Underrated Players and Their Superstar Counterparts

Andrea Bargnani = Dirk Nowitzki
Season Stats 2011-2012:
Andrea Bargnani: 19.5ppg 5.5rpg 2.0apg 43.2%
Dirk Nowitzki: 21.6ppg 6.8rpg 2.2asp 45.7%

What Andrea fails to achieve?
MVP, Championship ring and Finals MVP

What's their big difference?
Andrea and Dirk have similar skill set which made them an effective NBA players. Though Dirk stays healthy most of his career and Andrea miss most game last season where in his team loss most of those games without him.

Also Dirk shots more winning shots, crucial shots and unbelievable fade away shots which brought him to the label SUPERSTAR.

David Lee = Amare Stoudemire
Season Stats 2011-2012:
David Lee: 20.1ppg 9.6rpg 2.8apg 50.3%
Amare Stoudemire: 17.5ppg 7.8rpg 1.1apg 48.3%

What David fails to achieve?
Carries team to Playoffs, Multiple All Star Appearance.

What's their big difference?

If you remember, the New York Knicks let David Lee go to free agency even though he was a Double-double machine. The Knicks was just not committed to him for some reason. Mybe because Lee is white thus he don't get enough that attentions. Outside of that, Amar'e plays in a team where he is the main guy or one of the main guy where in David's role in the team is just being a team guy but able to produce numbers like a star. Though Amar'e is more athlethic than Lee. To be a STAR, the brand of being a player which is trying to be that guy or assert his self is what make the difference between Amare and Lee. 

Josh Smith = Lebron James

Season Stats 2011-2012:
Josh Smith: 18.8ppg 9.6rpg 3.9apg 45.8%
Lebron James: 27.1ppg 7.9rpg 6.2apg 53.1%

What Josh fails to achieve?

3 time MVP, Championship ring and Finals MVP.

What's their big difference?

Though no one can really match Lebron but what Josh Smith done is being underrated and he even miss the All Star line up last season even though he strive as an all around player for Atlanta just like Lebron. 

Kevin Martin = Kobe Bryant
Season Stats 2011-2012:
Kevin Martin: 17.1ppg 2.7rpg 2.8apg 41.3%
Kobe Bryant: 27.9ppg 5.4rpg 4.6apg 43%

What Kevin fails to achieve?

Multiple All Star Appearance, MVP, NBA Championship ring and Finals MVP.

What's their big difference?

Though both can light up the score board at will, no one can match the game of Kobe. Kevin Martin's don't get that recognition as a premiere scorer. The key in order to stick a label superstar on your name is you have to make big shots after big shots after big shots and be one of the Leagues top scorer. Just like Lebron, no one ever comes close to them.

Jose Calderon = Steve Nash
Season Stats 2011-2012:
Jose Calderon: 10.5ppg 3.0rpg 8.8apg 45.7%
Steve Nash: 12.5ppg 3.0rpg 10.7apg 53.2%

What Jose fails to achieve?
All Star appearance, assist leader and 2 MVP.

What's their big difference?

Jose Calderon is criticize due to his poor defense and devalue him as an NBA player but the truth is he can play as good as Nash. He have the vision and Basketball IQ as Nash but only he is not as clutch and determine as Nash.

Whose your Underrated = NBA star? 

Written by Fritz Castro