Most Underrated Players In The NBA G League
Who are the most underrated players in the bubble this season? Experts from past and present weigh in with their thoughts.
With the NBA G League season set to get underway on Wednesday, February 10, this is the perfect time to check in with some G League writers of past and present — those who have followed the league most intently and for the longest time — to see which players are most worth keeping an eye on in the bubble.
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Simply put, who are the most underrated players in bubble? The best could be yet to come for youngsters who have thus far flown under the radar or been counted out. Read on to see who comes to mind for myself, Dakota Schmidt of RidiculousUpside.com, Scott Rafferty of NBA Canada, and Chris Priczak of SB Nation.
Keith Schlosser (@KeithBSchlosser): It’s surprising to see that Kenny Wooten is no longer on a Two-Way contract, so that to me suggests he’s underrated. The big man averaged 3.6 blocks last season (good for second-best in the league) in just 24.9 minutes per contest. He boasts a combination of raw athleticism and dedication on the defensive end. He seems to know what his calling card is and how he can impact an NBA game, and is focused on providing value. Finding one’s niche goes a long way. An injury derailed the remainder of his rookie campaign, so perhaps he has to prove once again that he’s still ready for the next level.
Tahjere McCall is someone else who comes to mind. He helped lead the Long Island Nets to the 2019 G League Finals and was the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up that season. Last season, he often flirted with triple-doubles and proved he didn’t need to score in bunches to show his worth. The things McCall does on the court help those around him and he’s demonstrated a knack for sparking transition points. He’ll have a good opportunity with the Lakeland Magic.
Dakota Schmidt (@Dakota_Schmidt): Let me just say that I'm perplexed and flummoxed as to why Bryce Brown is in this bubble on a regular G League contract with Westchester and not on a Two-Way deal. If he didn't play with the Rookie of the Year (Tremont Waters) when he was with Maine during the 2019-20 campaign, he would have received a lot more attention. He's a true all-around player that can score in a variety of ways on offense and work his tail off on the defensive end.
Scott Rafferty (@crabdribbles): One name that jumps out is David Stockton, who will be suiting up for the Memphis Hustle. He’s already had a lot of success in the G League, averaging 17.5 points, 7.1 assists and 1.6 steals on .450/.372/.823 shooting splits over 169 career games. He might not be at the top of the G League Call-Up List, but he’s as steady as they come.
Chris Priczak (@ChrisPriczak): When it comes to underrated players, two players come to mind: Kenny Wooten and Andrew Rowsey. Wooten’s talents were on display last season. He was one of the top shot blockers. He showed to be one of the top defenders in the G League and earned a call-up with the New York Knicks, but never appeared in an NBA game due to a finger injury. Wooten is a great player to watch and will make great defensive plays; one that may end up on SportsCenter again.
Andrew Rowsey blossomed into a top player in the G League last season where he showed he is an unbelievable scorer and is a sharpshooter. He kept the defense on their toes and made defenses pay with his abilities on the perimeter. Rowsey proved to be an efficient shooter (on a .487./477/.935 clip) and could provide that to an NBA team this season.