NBA: 10 Biggest Overachievers From The 2012-13 NBA Season
By John Hugar
Greivis Vasquez stunned the league with his play during the 2012-13 NBA season. Photo Credit: Mark Allison, Flickr.com
Going into the 2012-13 NBA season, everyone knew LeBron James was going to be amazing and it was hardly a surprise that Hasheem Thabeet struggled to do much in his new role on the Oklahoma City Thunder. But there were some players who did far more than what was expected of them in 2012-13 season. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the 10 biggest overachievers from this past season.
10. Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers
Sure, Crawford is well known, but after a rough 2011-12 season with the Portland Trail Blazers, no one was expecting a whole lot from him and many wondered if his best days were behind him. Instead, he thrived with the Los Angeles Clippers and re-established himself as one of the best sixth men in the league. With the Clippers about to make a playoff run, it appears likely that Crawford will be big part of the team’s operations as they look to continue the best season in team history.
9. Omer Asik, Houston Rockets
Asik thrived as the Chicago Bulls’ backup center, but whether or not he would succeed in a starting role was certainly up for debate. However, Asik managed to prove the doubters wrong by averaging a double-double and establishing himself as one of the best rebounders in the game. The Rockets may look to pursue Dwight Howard in the offseason, but even if stays with the Lakers or goes to another team, Houston is still looking pretty good at the center position.
8. Martell Webster, Washington Wizards
During his time with the Trail Blazers and the Minnesota Timberwolves, Webster never made much of name for himself, becoming more known for his mistakes than has talents. With the Washington Wizards, however, Webster turned things around considerably, putting up the best season of his career. Once John Wall returned to the lineup, Webster thrived, becoming a key part of the Wizards offense. It would not be surprising if Webster continued to be a major factor on the Wizards in the future. He’s demonstrated that he can be a quality NBA player.
7. Andray Blatche, Brooklyn Nets
After the horror show that was his final year in Washington, many people left Blatche’s career for dead. He didn’t catch on with the Brooklyn Nets until well into the offseason and once he arrived there, he wasn’t expected to do all that much. Against all odds, however, he thrived and put up the best season of his career. While Blatche did fade down the stretch, he nonetheless proved he still has value and can contribute to a playoff team. This would be a far more heart-warming story, however, if the legions of Wizards fans weren’t miffed at Blatche for how much he under-achieved during his time in Washington.
6. Reggie Evans, Brooklyn Nets
It’s not like we didn’t know Evans was valuable — we just didn’t know he was this valuable. Last year, he was a solid role player for the Clippers and it appeared that he would essentially do the same in Brooklyn. Instead, he found himself inserted into the starting lineup after Kris Humphries struggled and he quickly became a major contributor. While Evans never does a lot of scoring, he is a rebounding machine and this year, he averaged more than 11 per game. He’ll never be popular among opposing fans, but Evans is the kind of fighter you always want your team. This year he proved he could be a capable starter, despite his lack of offensive prowess.
5. P.J. Tucker, Phoenix Suns
A “where did this guy come from” type of player if there ever was one. Tucker caught on with the Suns and once Michael Beasley was banished to the bench, he earned a spot as the team’s starting shooting guard. Due to the poor play of the Suns, Tucker didn’t get a great deal of press. Still, he’s a talented guy who proved that he belongs in the NBA with his excellent performance this season. There might be much to cheer about for Suns these days, but Tucker is a huge bright spot.
4. Chris Copeland, New York Knicks
Like Tucker, Copeland was an undrafted free agent who suddenly found himself making an impact on an NBA franchise. In the preseason, he had a few big games, but most assumed it was nothing to get too excited about. Eventually, however, Copeland found himself in the Knicks’ rotation and even started a few times when Carmelo Anthony was out. He’s an excellent shooter and a ridiculously fun player to watch. It took Copeland until he was 28 for him to break into the NBA, but now that he’s here, he certainly has a bright future ahead of him.
3. Nate Robinson, Chicago Bulls
In 2011-12, Robinson quietly had a solid season with the Golden State Warriors, but few could have predicted would he would end up doing this year. As a member of the Chicago Bulls, Robinson thrived as the team’s sixth man and gave crucial offensive energy to a team that desperately needed it after losing Derrick Rose. Robinson’s style of play (high-risk, high-reward) clashes with the more conservative approach of Bulls’ coach Tom Thibodeau, but he managed to make it work anyway. Without Robinson’s contributions, the Bulls offense would have been brutal to watch this year. Luckily, Kryptonate was around to spice things up.
2. Tobias Harris, Milwaukee Bucks-Orlando Magic
When the Milwaukee Bucks gave up Harris to get J.J. Redick, it probably didn’t feel like a huge loss. After all, he hadn’t even cracked the rotation in Milwaukee and even if he had potential, there was only so much he could possibly give to a new team, right? Well, Harris exploded once receiving playing time for the Orlando Magic and he new looks like one of the most talented forwards in the game. Harris averaged 17.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game during his 27 games with the Magic and by the time it was over, the Bucks probably felt like they lost a fortune. The Magic are going through rough times, but Harris has the talent to lead them out of the gutter.
1. Greivis Vasquez, New Orleans Hornets
In 2011-12, Vasquez looked solid as the New Orleans Hornets starting point guard when filling in for the injured Jarrett jack. Still, many were skeptical when he given the starting job going into this season. He may have had some talent, but he just didn’t seem all that exciting. Vasquez proved the doubters wrong, however, by establishing himself as one of the best passers in the league, averaging 9.0 assists per game. As Hornets fans dealt with the crushing disappointment that was Austin Rivers‘ rookie campaign, the excellent play of Vasquez served to soften the blow considerably. The Hornets (now the Pelicans) are a talented young team with a bright future and Vasquez will certainly be a part of that.