The 10 most underrated NBA players of the 2010s

8. Brook Lopez

Brook Lopez modeled his game after the 7-foot giants who came before him. So much of his career was spent near the bucket because before the last few years, god forbid a man of his size do anything else.

Across eight seasons this decade with the Brooklyn Nets — previously of New Jersey — Lopez fulfilled his center duties rather well. He shot 50.3 percent from the field on his way to 19.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, even making the All-Star Game in 2013.

Those seemingly above-average numbers aren’t as basic as you might think. During that same period, the only other players to replicate Lopez’s stats are LeBron James, Blake Griffin, Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns.

What kept Lopez from receiving proper recognition? Part of that falls on the Nets’ embarrassing record, where they averaged just 16 wins from 2010-12.

It wasn’t until the move to Brooklyn where the Nets began a string of three playoff appearances. By then, though, the presence of  Deron Williams and Joe Johnson — and eventually Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett — cast Lopez into the shadows.

Now, Lopez is revered for his newfound shooting stroke as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. He’s been dubbed crucial to their title hopes and one could only wonder how he’d be viewed with similar responsibilities closer to his peak.