Monta Ellis and 8 Superstars Who Don't Get Enough Love

When we discuss some of the best superstars in the NBA, the usual names always pop up. You can't say the word superstar without including the likes of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and others in the conversation.

Yet there are plenty of NBA superstars out there who keep getting left out of that conversation.

Here's a look at some superstars who just don't get enough love.

Monta Ellis

Playing at Golden State and on the west coast likely hurts Ellis right now when it comes to getting enough love.

Ellis is one of the NBA's best pure scorers and can erupt on any given night, as he did Tuesday night with a 48-point performance in a Warriors loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

If Ellis were playing on a better team in a bigger NBA market, he would be one of the most talked-about superstars in the league.

Joe Johnson

Johnson may be the quietest superstar in the NBA, which leads to him being excluded from most superstar talk.

He is one, though, but probably doesn't get his due since he hasn't led the Hawks past the second round of the playoffs.

Rudy Gay

Gay is a legitimate superstar who doesn't get enough love.

Playing in Memphis might hurt his cause a bit.

There's also the fact that NBA fans didn't get to see Gay in the playoffs last year when the Grizzlies went on a run, due to Gay being injured.

If he's healthy this season and the Grizzlies can get things together in time for the postseason, people will begin to give him some love.

LaMarcus Aldridge

Aldridge is a star who, if he were playing in a major market, would be one of the most hyped big men in the league.

He's now in the process of putting together back-to-back superstar-like seasons, and his 23.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game averages should finally have him heading to his first All-Star Game.

Andre Iguodala

I'm including Iguodala on this list despite his scoring being down this season, but that's due in part to the fact that he's unselfish and a very willing passer.

He's the type of guy who does everything well on the court and has accepted the role as a defensive stopper as well.

He doesn't get the love from around the league but should from the Olympic committee, who likely will add him to the 2012 team after he turned some heads during the 2010 tournament in Turkey.

Danny Granger

These next few guys might not be in the superstar category just yet, but they are on the verge of getting there.

Regardless, they don't get enough love.

Granger is one of those guys.

He's one of the NBA's most effective scorers and rebounds the ball well.

Now that the Pacers are winning, maybe some love will start being thrown Granger's way.

Kyle Lowry

Lowry is quickly becoming one of the best point guards in the NBA and deserves some love for it.

He's just a guy that fills the stat sheet.

He can score and dish the ball, and he's the best rebounding point guard in the NBA.

Lowry gets it done on the defensive end as well.

It's time he's included among the NBA's best.

Brandon Jennings

Jennings is also becoming one of the better point guards in the NBA, without the fanfare that comes along with it.

He's a package of scoring and assists, but he doesn't exactly have a lot of weapons around him in Milwaukee to really show off his skills.