Most underrated bball players of all time. (Pick 2) | Page 3 | The Boneyard

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

Hakeem comes to mind.... Got picked over Jordan and the team doesnt regret it. That is crazy, possibly best defensive player of all time, good passer great efficient scorer all for a long time, won two titles as well. I think he is a top 10 player of all time and probably closer to 5 than one would guess. But he does not get remembered or talked about as much
 
I like the choices of Cliff and KJ. Some people forget how good of an all-around player Dominique was. I know he won some rings, but I would love to see Joe Dumars playing the game today. I know guards have gotten bigger, but with the value of the 3 and open space some of the rules have created, he would be fun to watch.
There's still 2 guys who are top 50 players of all-time, but I still don't think get talked about enough sometimes. First is John Stockton. When Gary Peyton talks about a guy the way he talks about Stockton, you know the guy was something special. Malone often overshadowed him, but the guy was just that good. He didn't just find guys. He put the ball in the most optimal place for them to catch it and do something with it.
And it will sound crazy to some, but Tim Duncan. He wasn't flashy. He was just a great who got it done. I don't think he is talked about as much in some circles.
When I think of Stockton and Duncan, they remind me of Denzel Washington as Herman Boone in remember the titans when he says about his playbook that it just has has 6 plays but it's like novacaine. Give it time and it just works.
Finally, he seemed like he was still improving and died tragically young, but I still remember watching Drazen Petrovic evolve from a 3 point shooter into a guy who was starting to score at all 3 levels on the court.
 
Hakeem comes to mind.... Got picked over Jordan and the team doesnt regret it. That is crazy, possibly best defensive player of all time, good passer great efficient scorer all for a long time, won two titles as well. I think he is a top 10 player of all time and probably closer to 5 than one would guess. But he does not get remembered or talked about as much
There isn't one box he doesn't check as one of the all time greats. Championships, mvp, all star, etc. Not only the leading shot blocker, but number 10 in steals all time. Simply crazy. He beat all of his competition as well (Shaq, Ewing, Robinson). I'm not sure underrated would apply, but people don't seem to talk about him as much as they should.
 
There isn't one box he doesn't check as one of the all time greats. Championships, mvp, all star, etc. Not only the leading shot blocker, but number 10 in steals all time. Simply crazy. He beat all of his competition as well (Shaq, Ewing, Robinson). I'm not sure underrated would apply, but people don't seem to talk about him as much as they should.
Went to the Finals in his 2nd season outplaying Kareem, took the 86 Celtics to 6 games. His entire team was on coke in the 80s.
 
A lot of these guys aren't underrated. Olajuwon, Stockton, Malone, Russell are not underrated. I'll go with two undersized centers that I loved watching Cowens and Unseld.
 
There's an undertone in the thread of who's underrated/overrated.

For me? You're underrated if, right now, if you were in the uppermost tier of talent in your day and kids today do not know who you are. A guy like Olajuwon? His accolades are mentioned above and I would bet good money kids 20-25 couldn't name him if shown a picture. John Stockton is the NBA's all time steals and assist leader. Kevin McHale. Moses Malone. They're hall of famers but to me? If kids today don't recognize them and know who they are? They're underrated.
 
Dennis Johnson and Dennis Rodman. Before you laugh about Rodman, nobody played harder. Tremendous defender and rebounder and could run like the wind. One of my favorite players of all time. When I coached I would tell my players that and they thought I was nuts. I loved watching him play. 100% effort always.
 
Marcus Camby, never became a go to player like people thought he would in the NBA after coming off college player of the year and #2 draft pick but he had an enormous impact on games without a single offensive play being designed for him. He was a supreme defensive/energy player always doing the little things. Defensive player of the year, 4 time all defense, 4 time league leader in blocks.
 
Dennis Johnson and Dennis Rodman. Before you laugh about Rodman, nobody played harder. Tremendous defender and rebounder and could run like the wind. One of my favorite players of all time. When I coached I would tell my players that and they thought I was nuts. I loved watching him play. 100% effort always.
Same here. In my top 5 for sure. Could guard anyone and I'm not sure we've seen a rebounder like him before or since.

I also think, if coaches told him to score more, he could and would have.
 
Defense doesn't get the recognition it deserves. OG Anunoby is probably underrated relative to his impact on games. Same goes for Mitch Robinson. Yes I am a Knicks fan.
 
If you listen to guys who were in the league, last 20 years, about who they feel was underrated based on practice stories, etc. the name Kevin Martin comes up a lot. There were years he averaged 24 points and he was never a household name, and I think he preferred it that way.
 
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.

First one that came to mind for me Alex English good call, great scorer.

Paul Silas was a great rebounder for his size and could score when asked. Always respected his game especially when the Cs got him.

Also Marques Johnson (UCLA not UCONN lol) and Tom Chambers have to be up there. Interesting tidbit on Chambers at Utah they played UConn and Corny in the 80s in a huge game which was televised on ESPN in the early days when not everyone had it. We drove out to a bar in Bristol to watch it as they were one of the only ones who had it in 79-80. Chambers also had Danny Vranes and Pace Mannion on that team and I believe they handled the Huskies. Good ol days!
 
He also had a cool name. He was on the all handsome 80's team with Pat Cummings.
He was on the all time chompers team too.
 
First one that came to mind for me Alex English good call, great scorer.

Paul Silas was a great rebounder for his size and could score when asked. Always respected his game especially when the Cs got him.

Also Marques Johnson (UCLA not UCONN lol) and Tom Chambers have to be up there. Interesting tidbit on Chambers at Utah they played UConn and Corny in the 80s in a huge game which was televised on ESPN in the early days when not everyone had it. We drove out to a bar in Bristol to watch it as they were one of the only ones who had it in 79-80. Chambers also had Danny Vranes and Pace Mannion on that team and I believe they handled the Huskies. Good ol days!
Silas. Wore the 35 because of him.
 

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