Josh Smith and 5 Players Having Amazing Seasons Under the Radar

Mention the NBA to any man and they'll probably think of one of the following names: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Blake Griffin or maybe even the now-retired Shaquille O'Neal. 

As good as all four of those players are/were, they get their recognition because the media hypes them up to the point where they receive lucrative endorsements. Unfortunately, this pushes some other equally talented players out of the spotlight.

Take Jeremy Lin, for example. Here's a guy who essentially resurrected the New York Knicks' season and turned into a star, but he isn't fully appreciated outside of New York City.

The same can be said for Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith (pictured), who is having a career year and is one of the most entertaining players in the league. Yet, outside of Atlanta, not many people heavily discuss him.

Here are five players who, despite being under the radar, are having great seasons.

No. 5: Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs

Tony Parker is one of the best point guards in the league but doesn't get nearly enough credit because of his reputation as a scorer.

He's averaged about 17 points a game for his career compared to just around six assists. Not bad numbers for a point guard, but there's room for improvement in the passing department.

This season, however, has been different. It seems that Parker has finally found a way to balance his scoring and passing numbers. Sure, he's averaging 18.6 points, but his career-best 7.7 assists are one of the main reasons that the older Spurs are at the top of the Western Conference and appear primed for another championship run.

No. 4: Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks

Whenever the Hawks are on national television, I watch the game just so I can watch Smith play. 

He's one of the best athletes in the league, and whether he's sinking a jumper, blocking a shot or driving up the court for a thunderous dunk—the guy is just plain fun to take in.

This year, Smith has continued to blow the fans away with his career-high 18.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. Adding to his intensity are his 1.8 blocks.

He may play in a smaller market, and his team may not be the best, but Smith is a star who gets nowhere near enough credit for his fine work, and that's just a crying shame.

No. 3: Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers

With the Los Angeles Lakers, it's hard to think that players besides Kobe Bryant would ever be in the spotlight. Yet, that's why we have Pau Gasol.

The dynamic seven-footer has one of the most versatile games I've ever seen and is averaging 17.3 points and 10.4 boards per contest this year. He may be on the soft side defensively, but his disciplined approach on offense more than makes up for it. 

His 50 percent field goal percentage is a testament to intelligent shot selection, and were it not for him, the Lakers might not have won two championships.

If the team keeps playing as well as it has lately, perhaps, Gasol could add a third ring to his resume.

No. 2: Rudy Gay, Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are slowly turning into one of the better teams in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, and Rudy Gay is one of the reasons why. 

The former Connecticut Husky shoots, dunks and defends his heart out night after night and with his 19 points and 6.4 boards per contest, the only way for the Grizzlies to go is up.

Sadly, Memphis is an extremely small market so when it comes to the other star players in the game, Gay often gets swept aside.

No. 1: Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves

Kevin Love is probably the best all-around player in the NBA and doesn't get nearly enough love because he plays for the ridiculously small market Minnesota Timberwolves. The man is a great scorer, even better rebounder, and to top it all off, he shoots three-pointers!

Look at it this way, folks. Here are Love's stats for the year thus far: 26 points and 13.3 rebounds per game, and he makes 37 percent of his shots from downtown. 

Even with some help from the now-injured Ricky Rubio, he's practically carried the Timberwolves in turning them from perennial cellar dwellers into potential contenders.

And yet, because he plays in Minneapolis and not Los Angeles or New York, Love is only heavily discussed on occasion rather than constantly, despite the fact that he's turning into one of the league's best.