10 Most Underrated Players in the NBA

The NBA is a league dominated by superstars who command plenty of attention, but there are plenty of players who don’t receive the recognition they deserve.

LeBron James and Kevin Durant are universally heralded, and while they are worthy of being so, there are a number of other athletes who deserve to be heralded as well, but aren’t.

The term “underrated” cannot be thrown around lightly, because while there are many athletes who may be, there are even more who are overrated. 

Admittedly, it is somewhat painful to watch as certain players bust their asses but do not generate the same amount of hype as others—especially the ones who aren’t earning their keep.

That being said, perhaps some of these athletes prefer to be quietly brilliant. If this is the case, an apology must be extended, as they spend some time in the spotlight here.

No. 10: Shane Battier

Shane Battier, a career 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game player, has not and will not ever be a statistical fiend.

However, he is easily one of the most underrated players currently in the league.

While Battier may not turn heads with his scoring abilities, he can hit from all areas of the court when open. He is also a superb defender capable of locking down even the most difficult of perimeter players. 

Battier’s prowess on the glass is also impressive, not necessarily in terms of the amount of boards he grabs, but his ability to box out much larger and stronger players creates opportunities for his teammates.

Additionally, the small forward is the epitome of consistency. He has never put up big numbers, but his production is virtually guaranteed.

In terms of work ethic and durability, few can match Battier’s efforts—he has played in no less than 60 games each of his 10 NBA seasons.

Battier is a free agent, and if a team is looking for a dependable workhorse with a near-unmatchable basketball IQ, then the 33-year-old is certainly worth a look.

No. 9: Andre Iguodala

Andre Iguodala is a player who can do it all, yet after seven years of immense versatility, the 27-year-old remains vastly underrated.

Iguodala averaged 14.1 points, 6.3 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game last season.

His scoring averaged dropped a bit, but both his assist and rebound totals remained constant or increased.

Despite his dip in scoring, Iguodala remains quite a threat on offense.

His incredible ball-handling skills allow him to maneuver his way in and out of the paint rather easily, creating shots for himself as well as his teammates. 

Next to Dwyane Wade, there isn't a shooting guard who can pass better than Iguodala. He can run the point guard duties if needed because his court-vision surpasses that of most at his position—even of some true point guards.

On the other end of the ball, Iguodala is simply a beast.

He is one of the best rebounding shooting guards there is and can be found crashing the glass on a nightly basis. His athleticism allows him to force opponents into a corner, and his quick hands make it easy for him to poke the ball away and come up with steals.

Given everything that Iggy has to offer, he should probably be held in such high regard that we would be complaining people are placing him on a pedestal.

Instead, he finds himself on the trade block.

Yet again.

No. 8: Andre Miller

Andre Miller has arguably been underrated his entire career, but no more so than he is now.

Miller, 35, had 12.7 points, seven assists and 1.4 steals per game last season.

He is relatively agile, especially for his age, and can navigate traffic with ease.

As a floor general, Miller is simply one of the smartest. He is a great ball-handler who can make quick, efficient decisions.

Miller is equally effective on the defensive end, as he uses his quickness to keep his man from beating him off the dribble.

One of his little-known attributes is his uncanny ability to never fall for a pump-fake—he is one of the better defensive readers in the game.

For a point guard, Miller is a great rebounder, averaging just over four per game for his career. What he lacks in height, he makes up for in strength and fearlessness, taking on opposing players often 30 or more pounds heavier than he.

Now a member of the Denver Nuggets, Miller is going to become almost an afterthought behind Ty Lawson. He may be aging, but he is still more than competent at running an offense full-time.  

Miller has been underrated his entire career, but he has always been able to hold a starting point guard position. His almost-certain delegation to the backup role in Denver may just mean he is underrated now more than ever.

No. 7: Ryan Anderson

The best has yet to come from Ryan Anderson, but few people seem to acknowledge this.

Last season, Anderson averaged 10.6 points and five rebounds in just over 22 minutes per game.

For a 6’10” power forward, Anderson has some serious range, knocking down over 39 percent of his three-point attempts last season—his ability to hit shots from anywhere on the court is severely understated.

At only 23, Anderson has a wealth of potential, yet this often goes overlooked thanks to the attention Dwight Howard commands and the plethora of bad contracts the Orlando Magic have attached themselves to.

Additionally, he is a great rebounder, an attribute of his that we aren’t always able to see since he plays alongside the greatest rebounding machine currently in the NBA.

On the rare occasion Howard is taking a breather and Anderson isn’t on a leash, though, he crashes the glass like an animal.

Moving forward, expect to see great things from Anderson. Whether or not he remains underrated largely depends upon if Howard remains in Orlando.

No. 6: Wesley Matthews

Wesley Matthews’ name carries nowhere near the weight it should in this league.

Last season, the second of his career, Matthews averaged 15.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.

He boasts a versatile offensive game, as he is able to score from anywhere on the floor and hit over 40 percent of his three-point attempts last season.

In addition to his nice offensive repertoire, Matthews is an effective defender as well.

He has quick hands, which allow him to grab a lot of steals, and is particularly strong for his position, enabling him to guard bigger players.

Outside of the Portland Trail Blazers locker room, not many appreciate his immense talent. The team would jump at the chance to move Brandon Roy not only because of his bloated contract, but also to make room for this kid.

Matthews’ on-court accolades are even more impressive given he went undrafted.

Not many thought he would make it in this leave. Even fewer can believe the impact he has made thus far.

And even fewer than that are aware of just how prolific Matthews can be.

No. 5: Lamar Odom

Despite being one of the most versatile and dependable players in the league, Lamar Odom's contributions are still clearly underrated.

Last season, Odom averaged 14.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.

He is a great ball-handler, who could handle point guard duties if truly needed, and a solid defender.

In addition, he is a force on the boards, out-rebounding athletes much taller than himself.

At 32 years old and with 12 seasons under his belt, Odom is currently viewed as a tool for the Lakers to use to land their next superstar.

While the fact that he is needed to do such a thing speaks volumes to a certain degree, Los Angeles' willingness to part with him so easily would lead one to believe he isn't an integral piece to their success.

Regardless, though, many tend to forget that the reigning sixth man of the year has been a consistently effective player his entire career, and helped fill a Shaquille O'Neal-sized void the Lakers had when they dealt the big man.

Odom didn't get the recognition he deserved five years ago, and it is unlikely any of that changes looking ahead, ensuring he will probably go down as one of the most underrated players not just of this generation, but for many to come.

No. 4: Arron Afflalo

As a more-than-competent player, Arron Afflalo is starting to draw some attention in a wafer-thin free-agent market.

That being said, it is nowhere near the amount of exposure he deserves.

Afflalo averaged 12.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game last season for the Nuggets.

He was lights-out from three-point range, knocking down over 42 percent of his shots from downtown, and proved to be able to create for himself off the dribble. He can move off the ball impressively as well.

Additionally, the shooting guard is a capable defender who uses his athleticism to keep pace with even the most elusive of players.

Denver owes a large part of its success post-Carmelo Anthony to Afflalo, as he proved to be one of the more reliable scorers on the team after the star small forward's departure. And at 26, with only four NBA seasons under his belt, he has barely scratched the surface of his potential.

If his efforts over the last couple of seasons are any indication, Afflalo is going to be something special. Whether or not he gets recognized for it is a different story.

No. 3: Kevin Martin

Kevin Martin is one of the purest shooters in the game, yet he remains one of the more best-kept secrets in the league.

For the past five seasons, Martin has averaged 20 or more points per game, proving to be one of the more consistent shooters.

Hitting over 38 percent of his shots from beyond the arc for his career, Martin is a lethal long-range threat as well.

Martin's defense is nothing to write home about, but he does do a good job at least—largely due to that freakishly long wingspan of his—of keeping his man in front of him.

What is most intriguing about Martin, though, is his ability to hit any kind of shot under just about any kind of circumstances.

He is adept at hitting the fade-away and needs very little room to get off a shot in general. His grace under pressure can not go overlooked, either, as he has become the go-to guy for the Houston Rockets when they need a clutch bucket.

At 28, Martin has shown signs of only improving, not slowing down. All indications are is he is going to continue to be one of the best scorers in the game, while maintaining the reputation of a little-known role player.

Guess he will have to settle for the recognition he receives here. 

No. 2: Nene Hilario

For the better part of a decade, Nene Hilario has been quietly effective.

Last season, he averaged 14.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and one block per game.

He is the perfect combination of power and finesse and is one of the most athletic centers in the game.

While he doesn't exactly appear to be strong, Nene is able to battle in the low-post with the best of them.

He is an aggressive defender who makes it difficult for the opposition to grab offensive rebounds when he is on the floor. Also, thanks to both his smarts and athleticism, he is able to pinpoint timing and block shots consistently.

Within 10 or 15 feet of the basket, there are very few centers who have a better touch than Nene.

He is going to put up points no matter who is defending him, whether it be with a baby-jumper or forcing his way to a lay-in.

At 29 years old and preparing to enter unrestricted free-agency once the lockout ends, Nene should nearly top the list of any team looking for an effective center.

It doesn't get said enough, but Nene is truly one of the biggest low-post threats in the game.

No. 1: Raymond Felton

Few players in the league are as hard a worker as Raymond Felton is, and even fewer are as effective.

Splitting time with the Knicks and Nuggets, Felton averaged a combined 15.5 points, 8.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game.

He is considerably strong for a point guard, yet he sacrifices nothing in terms of agility, as he is still one of the league's most elusive floor generals.

When it comes to directing an offense, Felton is extremely efficient. He has great court-vision and is able to make quick and intelligent decisions with or without the ball.

And if a big man is in need of a pick-and-roll partner, he is simply one of the best at executing it.

Felton is not just a passer, though, but also a major scoring threat. He can hit from the outside or power his way into the paint for an easy basket.

Opposing defenses—especially in the low-post—have trouble containing him because he is both fast and strong.

Defensively, Felton is one of the better perimeter defenders. His quickness allows him to move laterally with ease and his hands are just as spry as his feet, making him a threat to steal the ball on each defensive set.

Despite playing at a near All-Star level, Felton receives little recognition and praise. Let it be known, though, that he should prove to be the driving force that compels the Trail Blazers to championship contention.

And once we start to watch the Felton-directed Blazers hang with the best in the West, hopefully he will no longer remain so overlooked and underrated.

You can follow Dan Favale on Twitter here @Dan_Favale.