$15 NBA Players Who Aren\'t as Great as Everyone Thinks They Are$

15 NBA Players Who Aren't as Great as Everyone Thinks They Are

By Frank Ewere

15 NBA Players Who Aren't as Great as Everyone Thinks They Are

Anthony Davis and Steph Curry — Some players are as great as everybody believes them to be and some players are overrated. Fans and people across the world often have personal vendettas against players and that influences their perception of talent. Here are 15 NBA players who aren’t as great as everybody thinks they are.

15. DeMar DeRozan

Demar Derozan Raptors

15. DeMar DeRozan

Demar Derozan Raptors — DeMar DeRozan has made an All-Star team and he was recently named as the Eastern Conference Player of the Week. But DeRozan hasn’t been able to take the Toronto Raptors to the next level because he is mainly a player who is living off of his athleticism.

14. Michael Carter-Williams

Michael Carter-Williams Bucks

14. Michael Carter-Williams

Michael Carter-Williams Bucks — Carter-Williams won the Rookie of the Year award in 2014, but it was for a bad Philadelphia 76ers team. Somebody on the team had to earn the stats. Now that he is on a playoff-caliber team, Carter-Williams’ inability to consistently make perimeter shots has become more exposed.

13. Jahlil Okafor

Jahlil Okafor 76ers

13. Jahlil Okafor

Jahlil Okafor 76ers — Okafor is in the same circumstance that Carter-Williams was. Okafor might have more potential than Carter-Williams, but that doesn’t mean he isn't only slightly above average right now.

12. Tim Duncan

Tim Duncan Spurs

12. Tim Duncan

Tim Duncan Spurs — Thanks to Kawhi Leonard and the masterful coaching of San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, Duncan’s age hasn’t caught up to him. But if Leonard were to sit out for an extended time, it would clear that Duncan just doesn’t have enough to lift his team.

11. Chris Paul

Chris Paul Clippers

11. Chris Paul

Chris Paul Clippers — Paul might be the best quintessential point guard, but he has been unable to lift the Los Angeles Clippers to the promise land. Even Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook have surpassed him and now he is almost like the forgotten man amongst NBA point guards.

10. Markieff Morris

Markieff Morris Suns

10. Markieff Morris

Markieff Morris Suns — Morris complained about his brother being traded and he wants to leave the Phoenix Suns. However, Morris’ talent as a power forward is subpar and, therefore, not many people should want him.

9. DeAndre Jordan

DeAndre Jordan Clippers

9. DeAndre Jordan

DeAndre Jordan Clippers — DeAndre Jordan is a poor man’s Dwight Howard. But at least Howard lifted a team to the NBA finals. Jordan’s free-throw percentage is worse, he has no post moves and still hasn’t gotten any better as a player.

8. Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant Thunder

8. Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant Thunder — Durant is still a top-five player, but those who believe that he is second in the world are mistaken. Even Russell Westbrook has become better than Durant because of Durant’s lack of aggression.

7. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo Bucks

7. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo Bucks — Giannis Antetokounmpo has potential because of his size and length, but that potential won’t come to fruition for a few years. Antetokounmpo has to work on defense and shooting so that the Milwaukee Bucks can eventually start going small consistently.

6. Monta Ellis

Monta Ellis Pacers

6. Monta Ellis

Monta Ellis Pacers — There is a reason Monta Ellis has been on multiple teams. Ellis has offensive talent, but he sometimes shoots bad shots and he doesn’t play much defense.

5. Draymond Green

Draymond Green Warriors

5. Draymond Green

Draymond Green Warriors — Green should be the poster child for players who aren’t as great as everybody thinks they are. Green talks a lot, can pass well out of a pick-and-roll situation and defend big men without post moves. But if Curry weren’t on the team, Green would just be another role player.

4. Damian Lillard

Damian Lillard Trail Blazers

4. Damian Lillard

Damian Lillard Trail Blazers — Lillard just signed one of the largest extensions in NBA history. But Lillard hasn’t even made it to the Conference Finals yet and with LaMarcus Aldridge gone, it may be awhile until he does.

3. Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler Bulls

3. Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler Bulls — Butler is the new leader on the Chicago Bulls, but he isn’t the All-Star who everybody believes that he is. Butler is a borderline All-Star who can defend (not as well as he used to be able to) and score to an extent (not a reliable perimeter shooter or a player who will make baskets when the team really needs him to make them).

2. Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis Pelicans

2. Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis Pelicans — Davis is a future superstar in this league, but that may be as far as Davis goes. He has started shooting more three-pointers and gotten more muscle. But the team won’t win unless he has a strong perimeter player. Davis isn’t good enough to where he can carry a team, regardless of the limitations of a power forward.

1. Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry Warriors

1. Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry Warriors — Curry is the most overrated player in recent memory. Curry is a top-five player; he will make a lot of three-point shots and will get a lot of steals. But Curry isn’t that good of an on-ball defender and he had already been making three-point shots easily before this year. Once he plays the Spurs, the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Cleveland Cavaliers, everybody else will know that Curry isn’t the best player out there.

Frank Ewere is a Beat Writer for the New Orleans Pelicans on www.Rantsports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheFrankEwere, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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