12 Athletes We Totally Underappreciate
There are many, many underappreciated athletes out there. And of course, whether someone is underappreciated is a matter of opinion. That said, these are 12 examples of athletes whose lack of recognition seems relatively sure.
To clarify, these players are definitely talented. It's just that, in general, they probably get less appreciation than they deserve.
Sometimes someone is underappreciated because they're on a team with a lot of talented players—Doug Fister and the Washington Nationals, for instance. Other times, it might be because they're on a team that’s not so great, like Gordon Hayward and the Utah Jazz.
Whatever the reasons, let’s take a few moments to appreciate these talents.
Jordy Nelson
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It’s tough to say that someone so consistently good could be underappreciated. Jordy Nelson has been one of Aaron Rodgers’ main targets for years, catching for over 1,200 yards in three of the last four seasons.
Despite posting his best numbers in 2014— 98 receptions for 1,519 yards—Nelson is often left out of the discussion when it comes to the NFL’s top receivers. Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas and even Odell Beckham Jr. seem to get more hype than the Green Bay Packer mainstay.
Max Pacioretty
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When you think of a guy who scores a lot of goals in the NHL, who do you think of? Alex Ovechkin? Rick Nash?
Max Pacioretty of the Montreal Canadiens is up there as well, with 37 goals in 2014-15. He is a key component of a team that is one of the best the Eastern Conference has to offer, yet he was left off the All-Star team.
Taj Gibson
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Taj Gibson isn’t so much underrated as he is unsung. With injuries often plaguing his Chicago Bulls, Gibson has been one of the few constants the past several years, coming off the bench to provide defensive stability and toughness. The forward humbly plays his role, and he is a big reason the Bulls have clinched a playoff berth.
According to Cody Westerlund of CBS Chicago, head coach Tom Thibodeau recently said, “Taj probably doesn’t get enough credit for what he does for our team. He’s our best low-post defender. Whatever you ask him to do, he does. He’s not out there pounding his chest. Just goes out there and gets the job done.”
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Alex Smith
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Alex Smith’s contributions for both the San Francisco 49ers and now the Kansas City Chiefs have often been overlooked. The quarterback may not have flashy numbers, and he may not be in the same class as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, but he is a good QB on a team that also relies heavily on defense and special teams.
After losing his job in San Francisco to Colin Kaepernick, Smith led the Chiefs to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth in 2013. The team went 9-7 in 2014 and missed the postseason, but Smith still threw for a respectable 3,265 yards with 18 touchdowns and just six interceptions.
DeMarre Carroll
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It could be argued that the Atlanta Hawks as a team are underappreciated, despite its place atop the Eastern Conference. Atlanta sent four players to the All-Star Game—Al Horford, Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague—but there is one key guy who definitely flies under the radar.
DeMarre Carroll is a 6’8” forward/NBA journeyman in his second year with the Hawks. He is a subtle yet reliable contributor, averaging 12.5 points and over five rebounds per game, and he shoots almost 40 percent from three-point range.
Pierre Thomas
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Pierre Thomas is another one of those perennially underrated guys. He doesn’t get huge numbers, and he’s never run for more than 800 yards in any of his eight NFL seasons. The New Orleans Saints released him after injury concerns limited him to 11 games in 2014.
However, Thomas is a seasoned veteran who can gain yardage off short passes. He had 378 yards receiving in 2014, despite his shortened season. At 30 years old, the free agent could likely still contribute to a team in need of a veteran back to supplement its run game.
Brandon Crawford
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Brandon Crawford is one of those “on a great team with a lot of great players so we forget about him” guys. With big names like Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey taking up space in the minds of San Francisco Giants fans, Crawford’s contributions are easy to overlook.
The 28-year-old shortstop is an excellent defenseman, despite the fact that he hasn’t won a Gold Glove. Giants infield coach Ron Wotus recently told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle, “He takes as many groundballs as any infielder I’ve ever had. Brandon never takes a day off from defense, and that’s says a lot.”
Crawford has also shown offensive improvement in the last year, getting on base at a .324 rate in 2014 and driving in 26 more runs than he did in 2013.
Brandon Saad
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It’s not a surprise that a Chicago Blackhawk not named Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews might be underappreciated. This one’s not even named Marian Hossa or Duncan Keith.
At just 22 years old, left wing Brandon Saad helps make up Chicago’s top line with Toews and Hossa. With 22 goals and 48 points as of March 31, Saad is quickly becoming a key contributor with all the makings of a future star.
Anthony Rizzo
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The Chicago Cubs made a lot of noise this offseason with free-agent pickup Jon Lester and new manager Joe Maddon. However, a big, though often overlooked, contributor has been 25-year-old Anthony Rizzo.
It’s probably tough for any player to gain much appreciation on perennially sub-.500 team, but Rizzo has been a fixture at first base for the past two seasons.
In 2014, he batted .286/.386/.527 and finished 10th in the National League MVP voting. Rizzo also led the Cubs in home runs, RBI and overall WAR, according to FanGraphs.com.
Caroline Wozniacki
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Tennis star Caroline Wozniacki sat atop the world tennis rankings following both the 2010 and ’11 seasons. However, the absence of a Grand Slam win on her resume is a big reason Wozniacki's career has been underappreciated.
Gordon Hayward
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Gordon Hayward made a name for himself at Butler University, but now he’s quietly making a name for himself in the NBA as well.
The 6’8” small forward is in his fifth year with the Utah Jazz, and he’s averaging almost 20 points per game along with just under five boards. He’s a solid all-around player who is also shooting 36 percent from three-point range and 81 percent from the free-throw line.
According to Jody Genessy, Jazz beat writer for the Deseret News, when asked if he thought he was underrated, Hayward replied, “I see myself as one of the elite players in the league. Whether you’re popular or not, to me, doesn’t matter.”
Doug Fister
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Doug Fister has had the misfortune (but really great fortune) to be on teams with phenomenal starting pitching. This has been good for team success, but not so good for Fister’s individual recognition.
In two-and-a-half years with the Detroit Tigers, Fister won 32 games and compiled a 3.29 ERA. He also shared the rotation with Cy Young Award winners Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.
In 2014 with the Washington Nationals, Fister was even more impressive, going 16-6 with a 2.41 ERA and finishing eighth in the Cy Young voting. In 2015, he’ll be part of another stellar rotation that includes Stephen Strasburg and his old buddy Scherzer.
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