NBA Power Rankings: Ray Allen and the 15 Most Underrated Players in Basketball
Ray Allen doesn't get the most attention on a Boston Celtics team with a lot of outgoing personalities, but he has been their most consistent player this season.
Allen is viewed primarily as a three-point shooter, but he does much more than that. He brings quality defense and excellent foul shooting to a team filled with veterans.
The players who are underrated often are the ones who make the most impact in the clutch.
Players like Manu Ginobili, Chauncey Billups and Rajon Rondo step up their game in the crucial stages of the fourth quarter, and are proven playoff winners.
Yet these three guys don't receive enough credit for the success of their team, and their own success.
Let's look at the 15 most underrated players in the NBA.
Paul Pierce
1 of 15
We all know who Paul Pierce is, but we don't give him the praise he deserves for his Hall of Fame career. Pierce is a great player, and the best pure scorer in Boston Celtics history.
Pierce is a clutch player, who is a proven playoff performer. He won the 2008 NBA Finals MVP award, and took his game to another level in his early 30s, a rarity in today's NBA.
He has re-dedicated himself to basketball, and is a much better player now than he was early in his career, especially on the defensive end.
Pierce is an all-time player, and we must respect not only his achievements, but his loyalty. Few players these days commit themselves to one team for their entire career.
John Salmons
2 of 15
John Salmons is a solid all-around player, but receives little national respect. Everywhere he goes, his new team improves.
After being traded to Chicago during the 2009 season, the Bulls made an impressive run into the playoffs, ultimately losing to Boston in one of the greatest playoff series ever.
In 2010, Salmons found a new home in Milwaukee, helping to lead the Bucks to the NBA playoffs.
The Bucks are one of the league's most improved teams, and Salmons' scoring, ball handling and leadership is a major reason why.
Glen Davis
3 of 15
Glen Davis could start for nearly every NBA team, but he willingly accepts his role as the Celtics sixth man.
Davis is a much improved shooter who can hit the 15-18-foot jumper, and he can drive to the basket with an array of moves.
Davis' biggest asset to Boston is his hustle. He is the league leader in charges taken, well ahead of the second-place guy.
He brings great energy and emotion to every game, and when the playoffs arrive, Davis' game mysteriously rises two or three levels.
Danny Granger
4 of 15
Danny Granger is the typical great player who gets no respect because he's always played for a bad team. Granger was drafted by the Indiana Pacers, and recently re-signed with them long term.
Granger is a scorer. He can shoot threes well, and is physical enough to score in the paint against taller opponents.
His rebounding skills are also underrated, and he is a leader on the floor.
Granger is a very consistent player even though he is always double-teamed, and without another teammate who can score, defenses put their all into stopping him. But he still produces at an All-Star level.
O.J. Mayo
5 of 15
O.J. Mayo is one of the top three most underrated players in the NBA. Mayo is an amazing scorer, and his defensive abilities are very underappreciated.
Mayo can shoot from anywhere on the floor, but his quickness and ability to penetrate defenses and get to the basket are unreal.
As a member of the Grizzlies, Mayo does not have a spotlight on him, and is not the primary offensive option for Memphis.
But Mayo is the best talent on the Grizzlies, and a future superstar.
In his very short career, Mayo has received high praise from all-time players Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson.
Gerald Wallace
6 of 15
Gerald Wallace was the first ever Charlotte Bobcats player to selected to an All-Star game. Wallace has become one of the better players in the NBA, and is sure to make the All-Star game many more times before he retires.
Wallace has unbelievable athleticism, and is a very good defensive player. Whenever he plays against LeBron James, Wallace does a great job limiting James' effectiveness.
Wallace is an exceptional scorer even though he guards the opposing team's best offensive player every night.
Gerald Wallace has the talent to be a top-five player in the NBA very soon.
Paul Millsap
7 of 15
Paul Millsap saved the Utah Jazz a few seasons ago when Carlos Boozer went down with a significant injury.
Millsap was drafted after leading the NCAA in rebounding during his senior season, and has become a very good power forward.
Millsap has improved his offensive game since joining the Jazz, and is a much better defensive player.
During Utah's only trip to Miami this season, Millsap scored 11 points in the final two minutes to force overtime, and ultimately lead the Jazz to victory.
Millsap will make the decision to let Boozer go to Chicago look like a great personnel move.
David Lee
8 of 15
David Lee was the New York Knicks' best player last season, but they decided to trade him to Golden State and sign Amare Stoudemire, who you could argue is worse than Lee.
Lee is an excellent rebounder and scorer, and is a double-double machine. Lee is always a league leader in rebounds, and his defense is steadily improving.
Lee can score inside, but also has the ability to shoot from 15 feet. The Warriors up-tempo offense will suit Lee perfectly because he is also a very athletic big man who loves to run the floor.
Chauncey Billups
9 of 15
Chauncey Billups is a big-game player, but has always been a guy who has flown under the radar. After leading the Detroit Pistons to the NBA title in 2004, Billups has been an integral part of the Denver Nuggets.
The former NBA Finals MVP has hit many big shots in numerous playoff games. Billups has been a consistent scorer during his career, and is also a sold passer.
His best skill he brings to the Nuggets is his leadership. Many times, younger players have marveled at the amount of basketball knowledge they've obtained from watching or playing alongside Billups.
Rudy Gay
10 of 15
NBA fans were stunned when the Memphis Grizzlies gave Rudy Gay a max contract before the beginning of the season.
The Grizzlies know how good Rudy is, which is why they didn't hesitate to sign him long-term.
Gay quickly proved his worth in the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey, where he and Thunder star Kevin Durant were the leaders for the gold medal-winning Team USA squad.
Gay is one of the elite scorers in the NBA, and is currently averaging just over 21ppg, and is shooting the best from three-point range among the top 15 scorers in the league at 42 percent.
Rajon Rondo
11 of 15
Rajon Rondo is the best point guard in the NBA, yet many people don't consider him among the top three point men.
Rondo is a triple-double threat every night and currently leads the NBA in assists per game at 14.1.
Rondo is by far the best rebounding guard in the league, and also is among the league leaders in steals, after leading the league in steals during the 2010 season.
Rondo is the most valuable player to any team in the NBA, and he holds the key to Boston's quest for an 18th title.
Manu Ginobili
12 of 15
Manu Ginobili has never had a "career" season, but he is the best example of consistency in the NBA. Ginobili is a proven scorer, and is one of the most clutch player in the league.
He is a three-time champion, and is very versatile. He is often a starter for the Spurs, but when asked to come off the bench and provide scoring with the second unit, he does not complain.
Manu is a coach's dream player. He's a guy who is coachable, hard-working, and gives you a solid performance every night.
Luis Scola
13 of 15
Luis Scola is one of the better power forwards in the NBA. For Argentina in the 2010 FIBA World Championship this summer in Turkey, Scola was the leading scorer for the entire tournament, beating out Kevin Durant, who finished second.
Scola can score as well as any power forward, and rebounds well too. He is a very energetic player, who gives his all on every play.
Scola is averaging 20.3 ppg and 8.7 rpg so far this season, and he is emerging as the Houston Rockets' best player.
Eric Gordon
14 of 15
Eric Gordon is one of the few good draft selections the Clippers have made in the last decade. At Indiana University, Gordon was a great scorer, and he's carried that offensive talent to the NBA.
Gordon is currently eighth in the NBA in scoring, averaging 24.1 ppg. Gordon is one of many young players the Clippers are banking on to lead them back to the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
Like many players on this list, Gordon benefited greatly from playing under Coach K at the 2010 FIBA World Championship this summer.
Gordon is steadily becoming a more complete player, and is expanding his game beyond scoring. The sky is the limit for Gordon, and soon he will be a perennial scoring leader, likely to win many scoring titles.
Ray Allen
15 of 15
Who is the best pure shooter in NBA history? The answer is Ray Allen. Allen is quickly approaching Reggie Miller's all time three-pointers made record, and will break it near the All-Star Game.
Allen does not receive a lot of attention on the Celtics, who are a team with several big-name personalities. But Allen is the most consistent Celtics player this season, and is always ready to nail a huge shot at the end of the game.
Ray is one of the most dangerous players in the game, not just because of his long-distance shooting, but for his greatly improved one-on-one defense and his conditioning.
No player shoots more jump shots every day than Ray Allen, and his dedication to the game has him shooting just as good as a 35-year-old as he was as a rookie.
