Everyone knows who the NBA’s biggest superstars are—the ones with national advertising campaigns, flashy nicknames, and frequent highlight packages on ESPN. But it’s time to take a look at the association’s best-kept secrets: the most underrated players in the game.
These are players who don’t get enough attention on the national stage. Fans of their respective teams likely understand the great contributions these players make on a nightly basis, but less intense NBA fans may not even register their names.
Granted, some people will be angry with at least one entry on this list, thinking the player is not actually underrated and the writer is simply stuck in a bubble. Some might even think that about every player on this list—that’s fine! You’re encouraged to comment with your own ideas.
With the season past the quarter mark, it’s time to take a look at a handful of the most underrated players in the NBA.
Some players are underrated because they’ve only been in the league long enough to grab a cup of coffee and need more time to saturate the brains of fans. Other players have been plugging along for years, never getting the respect they truly deserve.
With the winter holidays on the horizon, each of these players feels like a gift for their respective franchises. It’s time for them to share those gifts with the rest of the NBA community.
Before we begin, some honorable mentions (in no particular order): Boston Celtics guard Derrick White; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun; Milwaukee Bucks guard Grayson Allen; and New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III.
Let’s get to the list, starting with number 10.
10. F Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Oklahoma City Thunder
Having just turned 22 years old last month, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl continues to fly under the radar, playing in one of the NBA’s least recognized markets. The Thunder are only going to be able to keep the second-year player under wraps for so long, though.
In 2021, the Big East co-player of the year at Villanova was a second-round draft pick by the New York Knicks, who immediately shipped him to the Thunder. In his rookie season, Robinson-Earl played in 49 games and started the majority of them, averaging 7.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
The big man has started the majority of his games this season once again, though he’s actually playing slightly less in each game. Nevertheless, his scoring has improved, as has his three-point shooting percentage. One of Robinson-Earl’s best attributes is his ability to avoid coughing the ball up to the opponent. He sports a 6.9 turnover percentage this season, which ranks sixth in the league.
Robinson-Earl isn’t getting consistent playing time every night, though. His role seems to shift in tandem with those of Aaron Wiggins and Aleksej Pokusevski. That might only worsen as the young players come of age and get healthy (see: Holmgren, Chet).
At this point, it seems like Robinson-Earl may remain an underrated rotation piece until he winds up on another franchise less interested in his questionable ceiling and more intrigued by his sturdy floor.
9. F Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks
Bobby Portis is appreciated by his fans and his franchise, which rewarded him after he played a role in the Milwaukee Bucks’ first title in 50 years. On a grander stage, however, Portis doesn’t get as much consideration.
Portis has been in the league for a minute. He was a first-round pick of the Chicago Bulls in 2015. The Bucks are the fourth team for the big man, who has never left the Eastern Conference; he also played in Washington and New York.
While he’s had occasional starring moments with the Bulls and Wizards, he’s mostly been tied to a role on the bench. That can sometimes betray the national perception of what Portis brings to the table.
Take last season. Portis was a starter, something many people probably didn’t know. He averaged a career-high 14.6 points per game and was a handful of rebounds shy of averaging a double-double for the season. But he didn’t get the attention any of the Bucks’ better players get (to some degree, rightfully so).
Milwaukee didn’t come close to letting Portis walk over the summer. A day after he exercised his option to become an unrestricted free agent, he already had a new deal in place: four years and $49 million. Among Milwaukee players signed through 2026, only Giannis Antetokoumpo carries a higher average salary.
The Mayor of Milwaukee is largely tethered to the bench once again this year, but he’s having a strong season, currently averaging the elusive double-double in points and rebounds. Portis has also been a pest on defense, and his defensive rating ranks in the top ten in the league.
Considering his salary and local reputation, Portis is probably just fine operating in the shadows of the Greek Freak.
8. F Brandon Clarke, Memphis Grizzlies
Brandon Clarke has been a key cog off the bench for the Memphis Grizzlies for more than three years. As his rookie contract comes to a close, he might finally get the respect he serves via a handsome payday in free agency.
Memphis selected the Gonzaga stalwart and Canada native with a first-round pick in 2019. He only started four games as a rookie, but he did enough to make the All-Rookie First Team, averaging 12.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
Clarke hasn’t been able to reach the same heights as he did as a rookie, but he’s never fallen off, either. For each of his first three seasons, the big man has averaged at least 10 points and five rebounds per game and crossed the one-block-per-game threshold last year.
His counting stats don’t look as good this season. He is averaging 8.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, both of which would be the worst of Clarke’s career. He’s also fouling more than usual and turning the ball over more than usual.
Look past the basics, though. Clarke has a solid field goal percentage, which extends out to his effective field goal percentage and his true field goal percentage. His block percentage is top ten in the league and his defensive box plus/minus is at a career-best mark.
The market Clarke will command as a free agent is unclear. He’s never held a primary starting role, after all, and he’s already 26 years old. But he has all the potential to be a Sixth Man of the Year candidate – maybe that will land him some respect.
7. C Kevon Looney, Golden State Warriors
Every year, without fail, Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney becomes a household name as his team secures another Larry O’Brien trophy. Then, like clockwork, Looney fades back into the dark as his high-profile teammates seize the spotlight.
This year hasn’t gotten off to the start the defending champions were hoping for, complete with drama off the court. Looney has simply been going about his business, remaining unheralded and vital.
During the 2022 NBA Finals, Looney drew plenty of attention for his defense and proficiency on the offensive boards, deemed a critical factor in the team’s victory over the Boston Celtics. Golden State rewarded him with a three-year, $25.5 million extension over the summer.
Looney has been a full-time starter for two and a half years, now. Is he one of the first five players you think of when you think of the Warriors? Is he even the first center, or does that distinction belong to former lottery pick James Wiseman?
Maybe it’s because he’s not much of a scorer. This season, he’s averaging 6.2 points per game – he’s never averaged even seven points per game. Meanwhile, he’s grabbing 6.8 rebounds per game, his second-best mark for a season.
Looney is quietly one of the better defenders in the league, too. This season, his defensive box plus/minus ranks just outside the top 20 of the NBA. Last year, his defensive rating was fifth in the league.
The Warriors will be better than their record shows and Looney will be a big reason why, even if people don’t notice.
6. F Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets
Ranking Aaron Gordon on this list was challenging, since he may be the best individual player in the group. Playing alongside a perennial MVP winner, however, Gordon’s exploits can sometimes be overlooked.
Perhaps he’s underrated because the prodigious talent that made him the fourth overall pick in the NBA Draft never fully translated to the pros, except in the Slam Dunk Contest. Maybe it’s because Nikola Jokic rightfully deserves a lot of attention, as do Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.
Shortly after Gordon requested a trade from the Orlando Magic, he was shipped to the Denver Nuggets in March 2021. Despite moving to a more talented team, he retained a spot in the starting lineup.
At 27 years old, Gordon is suddenly having a career year. He’s averaging 16.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, both hovering near career highs. He’s also on the verge of averaging a block per game for the first time.
Gordon’s most obvious improvement this season has come behind the arc. He’s hitting 39.2 percent of his threes, the highest mark of his career. That has helped him space out the floor better when he’s on the court, allowing his teammates to become more lethal as well.
Gordon is also crashing the offensive boards harder than ever. He’s averaging 2.5 offensive boards per game, easily the best volume of his career.
Calling Gordon underrated is sure to ruffle some feathers. This is a former lottery pick who has been a full-time starter in the NBA for years and is arguably one of the best players for a team with NBA Finals aspirations. That criticism would be fair.
But he’s having an incredible season, one the national media doesn’t seem to be talking about. That’s the definition of being underrated.
5. C Nic Claxton, Brooklyn Nets
It may be difficult to fathom, but there are players on the Brooklyn Nets outside of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons. As drama roiled the franchise for the first month of the year (so far), Nic Claxton has quietly gone about his business to become one of the best young big men in the game.
The 24-year-old has been developing his game since the Nets drafted him in the second round in 2019. Despite some high-profile issues on the court – such as a significant free throw problem – the Nets extended Claxton for two years over the summer.
Claxton became a full-time starter for the first time this season and he’s taking advantage of the opportunity to break out. The big man is averaging 11.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, both career highs. He’s also hitting 72.5 percent of his field goal attempts, which leads the NBA.
In addition to becoming one of the NBA’s most consistent shooters, Claxton is also becoming one of its most fearsome defenders. He’s swatting away 2.1 shots per game. He ranks in the top 20 in both defensive rating and defensive win shares.
There are still issues Claxton needs to work on, particularly his moribund free-throw shooting. He has somehow stooped to a new low this season, hitting a ghastly 45.6 percent of his shots from the charity stripe.
In a year where the Nets’ veteran core has seemingly blown up for all the wrong reasons, however, the franchise needs to start identifying pieces of the future. Claxton’s play has pushed him into that conversation.
4. Torrey Craig, Phoenix Suns
Even though he didn’t make his NBA debut until November 2017, Torrey Craig is one of the oldest players on this list. Perhaps because he took a few years to break into the league, he remains an underrated contributor to one of the league’s best teams.
After a college career at USC Upstate, Craig didn’t catch on in the NBA. Determined to play professional basketball, he jumped around a distant continent for years, hopping between Australia and New Zealand.
The 32-year-old finally caught on with the Denver Nuggets in 2017 and has developed into somewhat of a journeyman. Case in point: the Phoenix Suns acquired Craig for cash considerations in 2021. A year later, the Suns re-acquired him in the deal that sent Jalen Smith to the Indiana Pacers.
With injuries mounting in Phoenix, Craig has fashioned himself as a part-time starter this season. He’s played in 20 games and started 12 of them, averaging 7.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. He’s also hitting 38.3 percent of his threes, the best mark of his career.
Craig’s versatility is a huge benefit for the Suns. Small forward is the most natural position for Craig, who has played roughly half of his career minutes at the spot. But this season, Craig has emerged as an option at power forward, playing almost all of his minutes at the position.
The forward is consistent and available, even if he’s rarely excellent. His reliability is an engine that can drive Phoenix through the dog days of the season and back to title contention.
3. G Josh Green, Dallas Mavericks
Draymond Green gets the headlines. Jalen Green gets recognition as being one of the young bright lights in the NBA. Josh Green gets a high placement on the list of underrated players.
The Aussie shooting guard was also a first-round pick like his Southwest Division name rival, picked 18th by the Dallas Mavericks in 2019. The McDonald’s All-American spent a year at Arizona before moving on to the pros.
Green spent part of his first year kicking around the G League. His second season didn’t bring a big jump in the NBA. While Green got into 67 games and even started a few, he averaged only a tick above 15 minutes per game.
He isn’t getting a ton more run under second-year coach Jason Kidd, but Green is taking advantage of his opportunities. In less than 20 minutes per game, he’s averaging 6.8 points. He’s also shooting the lights out, hitting 60 percent of his shots and almost 50 percent of his threes, though the latter is on 2.2 attempts per game.
Green is a shifty defender too, ready to step into passing lanes and swipe the rock from the opposition. The guard boasts a 2.4 steal percentage, top 20 in the league.
The young guard is slowly earning more trust from Kidd and made a big contribution to the team’s recent victory over the defending champions. If he keeps scoring efficiently and playing feisty defense, his contributions won’t fly under the radar for much longer.
2. C Nick Richards, Charlotte Hornets
How many people know where Nick Richards went to college? How many people even know he’s on the Charlotte Hornets now? Get to know the name, because the 25-year-old is breaking out off the Charlotte bench.
Richards was a second-round draft pick out of Kentucky in 2020, immediately dealt from the New Orleans Pelicans to Charlotte. The former First Team All-SEC player spent the majority of his rookie season in the G League before carving out a more permanent role last season.
That being said, it still wasn’t much. Richards played in 50 games but averaged just over seven minutes per game. Charlotte still wasn’t ready to throw the big man to the stingers.
Richards hasn’t started any games this season, but he’s playing almost 20 minutes per game now. He’s taking advantage of the playing time, averaging 9.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
The big man has become one of the elite offensive rebounders in the NBA, keeping possessions alive for his teammates. His total rebound percentage ranks 18th in the league, but his offensive rebound percentage ranks third. Only five players have grabbed more boards on the offensive glass this season so far.
Richards is still playing behind mainstay Mason Plumlee, but Richards is moving ahead in terms of being the more productive player. It’s time for the big man to step out of the shadows and into the starting lineup.
1. F Larry Nance Jr., New Orleans Pelicans
Sorry, did you forget about Larry Nance Jr., who has been quietly going about his business for years in the NBA? The wing is a few weeks from turning 30 years old, but he’s an essential player in the league, competing on his fourth team.
Nance followed his father’s footsteps and made it to the NBA in 2015, a late first-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Lakers. He quickly established himself as a promising player, averaging 5.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game as a rookie while largely coming off the bench.
Since then, Nance has bounced around the NBA, and traded on three separate occasions. His stints have included time with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers, only once starting more than half of the games he played in.
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In February, Nance was part of the deal that sent CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans. He underwent arthroscopic knee surgery almost immediately, however, and played in only nine regular season games with the team.
Nance’s injury wasn’t as widely covered as that of Zion Williamson, for good reason. But his return to regular action deserves more attention.
Coming off the bench exclusively, Nance is averaging 9.4 points per game, one of the highest scoring averages of his career. He’s also shooting well from both two and three, though the latter is a limited sample size of less than one attempt per game. His effective field goal percentage is 69.7 percent.
Being one of the most effective shooters in the NBA has its advantages when looking at the advanced stats. Without starting a game, Nance ranks 15th in the NBA in win shares per 48 minutes.
Offensive efficiency is just the beginning for Nance, though. He’s also a league leader in various defensive categories, including defensive rating and defensive plus/minus. He’s an all-around weapon for the Pelicans off the bench.
The versatility and athleticism of Larry Nance Jr. is a secret to NBA fans who have forgotten about him, but New Orleans’ fans are not among those people, instead valuing the most underrated player in the league today.