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

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

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.
 
ucp990411 said:
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.
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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.
 
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Deepster said:
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.
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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!
 
superjohn said:
He also had a cool name. He was on the all handsome 80's team with Pat Cummings.
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He was on the all time chompers team too.
 
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mauconnfan 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!
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Silas. Wore the 35 because of him.
 
Tom Chambers was a great bar bet for a long time.
He has most points scored without being in HoF (Out of eligible players).
Joe Johnson has Chambers by a few points now and will take over that title when he becomes HoF eligible.
 
mauconnfan 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!
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Listened to that game on WTIC.
 
Chin Diesel said:
Tom Chambers was a great bar bet for a long time.
He has most points scored without being in HoF (Out of eligible players).
Joe Johnson has Chambers by a few points now and will take over that title when he becomes HoF eligible.
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That's a great question. I wish we start a thread of the best barroom sports trivia. But it'd fall apart before post #3
 
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Inyatkin said:
Kelly Tripucka, a star with the expansion Charlotte Hornets
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Back when Pete Vescey was actually on his game he had some good zingers on occasion. He said he admired Tripucka because he started shooting as soon as he came in the league and got that scoring average up to 20 before people realized he actually wasn't very good.
 
Loved watching Artis play but by the time I saw him play he was om the back end of his career.

Anyway, this popped up on my FB feed from his days in college.

FB_IMG_1746976907300.jpg
 
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Most of the all stars from smaller markets tend to be overlooked. Alex English is one of the great scorers of all time and I don't think many know who he is.

Someone else mentioned Tom Chambers and he was the opposite... a great talent and a proven good stats bad team guy.
 
I'm going to throw out a couple names from before many here were around. They were not underrated in their day (each is in the Hall of Fame and each was named a top 50 all time player at the NBA's 50th anniversary) but I would wager many here have no clue how good they actually were.

Nate Thurmond - in today's game he would clearly be the best defensive center in the game and he'd be a force on offense, especially in a four-out setup.

Jerry Lucas - in a lot of was Dirk about four decades earlier than Dirk but a far better passer and far better rebounder. Also a two time national collegiate player of the year in a time where there were only three years of eligibility.
 
BuffaloHusky said:
Most of the all stars from smaller markets tend to be overlooked. Alex English is one of the great scorers of all time and I don't think many know who he is.

Someone else mentioned Tom Chambers and he was the opposite... a great talent and a proven good stats bad team guy.
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I was a big Alex English fan. English, Ice Man, Dantley and Mark Aguirre were all those old school scorers who would hedge, fake, fade, dip, or whatever to get space for their shots.

I'd say it's odd to Chambers was a good stats/bad team guy when English never played on any significant teams. At least Chambers contributed on Seattle teams which made Western Conf finals and conference finals and NBA finals with Phoenix.
 
Its got to be Dennis Johnson. 1 of the most clutch playoff performers ever. People forget he was 1979 Finals MVP for Seattle. Won 2 more chips with the C's. Original defensive perimeter stopper, before the term became in vogue today. Bird said he was the most valued teammate he would have.

A couple of things that have prevented his name being mentioned more:
  • Overshadowed by more "flashy" PGs in the 80s - Magic, Isiah, Stockton, MJ
  • Not 1 of the Big 3 in Boston in the 80s.
  • He got into a big feud in Seattle/Lenny Wilkins that got him bad press.
  • Died way too young roughly 20 years ago as he was starting his coaching career.
He deserves more love today!
 
IndyLives said:
Won 2 more chips with the C's. Original defensive perimeter stopper, before the term became in vogue today. Bird said he was the most valued teammate he would have.
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He's a great choice. A winner wherever he went. He wasn't known as a shooter. But the C's called a play for him to take the last shot in tied Finals game and this is what he did with it:
 
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