NBA: 10 most underrated performers of the season so far

9. Royce O’Neale

What Royce O’Neale brings to this Utah Jazz team could not be more understated. O’Neale is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA and is consistently guarding the best player on the other team for the Utah Jazz. Whether he has been in the starting lineup, coming off the bench, spotting up in the corner, cutting off the ball or running in transition, O’Neale has given one-hundred percent effort to this Jazz team at all times.

While O’Neale’s numbers don’t look like much (6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game) his impact on both ends of the floor is shown through his minutes per game. Quinn Snyder who is one of the leagues best coaches wouldn’t play O’Neale 29.0 minutes per game on one of the better teams in the Western Conference if he wasn’t contributing.

Not only that but Royce O’Neale is shooting 40.2 percent from three-point land this season, one of only 32 players in the NBA to shoot above 40 percent on more than three attempts per game, according to NBA.com. The Utah Jazz benefit so much from having one of the best three-and-D guys in the league on their roster and his importance will only shine through more when it comes playoff time.