All-Time Overrated NBA Players

[Glaken]

All-time overrated NBA players Story Tools: Print Email XML Charley Rosen / Special to FOXSports.com Posted: 1 day ago

The numbers are misleading, and so is the hype. The truth is that too many "good" players are wrongly celebrated as being all-time greats. To set the record straight, here's an alphabetical list of the most overrated NBA players ever. Charles Barkley So who's underrated? Joe Dumars and Dennis Rodman made Charley Rosen's list of the all-time underrated players. See who else is on the list The Round Mound of Rebound was never in acceptable game shape. But reporting to one Houston training camp 20 pounds overweight didn't prevent him from chastising his teammates for not being serious about challenging for the championship. Also, he only played defense when the spirit moved him — which was very seldom. These days, he complains about not having played with top-flight teammates — left unsaid, however, is the fact that Barkley's self-involved style of play did nothing to compliment whatever talents his teammates did have. Over the course of his career, Barkley's selfishness and total lack of discipline made him a chronic underachiever. Walt Bellamy He was lazy, sloppy, soft, selfish, defenseless, and useless in the clutch. The media called him "Big Bells," but his fellow players had another name for him — "Tinker Bell". His career averages of 20.1 points and 13.7 rebounds per game notwithstanding, what's Bellamy doing in the Hall of Fame? Patrick Ewing Patrick Ewing wasn't exactly his best when the game was on the line. (Otto Greule Jr. / Getty Images) Had he played out of the spotlight in someplace like Orlando or Salt Lake City, Ewing would be remembered as a jump-shooting center who worked hard. Period. With the adulatory New York fans and media filtering their perceptions through the lens of their need to have heroes to celebrate, Ewing was celebrated as being far better than he really was. In truth, he couldn't handle, pass, move laterally, and do anything worthwhile when an important game was on the line. Moreover, his dim apprehension of what the game was all about precluded any thoughts of being unselfish. Except for the early days of the Mets and the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York sports fans rarely hitch their devotion to a loser like Ewing. George Gervin Double-G was a great scorer, smooth and virtually unstoppable. And that's all, folks. He couldn't (or didn't) pass, defend, or rebound. Gervin's idea of team basketball was when a teammate passed him the ball. Of necessity, his San Antonio teams played high-octane offense and flat-tire defense. That's why Gervin never played in a championship series. Connie Hawkins Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird ... Charley Rosen ranks the NBA's best players ever position by position. Power forwards | Small forwards Point guards | Shooting guards Centers | Sixth men | Coaches He could finish in spectacular ways, and he could make both plain and simple passes. Otherwise, he couldn't shoot, rebound, run, or play defense. How bad was the Hawk's defense? The first time he played in Madison Square Garden, the Suns tried to hide Hawkins' atrocious defense by matching him up with Dick Barnett. Too bad Barnett was so insulted by the ploy that he lit up Hawkins for 35 points. Also, nobody ever accused Hawkins of having a passion to play basketball: He once told the Suns that he couldn't play that night because he had a fever. A doctor was summoned, and Hawkins' temperature registered at 98.9. As a result, Hawkins felt justified to sit on the bench in his civvies. Hawkins was all flash and very little substance. Elvin Hayes He could do three things — rebound, block shots, and shoot a high percentage on turnaround jumpers from the left box. He couldn't pass, handle, play honest defense, or hit a clutch shot to get into heaven. In addition, he paid no attention to the basketball alphabet of Xs and Os. All he cared about was "me-ball-basket." Karl Malone I've been on this guy's case many times before, and for the same reasons. He found various ways to choke in the 1996 Conference finals and in the 1997 and 1998 Finals — missed free throws, damaging turnovers, ill-advised shots, losing gambles on defense, and so on. In addition, his passing skills and his defense were both overblown, and his assist-turnover ration was a horrendous 5:4. There are only two reasons why Malone is deemed to be an elite power-forward — John Stockton, and longevity. Bob McAdoo Here's all anyone needs to know about McAdoo's game: When he played against the Celtics, McAdoo was usually defended by Dave Cowens. Now Cowens was a legitimate tough guy who always played with intensity, power, and courage, and whose rough-house tactics on defense would often approach minor felonies. At the start of McAdoo's matchups with Cowens, B-Mac would assume his favorite position on the left box. Perhaps he'd even get a shot off. Perhaps he'd even get fouled. But Cowens would definitely assault him with elbows, knees, hips, forearms, and fists. By the middle of the first quarter, McAdoo would post-up five feet beyond the box. By the end of the fourth quarter, he'd be looking to receive the ball near the 3-point line. Anything to avoid contact. In other words, McAdoo was nothing more than a big, quick, soft, jump-shooter deluxe. Pete Maravich A one-man circus who wouldn't throw a pass unless it was behind the back or through the legs or in one ear and out the other. And his completion rate was barely above .500. His ball-hogging made him unpopular with his teammates, but scored big-time with the media. It's no accident that his teams were always pretenders and never contenders. It also says here that Maravich was the worst defender in NBA history. Gary Payton G.P. has always been a shoot-first point guard, favoring post-ups, open middles, and high-and-low screens to locate his shots. He was also a confrontational player, demanding perfection form his teammates and his coaches, but never from himself. Payton's reputation for playing outstanding defense gained him All-Defense honors for nine seasons, and a famous nickname, "The Glove." Even so, during the 1996 Finals, the Chicago Bulls set out to prove something that they already knew — that Payton's rep was mostly bogus. In lieu of playing solid contain defense, Payton routinely gambled for steals at every opportunity, and when he failed he put his teammates in jeopardy. The Bulls limited Payton's room to maneuver by posting Michael Jordan, who had little difficulty catching, shooting, driving, and generally having his way against G.P. Payton's game was, and is, less than meets the eye. David Robinson This guy was a cream puff. He could come from the weak-side to block shots, but he couldn't guard his own man. He could rebound, but rarely in a crowd. He could score, but only on foul-line jumpers, or only if a defender bought a head fake after he drove his left hand into the middle. He couldn't pass or handle. He couldn't stand his ground in the paint. And, according to one of his ex-coaches, he never worked on his game in the off-season simply because he really didn't like playing basketball. Had he not played alongside of Tim Duncan, The Admiral would have been lost at sea. Charley Rosen, former CBA coach, author of 12 books about hoops, the current one being A pivotal season — How the 1971-72 L.A. Lakers changed the NBA, is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com.

[wizofescazu]

ROSEN..Its good copy..But take Pistol off that list..

Maravich was a gym rat who elevated the game nationwide..

A joy to watch..

I remember one night in 76 or 77 the knicks threw everything but the kitchen sink at him..

I remember in the Garden he came in with LSU for the NIT and 2 little dudes from Penn locked him up..mid 70s..LSU was a circus..

He and Issel tore up the SEC those years..Fond memories..

[Tesco Vee]

watching Ewing do his bunny hop, clank off the rim was unbearable.

Those NY Bricks teams set bball back 20 years.

[colhoopsman]

wiz without a doubt pistol pete was one of the most overrated players alltime

[guppy]

gosh. maravich overrated? makes ya wonder how he duped the committee who selected the 50 greatest of all time or how he faked those incredible stats. for anyone who ever watched him play, and who still maintains he was overrated, a presumption of race-bias is virtually unavoidable.

[Hache Man]

The guy who wrote that article must have never watched an NBA game in his life.

The only one I see on that list that could be considered overrated is Gary Payton.

But there was a time he did have serious game, so even the claim that Payton was overrated may be stretching it a bit.....

[The General]

Originally Posted by guppy

gosh. maravich overrated? makes ya wonder how he duped the committee who selected the 50 greatest of all time or how he faked those incredible stats. for anyone who ever watched him play, and who still maintains he was overrated, a presumption of race-bias is virtually unavoidable.

Welcome to EOG guppy

[CashKilla]

Rosen has no clue. Charles Barkley was 6'4 although listed at 6'6 and as Mr Rosen says , he was overweight much of his career and he was lazy at times... So how could he of possibly underachieved? This guy dominated the power forward position for more than a decade, he guarded other teams centres although being 6'4, he dunked on guys twice his size , consistently brought you a double-double although being 6'4 due to the explosiveness he possessed due to early plyometric training in his career, could occasionally shoot the three and actually had good court vision and possessed good passing abilities. The guy didn't win a championship, thanks to Mr Jordan and ditto Karl Malone.

Simply put, any guy standing 6'4 and overweight has no business playing power forward in the 80's and 90's and dominating whilst averaging a 20-10. He's over achieved regardless of not winning a championship.

Rosens got no clue, the issues he raises bite him in the ass!

[ger379]

Sir Charles guarding centers?........never saw him guard anyone.....

Saying Charlie Rosen has no clue is like saying Phil Jackson
has no clue....thats where he gets his info and his opinions

[CashKilla]

Occasionally Barkley would match up against Olajuwon, Robinson etc. Alot during the playoffs from 93-95.

As you said , he gets alot of his opinions and ideas from PJ which further backs up my statement in saying he has no clue. Phil in my eyes is one of the greatest , if not the greatest coach to ever coach basketball, but I also don't agree with alot of the things he does and says . He's come across as a hypocrite many times.

[CashKilla]

Here's a thought from PJ anyway

Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson: "Charles is a guy who, when a ball was in his area, it became his. There are a few players like that who come to the ball game or this level of play, who always seem to gravitate to the basketball, loose balls, rebounds, steals. Charles was the kind of player that came up with really big plays, clutch plays and he played as big as a seven-footer."

...and Shaq
Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal: "There were some battles. In my career he was one of the toughest guys that I ever had to face. In terms of his size and his strength, and his intelligence of the game. It's obvious because of his records that he can rebound. He was like a magnet to the ball. Sometimes you thought he wasn't going to get the rebound, but he pushed you right under and it was his. One of the best power forwards who ever played the game."

[Presto]

Carmello Anthony. The guy has not even one double double this season.

[cisco]

Barkley was a crying, overweight, overpaid, loudmouth "I'm a 90's ******" racist.
Now he's an overpaid, loudmouth clown.

[cisco]

But they loved Charles in Philly

[DrunkHorseplayer]

No way are Barkley and Payton overrated; Barkley carried the Sixers on his own for a while and Payton could do it all. How can he criticize Payton for getting beat by MJ?