Most underrated bball players of all time. (Pick 2)

[Jaydumo20]

Who are some of the most underrated bball players of all time. There is no criteria here. They could even be HoF guys who people rarely discuss or guys who haven't gotten in but are worthy. Or maybe great players that time and the hall have forgotten. Fair game.

 

[Jaydumo20]

I will begin with Fat Lever and KJ.
Lever was a triple double machine. Love T Newt? You would've loved Lafayette.

Kevin Johnson was top 3 PG for about 5 years and led some great suns teams. His lack of rings and low all star selections shouldn't detract from a great career. I think he should be in....

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Bob McAdoo, George Gervin for HOFers. Kevin Garnett as well because I think he was THAT good.

Antawn Jamison, Lamar Odom prime, Chris Webber. Alvin Robertson doesn’t get the love he deserves.

Missed a ton.

 

[Jaydumo20]

Bob McAdoo, George Gervin for HOFers. Kevin Garnett as well because I think he was THAT good.

Antawn Jamison, Lamar Odom prime, Chris Webber. Alvin Robertson doesn’t get the love he deserves.

Missed a ton.

Alvin Roberston is a great one. What a defender. So quick.

 

[superjohn]

Drexler, he was a "go to" do everything player he just had the unfortunate timing of playing when there was another "go to" do everything player in Jordan who was a lot better than him. It also hurt Drexler that he was stuck out in Portland.

Moses Malone 3 time MVP, whooped Kareem head to head in the finals, 6 time rebounding champ and I never hear his name mentioned with the all-time greats.

Mark Price, in his prime he was as good as it got at point guard and he was ahead of his time. He played like Curry when nobody else did.

 

[Matrim55]

Ray mfing Allen

• hit the defining shot in 2 finals series (iso game 4 of 2008 to put the Celtics up 3-1, and you know what the other is)
• was the best player on a Bucks team that would’ve been in a final if not for the league rigging the series against them
• outplayed Kobe head-to-head in one final
• underrated defender who held Kobe to 6-for-24 in a game 7 of another final
• second-best movement shooter of all-time who’d be 30% more valuable in today’s game

Bill Russell

• if we measure greatness by impact on winning, then Russell is in the GOAT convo with LeBron, MJ & Kareem (paint protection was THE most important attribute the first 30 years of the NBA)
• important secondary offensive initiator
• best leader in sports history who elevated and inspired everyone around him (Celtics had a losing record without him over the course of his career)

If Russell played today he’d be a 6-foot-10 draymond with Amen Thompson’s athleticism and Giannis’s vertical spacing. But too many young folks buy the plumbers and firemen line. And even old heads don’t understand that while he was limited offensively as an individual, his impact as an amplifier and force magnifier on that end was significant. Basically the polar opposite of Wilt, whose individual stats were insane but whose impact metrics were relatively meh.

Honorable mention: Cliff Robinson

Another one of our guys who’d be 30% more valuable in today’s game.

 

[huskyblooz]

Michael Ray Richardson.

 

[Deepster]

Bernard King. Suffered a massive knee injury at 29, many thought it was career ending and at the time, the surgery/rehab was archaic compared to today. When he retired, he was still 16th on the all time scoring list and today, he has more pts than Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Magic Johnson, Pete Maravich and Clyde Frazier.

Alex English. More pts than Steph Curry. Nuff said.

 

[WlfdHusky]

Shariff Abdur-Rahim

 

[Scoe]

Latrell Sprewell

 

[Incursio007]

Ray mfing Allen

• hit the defining shot in 2 finals series (iso game 4 of 2008 to put the Celtics up 3-1, and you know what the other is)
• was the best player on a Bucks team that would’ve been in a final if not for the league rigging the series against them
• outplayed Kobe head-to-head in one final
• underrated defender who held Kobe to 6-for-24 in a game 7 of another final
• second-best movement shooter of all-time who’d be 30% more valuable in today’s game

Bill Russell

• if we measure greatness by impact on winning, then Russell is in the GOAT convo with LeBron, MJ & Kareem (paint protection was THE most important attribute the first 30 years of the NBA)
• important secondary offensive initiator
• best leader in sports history who elevated and inspired everyone around him (Celtics had a losing record without him over the course of his career)

If Russell played today he’d be a 6-foot-10 draymond with Amen Thompson’s athleticism and Giannis’s vertical spacing. But too many young folks buy the plumbers and firemen line. And even old heads don’t understand that while he was limited offensively as an individual, his impact as an amplifier and force magnifier on that end was significant. Basically the polar opposite of Wilt, whose individual stats were insane but whose impact metrics were relatively meh.

Honorable mention: Cliff Robinson

Another one of our guys who’d be 30% more valuable in today’s game.

Prime Ray Allen would be a cheat code in today’s NBA.

 

[Palatine]

Wilt Chamberlain

 

[HuskyHawk]

Wilt Chamberlain

Probably the best individual player of all time. Just couldn't get past those 60s Celtics teams with Russell. So yeah, he is underrated.

Cliff Robinson is a decent call out, because he gets no love at all, but in this era would have been a dominant player.

Watching the Celtics documentary really helped me appreciate how good Dave Cowens was, but he is rarely mentioned today.

 

[Scoe]

I've got a random one Dino Radja.

 

[Drame]

Bob McAdoo, George Gervin for HOFers. Kevin Garnett as well because I think he was THAT good.

Antawn Jamison, Lamar Odom prime, Chris Webber. Alvin Robertson doesn’t get the love he deserves.

Missed a ton.

I would call all these underachievers. All were top high school players and top NBA picks.

 

[JonnyRI]

Arvidis (sp?) Sabonis.

If he came to the US early in his career and played in today’s game he would have had been a 1st team all NBA threat for a decade.

He’s not your Vidis, he’s not my Vidis, he’s Arvidis (still remember that from Sportscenter).

Bill Russel, Hakeem, and Moses Malone all good choices.

I liked KJ as a good one too. Completely forgotten guy.

And then there is Robert Horry, either most over rated or under depending on your thoughts (or maybe just the luckiest based on number of titles).

 

[BuffaloHusky]

McAdoo is my choice. He was the HOF version of Cliff Robinson and played center at 6’10.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Maurice Cheeks was forever the answer in the 1980's until he was mentioned so often he became overrated.

I was always a big Sid Moncrief fan.

 

[uconnblueinky]

Jackie Moon

 

[bjc42]

Moses Malone has to be up there!

 

[boba]

Latrell Sprewell

Favorite Sprewell memory, Warriors are playing the Celtics, and Sprewell was late for the game, like really late. Mid-way through the first quarter he walks in from the locker room and walks straight to the scorer's table and checks himself in. Doesn't go to the bench, doesn't talk with coach, just walks to scorer's table.

 

[Monte]

Danny Ainge

 

[Jaydumo20]

Bernard King. Suffered a massive knee injury at 29, many thought it was career ending and at the time, the surgery/rehab was archaic compared to today. When he retired, he was still 16th on the all time scoring list and today, he has more pts than Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Magic Johnson, Pete Maravich and Clyde Frazier.

Alex English. More pts than Steph Curry. Nuff said.

Alex and Bernard were my next two if i picked 4

 

[NowInStorrs]

I don't hear Muggsy Bogues mentioned very often. You've got to be a baller to have a 14-season NBA career at 5'3".

 

[superjohn]

Arvidis (sp?) Sabonis.

If he came to the US early in his career and played in today’s game he would have had been a 1st team all NBA threat for a decade.

He’s not your Vidis, he’s not my Vidis, he’s Arvidis (still remember that from Sportscenter).

Bill Russel, Hakeem, and Moses Malone all good choices.

I liked KJ as a good one too. Completely forgotten guy.

And then there is Robert Horry, either most over rated or under depending on your thoughts (or maybe just the luckiest based on number of titles).

Great call on KJ, he's one of the first names I thought of. One of the fastest/most explosive players I've ever seen. Injuries robbed him of so much and he was awesome when he could play. He was an easy 20 points and 10 assist guy when healthy and always brought it in the playoffs.