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NBA: 5 Role Players Exceeding Expectations

By Colby Giacubeno

Nov 9, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum (3) guards Denver Nuggets guard Will Barton (5) in the fourth quarter at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets defeated the Trail Blazers 108-104. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 9, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum (3) guards Denver Nuggets guard Will Barton (5) in the fourth quarter at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets defeated the Trail Blazers 108-104. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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To build a championship contender, it’s imperative to have superstars on the roster, but it is just as important to have role players that take the team to the next level. Here are five role players exceeding expectations this season.

Jan 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

The eyes of NBA fans are often drawn to the superstars of the league, and rightfully so. Players such as Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and many more are a joy to watch as they take over games with their unique abilities and athleticism.

It goes the same way for pretty much every sport, the star is the one who gets the majority of the attention and spotlight, but in sports such as basketball, it’s obvious that one star player is no longer enough to bolster a team to an NBA title. Now, multiple stars are teaming up in order to form “super teams,” which gives them the best chance of becoming a champion.

Even with these juggernaut teams being formed, the deciding factor in deciding if a team is truly championship worthy is the role players that are put around the stars. A recent example of this would be Ray Allen when he played for the Miami Heat alongside James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

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To this day, the image of him hitting the game-tying three pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals gave the Heat momentum to win in overtime and eventually the series.

Allen is just one of the countless examples that could be used to stress the importance of role players on a team. This season in the association, there have been a handful of players who have gone above and beyond expectations in terms of production.

Not all have put their team in championship contention as of yet, but they offer the front office a building block to eventually put together a team that will have a chance to contend for a multitude of season.

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