Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history?

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Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#1 » by GSWFan1994 » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:13 pm

My choice is Bob Dandridge.

45th pick, 1969 NBA draft
4x All-Star
1x All-NBA
1x All-Defensive
2x champion (1971 Milwaukee, 1978 Washington)
played in 4 NBA Finals (1971, 1974, 1978, 1979)
18/7/3 career averages
20/8/4 playoff averages

Hardly gets talked about nowadays.

What about yours?
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#2 » by Lalouie » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:18 pm

gus johnson
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#3 » by jowglenn » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:22 pm

Larry Bird

I have him as my #2 GOAT after Jordan while virtually nobody else does. Obviously he doesn't have the longevity that others had, but if we're forming a team to beat the aliens in a basketball game to save the world, Bird is my 1st or 2nd pick
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#4 » by CharityStripe34 » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:26 pm

Adrian Dantley.
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#5 » by granger05 » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:29 pm

I suspect there will be replies that I like more than this one, but I'll throw out Clyde the Glide.

14th pick, 1983 NBA draft
10x All-Star (Tied with Dominique with 5 slam dunk competitions, though Nique won a pair. Somehow was in the 3 point shootout in 91 despite shooting under 30% almost all the time)
5x All-NBA (one 1st team)
0x All-Defensive (but he did average 2 spg for his career)
2nd place in 91/92 MVP voting behind Jordan
1x champion (1995 Houston)
played in 3 NBA Finals (1990 (POR), 1992 (POR), 1995(HOU))
20.4 / 6.1 / 5.6 career averages over 1000+games
20.4 / 6.9 / 6,1 playoff averages over 145 games

Won a title with Houston, but that team is viewed as Hakeem and scrubs. Drexler took Portland to the finals twice, losing to Magic and the Lakers in the conference finals in between, but he's not even viewed as the greatest Blazer and depending on how you feel about Bill Walton's peak, he may not be top 2. He was also a part of Phi Slamma Jamma also playing with Hakeem so it's kind of cool that after losing in the finals in college for Houston they eventually won a championship together in Houston. He's made the top50 and top75 teams so he's not exactly a nobody, but I think he gets overlooked.
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#6 » by BruttoNostra » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:31 pm

I think it's one of those RealGM General Board posters who can beat (yes, even a 60yo) MJ 1on1
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#7 » by indiegrind » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:33 pm

My pick was also Clyde Drexler.
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#8 » by Tor_Raps » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:34 pm

Feel like KG gets overlooked when he was considered a top 3 player for his entire prime. People treat him like he was barely a top 10 guy.

Also a shout out to Webber who also doesn't get mentioned enough when he was borderline top 5 throughout his prime too.
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#9 » by Reeko » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:35 pm

jowglenn wrote:Larry Bird

I have him as my #2 GOAT after Jordan while virtually nobody else does. Obviously he doesn't have the longevity that others had, but if we're forming a team to beat the aliens in a basketball game to save the world, Bird is my 1st or 2nd pick

Not true. Somebody else does and that somebody else is me. And I'll tell you a secret: some days I even put him ahead of Jordan.
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#10 » by -Luke- » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:37 pm

Probably George Mikan.

What percentage of basketball fans these days do even know who that is? And of those who know him, some come up with "milkmen and plumbers".

Same argument could be made for Bob Petitt.
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#11 » by FrodoBaggins » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:43 pm

Tor_Raps wrote:Feel like KG gets overlooked when he was considered a top 3 player for his entire prime.

Also a shout out to Webber who also doesn't get mentioned enough when he was borderline top 5 throughout his prime too.

KG is overrated on this forum. He's definitely not underrated; not here and not anywhere else.
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#12 » by FrodoBaggins » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:46 pm

Hard to say.

I'll say that Dwight Howard not making the top 75 was a travesty. But most people seem to agree with that. He was a top 5 player for like 4-5 years and top 3 for 2-3. Had team success, individual success, and playoff success. His off-court antics, behavior, and play post-Orlando/back injury soured his reputation and perception.
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#13 » by FrodoBaggins » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:48 pm

Moses Malone is an interesting pick.
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#14 » by CIN-C-STAR » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:52 pm

Ben Wallace
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#15 » by _txchilibowl_ » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:56 pm

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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#16 » by Mavrelous » Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:58 pm

Manu
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#17 » by -Luke- » Tue Sep 12, 2023 9:03 pm

FrodoBaggins wrote:Hard to say.

I'll say that Dwight Howard not making the top 75 was a travesty. But most people seem to agree with that. He was a top 5 player for like 4-5 years and top 3 for 2-3. Had team success, individual success, and playoff success. His off-court antics, behavior, and play post-Orlando/back injury soured his reputation and perception.

Yeah, Dwight is a good one. I remember a few years ago I listened to a Zach Lowe podcast (I think the guest was Howard Beck, but I could be wrong) and they discussed possible future hall of famers. And I think Zach wasn't sure about Dwight. That was really surprising to me. For me Dwight is a no-brainer for the HOF. Not on the same level as Dirk and Wade and Pop this year, but still a no-brainer. FAR worse players are in the Hall of Fame.
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#18 » by TwitterFingers » Tue Sep 12, 2023 9:07 pm

Patrick Ewing. Hakeem was better, but it’s a lot closer than people think.
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#19 » by rk2023 » Tue Sep 12, 2023 9:07 pm

- Steve Nash
- Chris Paul
- Walt Frazier
- Jerry West
- Reggie Miller
- Hakeem Olajuwon
- Kevin Garnett
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Re: Who's your pick for most underrated player in NBA's history? 

Post#20 » by Deivork » Tue Sep 12, 2023 9:07 pm

By logic, most underrated guys could not top-tier guys that go under the radar. One could argue Ewing, Robinson or Clyde are underrated, but they're still considered all-time greats. But key nobodies are yearly going under the radar.

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