The 5 Most Underrated Players Of 2008/2009, So Far:

5.)  Kevin Durant:  You may go, "why is he on your list, we all know him and know he's really good".  Maybe so, but I have heard pretty much nothing on the guy, maybe b/c he is on an irrelevant team?  Maybe b/c guys like Lebron, Kobe, Wade, Paul, and Howard dominate pretty much every headline, and (kind of) rightly so, but I'm here to give Durant some love.

48.7% FG, 43.6% 3PT, 26 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG - Just mull these numbers over a minute and think about it.  He is 2-3 rebounds a game from being in the Lebron, Wade, Kobe numbers right?  Look at that FG%, and even better the 3PT%!!!  Just sick.  The best part?  Take the top 4 MVP contenders right now...

Dwyane Wade - 1.01 points per shot attempt
Kobe Bryant - 1.00 points per shot attempt
Chris Paul - 1.047 points per shot attempt
Lebron James - 1.049 points per shot attempt
Kevin Durant - 1.045 points per shot attempt

Right on par with CP3 and LBJ (btw, free throws made was subracted, considering they aren't points from an attempt).  Yeah, his team sucks I know I know, but the man is playing top 10 basketball easy and I haven't heard his name mentioned but a few times (one of them being the crazy sophomore game he had!). 





4.)  Rajon Rondo:  This man just produces.  A little quick stat for ya, how many point guards right now are shooting 50% or higher?  Answer - just one, and you got it, it's Rondo.  He doesn't put up all the attractive numbers, and yes he has not just an all-star cast but a Hall of Fame cast, but that doesn't take away from the fact he is simply amazing at what he does, and that's running an offense.  He is on a top 3 team, with a cast of stars, and just does his thing. 

51% FG, 11.6 PPG, 8.5 APG, 5.4 RPG, 2.7 TOPG, 1.9 SPG - These kind of look like a poor man's Kidd, his shooting percentage is MUCH higher, he takes less shots so thats the reason for less PPG, and not quite as many APG or RPG but still my point is he is the complete player.  My favorite part is he might be the absolute best defensive PG in the league.  Just a beast defender, unbelievable speed, great quickness, good vision, he can do it all.  The ball is in his hands much of the time despite the fact he is on the court with 3 all-time greats, and he's not phased, gotta say something right? 





3.)  Paul Millsap:  He will be the reason the Jazz won't be too worried, nor need to be, when Carlos Boozer walks out of Utah this upcoming offseason.  I liked Millsap out of college, I envisioned him having a chance to be solid, but I really didn't expect him to be really good, and he has that chance. 

31.8 MPG, 53.6% FG, 14.4 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.0 BPG - Just all around solid, and his per 36 numbers are damn good (16.3 PPG, 10.4 RPG).  So good riddens Boozer, Millsap is being prepared and primed for a bigger role next season, and with Deron and company they will continue winning games.  PS - The reason i chose Millsap over Charlie Villanueva, despite Villa scoring more in abt 5 less minutes per is b/c Millsap shoots about 7% higher and is on a contender, and doing this on a contender has to count for something.





2.)  Devin Harris:  Much like Durant, people obviously know him and know what he's about, but people are speaking of him much when we talk about best point guards.  His name should at the very least be mentioned, and remember the Mavs traded him to acquire Kidd, ha nice move Cuban.  Anyways, to me this guy is 3rd or 4th in the league, him and Tony Parker are on par with one another.  He leads all point guards in PPG with a solid shooting percentage and assist/turnover ratio. 

44.2% FG, 31.8% 3PT, 22.3 PPG, 6.7 APG, 3.2 RPG, 1.6 SPG - Just so underrated, teams would kill to get production out of their PG like this, well except one team, the Mavs would just trade him away again.  Haha sry Mavs fans, just kidding, kinda.  But seriously, my favorite part of Harris, he gets to the line as much as Lebron, Kobe, Wade or the other big names and shoots much less, therefore raising his overall points per shot (including FTM) to 1.43, above James (1.41), Kobe (1.30), Paul (1.42), and Wade (1.35).  Not bad, huh.





1.)  David Lee:  Prior to this season David Lee was coming off the bench, and dominating, I kicked, screamed, and insisted that he needed to be in a starting role.  His play warranted it, and the fact he is on the lowly Knicks was another reason, hell they didn't have anything to lose or anything better in his place.  Finally, Isiah is gone, and David Lee is getting his chance.  And still dominating, just like I figured he would.

55.6% FG, 16.5 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.9 SPG - The 3rd leading rebounder (behind rebounding machines Howard and Camby) and a VERY efficient scorer (1.39 pts per shot attempt, more than Kobe and Wade).  Also, remember above when I was talking about points per shot attempt and not including free throws made, since they didn't come directly from shots?  Well I'll refresh your memory, James (1.049) lead everyone, while Durant and Paul weren't far behind, well Lee comes in with 1.11, better than James, and the rest of the "MVP" gang.  No one gives him enough credit, and I mean NO ONE.  Plus he probably had the single greatest game of the season where he had 37 pts and pulled down 21 rebounds!  Just icing on the cake, he has 23 straight double-doubles going and 45 in his last 48 games!  Oh and one last thing, in his 23 game double-double streak (since Jan 14th) he's avg - 19 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 57.3% FG.