time), and was very close to averaging a double-double over his entire career if he hadn't had injury problems. They found a herniated disk in his neck in 2013 and he wasn't medically cleared to play after that until the end of May 2017.

Besides the injuries, the perception of him was hurt a lot by the fact he was never really on good teams. The 2010 Pelicans team is the only one he was on who made the playoffs (he played 4 mins in one other playoff series in 17-18 after 4 years away from the NBA).

 

[Matrim55]

Donyell. A super solid player for 15 years, with a career VORP (one of the advanced stats that really matters) of 19.9.

That puts him just outside the top 200 of the past 50 years, just ahead of guys like Ro Blackmon, Shawn Kemp, Richard Jefferson, Jerome Kersey, David Lee, Otis Thorpe, Michael Cooper, Zach Randolph & Danny Manning.

And 'Yell would be like 25% more valuable today with his ability to both protect the rim and stretch the court.

 

[Waquoit]

I think honestly think it's KO.

 

[NEforceUConn]

I think honestly think it's KO.

Didn’t realize you were related to him.

 

[storrsroars]

I think honestly think it's KO.

Drummond is just a couple of one-year contracts away from taking the lead.

 

[EZPass]

YouTube

 

[Kolumbo]

Uncle Cliffy. We appreciate his career but not sure everyone else does

 

[REB1094]

Honestly, Andre Drummond. Feels like most people are super anti-Drummond (some for good reasons, some not) but he’s had a 12 year NBA career, career averages 13/12, 2 all stars, 1 all-NBA team, top 40 in NBA history for rebounds. Career earnings $145M

 

[lonsharkin51]

Jake Voskuhl and Travis Knight. The fact that those two managed to stick around in the NBA for as long as they both did is wildly underrated.

 

[Kolumbo]

Jake Voskuhl and Travis Knight. The fact that those two managed to stick around in the NBA for as long as they both did is wildly underrated.

TK even has an NBA ring. Imagine playing with that 2000 Lakers team including Kobe & Shaq. Not a bad experience.
We need a list of all UConn players with NBA rings.

 

[Huskybass]

TK even has an NBA ring. Imagine playing with that 2000 Lakers team including Kobe & Shaq. Not a bad experience.
We need a list of all UConn players with NBA rings.

I'll start the list:
Ray Allen
Scott Burrell
Travis knight

 

[formerlurker]

I'll start the list:
Ray Allen
Scott Burrell
Travis knight

Rip

 

[Scoe]

Rip

Caron

 

[Scoe]

TK even has an NBA ring. Imagine playing with that 2000 Lakers team including Kobe & Shaq. Not a bad experience.
We need a list of all UConn players with NBA rings.

2nd all rookie team as a late 2nd rd pick earning himself a 7 year deal from Pitino, then he came back to the Lakers and won a ring then played for the Knicks pretty cool to play in Boston, LA and NY markets.

 

[NowInStorrs]

Jeremy Lamb had a couple nice moments like that shot against the Raptors but otherwise had a relatively quiet but very productive NBA career. Rudy Gay doesn't get mentioned that much in NBA circles as far as I know but he's spent almost 20 years in the league. That's really impressive.

 

[Horatio]

Uncle Cliffy. We appreciate his career but not sure everyone else does

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I said it before but wasn’t Cliff regarded as one of the original stretch 4’s??? Given his era and what he did in the Pro’s, I think it’s absolutely true.

 

[Waquoit]

I said it before but wasn’t Cliff regarded as one of the original stretch 4’s??? Given his era and what he did in the Pro’s, I think it’s absolutely true.

Cliff was definitely underrated if you consider his career as compared to his draft position, he was a steal.

 

[UofCT]

I'll start the list:
Ray Allen
Scott Burrell
Travis knight

Saw Scott Burrell yesterday actually at the new Stamford Pepe’s.

 

[Waquoit]

Caron

Rip has a ring and was the MOP of the Finals. Not officially I know but he was great.

 

[boog204]

Was going to say Donyell. I think some people think he was a bit of a "bust" coming off his college accolades and being the only guy in the top 5 in that draft to not be an all-star (Big Dog, Kidd, GHill, and Juwan Howard) and not an immediate "star" of sorts but Donyell had a very solid career. And as stated prior, in today's game, he'd be a very valuable player.

 

[yungdowork]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Ben Gordon yet. Finished 2nd in rookie of the year voting to Emeka, won 6th man of the year, averaged just under 15 per game over an 11 year career. I think a lot of people forget how good he was because he slowed down after his first 5 years, but 2 different 20ppg seasons is nothing to scoff at.

 

[UConnJim]

Uncle Cliffy. We appreciate his career but not sure everyone else does

View attachment 102816

He was a career 36% 3 point shooter and as a 6'10" guy and he would be a very valuable player in today's NBA.

 

[WlfdHusky]

Cliffy and Voskuhl. More so Jake. He didn't put up numbers, but was a consistent rotational piece for 9 years doing all the stuff that isn't in the box score.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Maybe not the most underrated but Jeff Adrien carved out 5 seasons in the NBA as a 6’5 PF. Don’t know the exact numbers but it always seemed like whenever he got a shot he produced.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Honestly, Andre Drummond. Feels like most people are super anti-Drummond (some for good reasons, some not) but he’s had a 12 year NBA career, career averages 13/12, 2 all stars, 1 all-NBA team, top 40 in NBA history for rebounds. Career earnings $145M

Was just looking up stats on BasketballReference (Bored at work) and Andre has a career 21.9 PER, 41st overall in NBA history, right behind Russ. Everyone ahead of him besides Boogie is or will be in the Hall of Fame.

Pretty cool to look at. Wish Andre got a couple more AS/All NBA’s in his prime to make the HOF and actual possibility.

 

[The Yakk]

TK even has an NBA ring. Imagine playing with that 2000 Lakers team including Kobe & Shaq. Not a bad experience.
We need a list of all UConn players with NBA rings.

I'll start the list for the Syracuse Orangemen

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That's the whole list.

 

[Jaydumo20]

Great topic.
I am totally on the Caron and Cliff train here.
But if we're talking non-basketball, Anthony Sherman.
All-pro, pro bowler, super bowl champ and one of the last of that type of FB.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Charles Nagy

 

[Waquoit]

Charles Nagy

I'll always rate him highly. He was one of the first UConn athletes to write the athletic department a nice check.

 

[Deepster]

Here's one for you. Name the 2 players (both UConn alums from the same UConn team):

Player 1: 656 games, 10.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 0.8 apg, 43.5% fg% and 77% ft%
Player 2: 616 games, 12.0 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 0.8 apg, 51.2% fg% and 58% ft%