8. During his time with the New Orleans Hornets for 3 seasons, he averaged 20.2 PPG, 8.1 APG, and 2.0 SPG. The assessment was based on how players performed during this decade and this decade ONLY (2000-2009). Ilgauskas deserves so much more respect than modern-day fans give him. Andrei Kirilenko was a prototype of what the modern-day NBA landscape now values above all else; versatility. This happened because other great players such as Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Tim Duncan, and Shaquille O'Neal were the faces of the NBA and grabbed all the headlines all the time. Career Stats: 13.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.7 BPG, Career Achievements: 1x Most Improved Player, 6x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team Selection. He was also a big reason the Cavaliers were able to make the 2007 NBA Finals, being LeBron James favorite option on offense. He would have a few more All-Star seasons with Indiana but after the 2004 brawl in Detroit, the damage had been done to his stance within the league. Yes, but just barely scratching this list. Photo: Paul Popper. He was the first NBA player to bring in the big balls dance celebration, injuring his groin. James demonstrated this when he surpassed Patrick Ewing for 20th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Bibby had a handle and jump shot that was among the best in his time, and he had tremendous success with Chris Webber in Sacramento. Center from Newark, New Jersey, United States of America. 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. He was a 6'6" shooting guard who could also play the small forward position and had solid defensive skills. The following season it came to fruition as Billups not only led the Pistons to a title but won Finals MVP in the process. Get the latest sports news from SportsSite about soccer, football and tennis. These are the most overrated players in NBA history. Underrated? Cassell would then lead the way to another franchise turnaround, bringing the Clippersthat featured two players on this listto their then-most successful season in franchise history. Obviously, we have to mention the Malice at the Palace incident that saw him miss the entirety of the 2004-05 season with Indiana. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. 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. That season he averaged 16.2 PPG and it was clear that the Pistons had their championship point guard. Elton Brand is the most underrated star of the 2000s because he managed to have 2 All-Star Seasons after being drafted No.1 in the 1999 Draft. Trevor Ariza. From2004 through 2009, Redd battled injuries and bumps but still averaged at least 21.0 PPG every season. He averaged 21.2 points a game that season and would never be the same. 1) Kareem Abdul Jabbar. 17.9 points, 2.9 RPG, and 1.9 APG. Last time I did this series, 2 years ago, I had him as the most underrated SF in the league. As of early May, James and . 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. Dave McNally went 20-7, 24-9 and 21-5 from '60 to '71. 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. Neither made an impact, with Lionel Chalmers never playing another NBA game. A lethal gunner from range, Stokakoi was one of the first NBA players to bomb away from range who hit a high percentage of their shots. He averaged 20.1 PPG and 10.0 RPG in his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls, making the All-Rookie Team. 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. O'Neal had a strong inside scoring game, was very active on the offensive boards, and was a capable shot-blocker. We started the decade with Lakers championships and ended with Lakers championships, and yet you can rightfully argue that Tim Duncan was the most important player of the ten years. Roy would begin to experience his downfall by 2011, just his 5th season in the league. Finley played on two of the premier Western Conference powerhouses over the decade, starting with Dallas and moving to San Antonio after being waived. We present our all-time underrated teams, those great teams which don't receive their proper respect in the historical archive. You have Kevin Garnetts MVP and Western Conference Finals season with the Wolves. 4. 3. The draw of Finley was his consistency and availability. As the all-time and single-season leader in technical fouls, how could he not? Lewis was one of the NBAs top shooters for years with 8 seasons ranked in the Top 20 for 3-pointers made. For the first few seasons of his NBA career, Billups bounced around until he found a home with the Detroit Pistons in 2003. The most underrated player in fantasy basketball this season has to be Gilgeous-Alexander. 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. Ilgauskas struggled with injury the first few seasons of his career, missing his rookie season and 4th season with foot issues. 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).. But for now, Lillard looks like the young PG with the most potential to grow into the best point guard of his era. He would have a few more All-Star seasons with Indiana but after the 2004 brawl in Detroit, the damage had been done to his stance within the league. Richmond scored the 4th-most total points for the entire decade of the 90s , mainly with the Warriors and Kings. Even in his later years when his scoring dropped, there was little drop-off in Kidd's assist or steal numbers. He was also a big reason the Cavaliers were able to make the 2007 NBA Finals, being LeBron James favorite option on offense. 10. Davis can be credited with sparking the We Believe Warriors to an upset win over the No. Think about Dennis Johnson of the 1980sthe dude was a five-time All-Star and a Finals MVP. 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. Agent 0 going into L.A. and dropping 60 on the Lakers. re: Most Underrated NBA Players (Historically) Posted on 1/14/23 at 11:11 am to Gaggle. As the all-time and single-season leader in technical fouls, how could he not? Forget the role in the fight. He could put the ball on the floor and get by defenders relatively easily and it made him a true three-level threat. Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports, Career Stats: 18.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG, Career Achievements: 1x Rookie of the Year, 3x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Team Selection. Here are the 10 most underrated NBA players of the entire 2000s. He peaked in 2007 when he averaged 26.7 PPG on 46.5% shooting. . Gary Trent Jr. is easily one of the most exciting and underrated players in the NBA today, starting with a Toronto Raptor and ending with one. The players listed here may be relatively unknown, underappreciated, or underrated in terms of not making the elite lists of other football raters. After being traded to the Sacramento Kings at the end of the 2000 season, he formed a potent shooting perimeter alongside Peja Stojakovi. This reputation caused many to forget just how imp[actful Wallace was on the basketball court. He averaged a career-high of 26.7 points a game during the 2006-07 season. He finished with 11,972 points and 2,411 rebounds (3.8 per game). Miller would go on to play 5 more seasons with Sacramento. Drafted with the No. As one of the original stretch forwards in the game, Lewis used both his size and shooting ability to become a scoring machine. There are the 10 most underrated NBA players of the 2010s. Just 3 seasons later, he would become a 20.0 PPG scorer and an automatic 40.0% shooter from deep. Who are the 25 Most Charitable Athletes in the World? James Harden is the only player in NBA history with 21-game . He was a menace on the defensive side of the ball as well, never shying away from a tough matchup or assignments. Another is that many of these players are often misremembered for their time and play late in their careers when theyre past their prime, bouncing around to teams and being fitted for jerseys that will probably struggle to sell ten total copies. Despite sharing the court with Ray Allen early on, Redd carved his own path and should be revered for his unbelievable scoring at his peak. He blew past defenders and glided through the air and threw down rim-rocking dunks with brutal authority. Mike Bibby is one of the most popular and respected point guards in NBA history. Doug Christie. Was he better than he is remembered? During the 2000s, at various times, he was up against the likes of 15 time all-star Tim Duncan, 15 time all-star Kevin Garnett, 14 time all-star Dirk Nowitzki, 10 time all-star Carmelo Anthony, 6 time all-star Pau Gasol, 6 time all-star Amar'e Stoudemire (yes, he got the nod as a forward), 5 time all-star Chris Webber. His best season came in 2003-04, Peja averaged a career-high 24.2 PPG on 48.0% shooting overall and 43.3% from three. 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 had solid shooting numbers for a big man at that time, finishing with career averages of 80.4% from the line and 48.0% from the field. The Most UNDERRATED NBA Players Of The 2000s..Welcome back to Sports Savvy. Forgive and forget and put Jermaine ONeal in the Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame. Enter Sam Cassell. Milwaukee took Redd with the 43rd overall pick and the former Buckeye would go on to play 11 years with the franchise. He spent 3 seasons with the team and helped them transition to the City of New Orleans. He was so good that Pacers fans couldrealistically argue that he was the best big man in the league. From 2001-2007 ONeal made six straight All-Star games while averaging a stellar 20-10 with 2 blocks per game. 6. 2008-09 Upper Deck MVP #206 Danilo Gallinari RC ($2.50) Gallinari has had multiple seasons with All-Star caliber production, with his best numbers coming during the 2018-19 season when he averaged . 18 pick in the 2020 draft, there were high hopes for Richardson's career. When coming into the league, there were no expectations for Michael Redd having been the 43rd pick of the 2000 NBA Draft. Billups finished his career a 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team selection, and a 3x All-Defensive Team selection. Career Stats: 14.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG. Due to a knee condition that basically deteriorated his knee cartilage as time went on, we were only able to experience 3 real years of his peak. 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. Was he good enough that its a travesty that his name isnt among the great scorers in the history of the NBA?