He drove, he shot, and he played a little selfishly. He was also a big reason the Cavaliers were able to make the 2007 NBA Finals, being LeBron James favorite option on offense. Elton deserves this spot. The assessment was based on how players performed during this decade and this decade ONLY (2000-2009). Michael Redd is another interesting 2000s player. Career Stats: 15.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG, Career Achievements: 1x Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team Selection, 3x All-Defensive Team Selection. 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. He averaged 16.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 4.0 APG on 45.6% shooting in just 57 games. 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. BYL's Most Underrated NBA Players of the 2000's Follow BYL and comment who we missed out on Who's the Most Underrated?? He was a tough forward who played hard-nosed defense and never backed down from any challenge. He ended his career with a well-deserved championship with the 2011 Dallas Mavericks. Davis was an explosive point guard who was a blur on the floor in open space. His mid-range game and three-ball were impeccable as well. The Top 10 Most Underrated NBA Players Of The 2000s, Valentina Shevchenko doesnt lose a step just because she fought for a split decision: I really dont care what people say, UFC 285 start time, TV schedule for Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane, Texans divorce from QB Deshaun Watson could affect CJ Strouds court, Texans finish 32nd in Touchdown Wire NFL power rankings, Houston finishes No. Sports Mania Asia lists five underrated NBA players between the late 1990s and early 2000s. Roy attempted a comeback in 2013 but lasted just 5 games before calling it quits for good. Besides the obvious suspension from the Malice incident, Jermaine didnt reach a higher level because of a lack of real playoff success and a subpar field goal percentage for a 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. His best season came in 2002 after being traded to Atlanta. Here is our list of 12 of the most underrated players in the NBA today. After taking 2 years to play overseas in Greece, Peja made his NBA debut in the 1998-99 season. 11. O'Neal had a strong inside scoring game, was very active on the offensive boards, and was a capable shot-blocker. One of the most valuable roleplayers in the early part of the decade, Doug Christie, was a deadeye shooter that brought it at an all-defensive level on the other end. At his peak, he became one of the most prolific scorers in the league and ignited the spirit of the game back in the City Of Milwaukee. Miller was as good as it gets running an NBA offense and he was one heck of a playmaker. Ilgauskas struggled with injury the first few seasons of his career, missing his rookie season and 4th season with foot issues. Even though he never made an All-Star Team, Bibby certainly played like one and he was a major reason the Kings were a problem in the West. Yet, not all players who saw action at the NBA, the biggest basketball league in the world, are well-known Not all basketball players are well known, Sports Mania Asia lists the top five most underrated NBA players from the late 1990s to 2000s. During his All-Star seasons with Portland, Wallace was a double-digit scorer and rebounder while being a force to be reckoned with on defense. Others, like Vince Carter and Joe Johnson, are still kicking around the league, but young fans are probably unaware of just how dominant they used to be. Photo: Paul Popper. Career Stats: 12.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG. Your email address will not be published. Injuries were a concern throughout Pejas career, especially in the second half of his NBA lifespan. Not related to Shaquille O'Neal, Jermaine O'Neal was one of the best big men in the NBA during his time. Lewis is considered one of the best second options ever for his time with both the Seattle SuperSonics next to Ray Allen and in Orlando with Dwight Howard. www.basketball-timemachine.com. Redd was also a member of the 2008 U.S. mens Olympic basketball team that won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Beijing. Scottie Pippen is #15 on this list and would have been much higher a decade ago, but recent lists have been very kind to Pippen and have listed the versatile defensive small forward in the top twenty of all-time (which we believe is way too high for a player with his numbers).. Glen Rice was a three-time All-Star and won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. . Fans have a tendency to overlook certain players, and that effect is amplified as years and decades pass. 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. The most underrated player in fantasy basketball this season has to be Gilgeous-Alexander. At his peak, Billups was a serious threat as a scorer, passer, and defender who was the perfect point guard to lead the Detroit Pistons to the 2004 NBA championship. Last time I did this series, 2 years ago, I had him as the most underrated SF in the league. 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. Career Stats: 16.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 7.2 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.4 BPG, Career Achievements: 2x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection. Think about Dennis Johnson of the 1980sthe dude was a five-time All-Star and a Finals MVP. Redd became an even more prolific scorer in the seasons that followed. Required fields are marked *. 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. By 2003, Ilgauskas was an All-Star and averaged 17.2 PPG and 7.5 RPG while adding 1.9 BPG. 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. Erteilung oder Widerruf von Einwilligungen, klicken Sie hier: Westbrook vs. KD beef Are They Cool Now? 8 Most Expensive Kevin Garnett Basketball Cards, Title 15 Most Expensive Diamonds in the World. Corey Maggette was one of the most consistent scorers during the 2000s. He could put the ball on the floor and get by defenders relatively easily and it made him a true three-level threat. 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. Over time, Kidd improved as a shooter and scorer, so by the year 2000, he was arguably the most well-rounded point guard in the NBA. Forget the role in the fight. How many other players in NBA history have an argument for being both the best paint scorer and overall defender at the same time? 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. Miller also had an All-Star season with the Pacers in 2003 where he averaged 13.1 PPG and 8.3 RPG. Tracy McGrady was born on May 24, 1979 in Bartow, Florida, USA. Not a chance. NFL NBA Megan Anderson Atlanta Hawks Los Angeles Lakers Boston Celtics Arsenal F.C. Career Stats: 13.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.6 BPG. Alex Novick, NBA.com Global Editions (): Quick, name the only player other than David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon to average at least two . Finley played on two of the premier Western Conference powerhouses over the decade, starting with Dallas and moving to San Antonio after being waived. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. His only other individual awards were a 2004 All-Star selection after averaging 16-8-3 with 2 steals and 3 blocks. Ronald Koeman of the Netherlands lines up before the UEFA Euro 88 Group 2 match between England and the Netherlands at the Rheinstadion on June 15, 1988 in Dsseldorf, West Germany. Playing for a middling Milwaukee Bucks squad throughout the 2000s, he led the team and was a fantastic all-around scorer. We dont even have to look at career averages or anything. Career Achievements: 1x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection. Redd was consistently criticized for his lack of a complete game but his scoring was by far the best part of his game. 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. Doug Christie. Actor | Like Mike. Mookie Blaylock. Career Stats: 18.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.3 BPG. Beginning with a Toronto Raptor, and ending with one, Gary Trent Jr. is easily one of the most exciting and most underrated players in the NBA today. He epitomized, you dont know what youve got till its gone.. Big Shot. He also has a rare 83-game season under his belt after being traded from Phoenix to Dallas early in his career. His presence on the early 2000s Kings teams was a perfect fit that put them over the top as a contender at the time. As a member of the Indiana Pacers, O'Neal was a very gifted two-way big man. In every season in which he started over 60 games for one of his 9 NBA teams, he earned at least 6.0 APG. Ilgauskas deserves so much more respect than modern-day fans give him. He was the baby Bryant from across the LA freeway. One of the most outspoken NBA analysts in the media, Stephen Jackson was a player that his teammates absolutely loved. Davis recorded 3 different seasons with at least 20.0 PPG and 2.0 SPG as one of the more dynamic point guards in basketball. Malcolm Brogdon might have the quietest 20/6/6 stat line in the NBA. Image via Complex Original. Agent 0 going into L.A. and dropping 60 on the Lakers. Now, I could go up to as many as 25 maybe 30 players that are forgotten stars from the 2000's but i'm only going to focus on 12, enjoy. 15.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.7 BPG. He made 3 straight All-Star games from 2002 through 2004 and averaged 21.7 PPG on 48.1% shooting over that time. Here were some of . With his ability to both score and pass the ball, Miller was must-watch television whenever he was in town. During his time with the New Orleans Hornets for 3 seasons, he averaged 20.2 PPG, 8.1 APG, and 2.0 SPG. Ilgauskas wasnt the strongest in the post but he made up for it with a beautiful 6to 8-foot jumper that he had a beautiful touch on and was nearly automatic. 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. The play at power forward saw him have a couple of All-Star seasons. His best statistical season came in 2006-07, with a career-high 26.7 points per game. 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 also one of the better offensive rebounders in basketball and led the league in that stat in the 2004-05 season with 299 offensive rebounds. #NBA #NBATwitter #BYL #NBAPicks #Goats #Underrated. 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. . Miller was as good as it gets running an NBA offense and he was one heck of a playmaker. Just 3 seasons later, he would become a 20.0 PPG scorer and an automatic 40.0% shooter from deep. #4 of 165. 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. Only one year later, Jamison jumped his stats tremendously averaging 19.6 PPG and 8.3 RPG followed by a career-high in scoring at 24.9 PPG. Three others that could be argued at a higher level (they do get plenty of respect, but perhaps not enough) are Vuc, Brogdon, and Jrue. As one of the original stretch forwards in the game, Lewis used both his size and shooting ability to become a scoring machine. Thats why hes the first name on this list. Bibby's best season came in 2006 where he averaged 21.1 PPG and 5.4 APG for the Kings squad that finished with a 44-38 record. The NBA has done an unfortunately great job of sweeping Jermaine ONeals career under the rug after his role in the infamous Malice At The Palace. Forgive and forget and put Jermaine ONeal in the Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame. Shareef solidified his role as a scoring power forward and was selected as an All-Star in the 2002 season, the lone career selection. Me and other NBA analysts and NBA content creators have said it before and we will keep on saying it, Robert Covington is the DEFINITION of the NBA 3&D player. Not only did he start playing precisely at the starting point of the decade after being selected 1st overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 1999 draft, but he proceeded to be one of the most under-the-radar players during his career. He didnt have the chance to display his scoring prowess during his first season in Milwaukee since he was playing behind the great Ray Allen. Andrei Kirilenko was a prototype of what the modern-day NBA landscape now values above all else; versatility. He would improve his scoring over the next few seasons, boosting his scoring to a career-high 23.2 PPG during the 2006 season. Cameron Smith will be the first Players Championship winner since Tiger Woods in 2014 to not defend his title at the Players . Ron Artest, Metta World Peace, or his now legal name Metta Sandiford-Artest may surprise some on this list. 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. Scotty Bags. He helped lead the Magic to a Finals berth in 2009 by being a versatile scorer next to the dominant Howard. Despite having the aura of a rugged workhorse, Kirilenko struggled with durability, usually finishing NBA seasons between 60-70 games played. Roy was destined to be a star from his first season in the NBA. Anyways. As a result, a number of quality players had their careers pass without ever getting exposure on the highest level. He also set the record for most three-pointers made in a single quarter, with eight, before being overtaken when Klay Thompson made nine. Wallaces presence propelled Detroit to an NBA championship where Wallace averaged 13.0 PPG and 7.8 RPG on the playoff run. He is incredibly well known; hes played beside Kobe on the Championship Lakers, delivered us with one of the best post-championship press conferences ever, and been a member of the infamous Malice and the Palace.