It happens every year – NBA players on every team receive a ton of praise, and loyal fans often label them as superstars. However, the truth is that certain players simply don’t live up to those standards. They often underperform and deliver sub-par seasons.
You know it’s going to happen again in the 2022-23 season. That’s why I share my most overrated player on every NBA team. I base my selections on the disparity between how good people think they are and how well they actually play.
That’s why you will see some pretty good players below. Making my list doesn’t mean they’re bad per se; they’re just worse than most people think.
Clint Capela deserves a lot of credit – he’s an excellent role player for Atlanta. However, he gets paid $20 million a season, which is a lot when considering his limited abilities.
Ultimately, Capela can only do a few things really well – he can rebound, set screens, and block shots. That’s it. JaVale McGee does 70-80% of that, and he plays on a veteran minimum contract.
I think Marcus Smart is a pretty darn good NBA player – he recently won Defensive Player of the Year. He also played for a Boston Celtics team that made it to the NBA Finals last season. Unfortunately, Smart has limitations that are too obvious to overlook.
Smart is a solid role player, but he’s not very efficient on offense. Furthermore, both Mikal Bridges and Rudy Gobert were just as good defensively as Smart last season, if not better (both were also worthy of winning Defensive Player of the Year).
Many argue that Kyrie Irving should be designated as the “most overrated” player in Brooklyn. However, Joe Harris takes the cake for several reasons. Many touted him as an elite shooter with above-average defensive abilities, which is a questionable assessment at best.
The truth is that Harris has the ideal size for his position and excellent ball-handling skills. What’s working against him is that he’s not very good on defense, and he was wildly inconsistent during the playoffs last season.
Until Harris delivers in the NBA postseason, I can’t really justify his reputation or his huge contract.
Not that long ago, Gordon Hayward was an excellent player, if not a true difference maker. Charlotte fans will say that he’s still pretty terrific, especially considering how well-rounded he is.
Hayward took a big step backward in his career last season. Like Joe Harris, he doesn’t defend very well, and you could also argue he’s overpaid. He also hasn’t been selected for an All-Star game since 2017 (the only All-Star selection in his career).
I know that health issues are the main reason Hayward struggles, but he’s still overrated.
Most Bulls fans admire Nikola Vucevic because he’s efficient on offense and can score points in bunches. He also earned an All-Star selection only a few seasons ago. By all accounts, he’s a good player and key contributor for the Bulls.
Why is Vucevic overrated? He’s a big man who’s not particularly quick or athletic. This often causes problems when he has to guard opposing players who’re much faster and more agile than him.
Ever since joining Chicago, Vuc has struggled with his shooting too. If you remove the reliable three-point threat he brings, he’s just an above-average big man.
Jarett Allen gets paid a lot of money – $20 million per season – even though he’s an offensive liability. The former Brooklyn Net has gotten a lot better, but many tend to overestimate his potential as a two-player.
Last season, Allen averaged 16.1 points per game, which was a career-high. However, the modern NBA center is now a lot more versatile on offense and can hit shots from the perimeter. This is something we’ve yet to see from Allen, although he’s gotten a lot more accurate.
I like him as a player, and he definitely contributes to winning, but I think most people overlook his limitations. Until Allen improves offensively, I don’t see him as the star many believe he is.
Bullock is usually a consistent shooter, but he wasn’t reliable during the 2021-22 playoffs. At one point, Bullock failed to convert on eight consecutive three-point attempts. He’s a big reason why the Mavericks couldn’t keep up with the Warriors during the Western Conference Finals.
The NBA has given Bullock plenty of opportunities to be a difference maker. Unfortunately, he’s never fully tapped into his potential. Faithful fans of Dallas will say that he’s turning a corner, but at 31 years old, I think Bullock has reached his limit.
Michael Porter Jr. is by all accounts a fantastic player, but lingering back problems have hampered his career significantly. Let’s also not forget that Porter Jr. received a 5-year contract and then played mediocre basketball.
Last season, Porter Jr. only appeared in nine games, and he averaged 9.9 points and 6.6 rebounds during that stretch. For someone who’s drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant, those are simply unimpressive numbers.
We all know that MPJ’s potential is insane, but his production and health problems mean his current contract is bad for the Nuggets.
Can you even call a Pistons player overrated? The team is going through a major rebuild, and the roster features a lot of young, unproven players. Furthermore, expectations aren’t very high right now for the Pistons, either.
I chose Kimba Walker simply because he’s regressed significantly over the past few seasons. He went from averaging 19.3 points to 11.6 points per game in just one season, which is a huge drop-off.
The Warriors have the best roster in the NBA, so this wasn’t an easy choice. Draymond Green is a brilliant player, but he’s also a loose canon. He brings plenty of attitude and energy to the team, but he can also be extremely boneheaded.
Green’s scoring abilities, which were never that good in the first place, are getting worse. He doesn’t take a lot of shot attempts anymore, and now he’s more of a facilitator on offense. He’s still pretty versatile, but he’s not the impact player that he once was.
On top of that, you never know when Green will get involved in some controversy on and off the court.
Here’s another team that’s rebuilding its roster, which also features a lot of young players. Yes, I’m aware that Jalen Green only has a single NBA season under his belt, but I had to pick someone.
Green isn’t a very efficient player right now, which I mostly attribute to his age. He takes a lot of risky shots, and he doesn’t have the highest basketball IQ. Again, he’s still a young player and has a lot to learn, which is why he’s someone to watch as he continues to develop.
Buddy Hield has a similar career trajectory to Joe Harris. He’s shown a lot of promise, but he’s too one-dimensional as a player. He can shoot the ball well, and that’s about it.
What also concerns me about Hield is his age. He’s already 29 years old and hasn’t gotten much better as a defender than when he entered the NBA. He’s an accurate three-point shooter, but that’s not enough for me to overlook his deficiencies.
Most Clippers fans will view the addition of John Wall as a much-needed boost for the team’s roster. But let’s be honest – Wall hasn’t been a good player for several years now. He’s proven over the past three seasons that he can’t remain healthy, either.
Does Wall make the Clippers a better team? That’s debatable. He lacks consistency when shooting from three-point range, and he’s not nearly as explosive as he once was. I don’t see him making much of a difference for the Clippers.
I was tempted to write about Anthony Davis, but the “overrated” label applies more aptly to Russell Westbrook. The former NBA MVP is in the twilight years of his career, and soon he’ll likely transition to a backup role.
Honestly, I could go on and on about Westbrooks’s decline as an elite NBA player. The reality is that he’s a bench player who gets to remain a starter because of his accolades. He’s not very good anymore, and LA should utilize him more as a role player.
It’s debatable whether he’s overrated as a whole because his reputation has been declining, but he still gets solid minutes and a ton of money. Unless the Lakers coaching staff uses him from the bench, Russ will remain overrated in my eyes.
You’re greatly mistaken if you believe that Ja Morant is the most overrated player for the Grizzlies. That distinction goes to Steven Adams, who appears to be a terrific player based on his production. However, watching him play tells a different story.
Adams isn’t a very good defender, and smaller players often outmatch him. He’s not the prototypical big man in terms of quickness. His weaknesses were also exposed during the 2021-22 playoffs (he was benched when the Grizzlies played the Timberwolves).
To Kyle Lowry’s credit, he currently plays for a Miami team with a pretty good roster. The Heat acquired him mid-season in 2021-22 in hopes of going on a successful championship run, which ultimately didn’t materialize.
Injuries caused Lowry to struggle mightily during the 2021-22 playoffs. He was wildly inconsistent for Miami, and he became a liability. Let’s also not forget that Lowry is a 15-year NBA veteran, which could be a reason why his play is declining.
I had to choose Thanasis Antetokounmpo because his brother, Giannis, is his teammate. Who’s Giannis Antetokounmpo? He’s a two-time NBA MVP who’s also won a championship and an NBA Finals MVP award.
It’s difficult to say with certainty that Thanasis would be playing for the Bucks regardless of his brother’s accomplishments. His talents are better suited for the G-League or basketball leagues overseas.
Many will argue that designating Rudy Gobert as the most overrated player in Minnesota is a mistake. He’s a three-time winner of the Defensive Player of the Year award and a three-time All-Star. However, I chose him because he’s not very good when it counts – during the playoffs.
The Wolves also gave up a lot of young talented players to acquire Gobert in a trade. They sent multiple first-round picks to Jacks as part of the trade as well, which is simply maddening. Gobert is a good player, but he’s not worth everything that Minnesota gave up to get him.
Only a few years ago, Devonte Graham was one of the most improved NBA players. Not only has he regressed significantly, but he’s not very efficient on either offense or defense.
Graham is only 6′ 1″ in stature, so he has to be better at scoring in traffic. However, he’s not very good in the paint, and his numbers have declined a lot over the past two seasons.
A few Knicks players are worthy of the “overrated” label. However, I chose Jalen Brunson because he’s arguably the most overpaid point guard in the NBA.
Brunson is a good player, but is he worthy of $27 million per year? Absolutely not. He likely won’t be the go-to option for the Knicks on offense. Both RJ Barrett and Julius Randle average more points per game than Brunson, whose primary job is to score.
Even if his production increases significantly in New York, I don’t see Brunson as the first option of a strong team, and that’s exactly what his current contract suggests he is.
I’m aware that Josh Giddey is only a second-year player who’s still developing. However, Oklahoma City’s roster is extremely young – I simply chose the player whom many people have high expectations to succeed.
Here’s the thing: Giddey is pretty darn good for his age. He has a high basketball IQ and plays the game with plenty of finesse. What he’s lacking right now is a jump shot, which he’ll have to work on over time.
The truth is that Orlando is in a similar situation to Detroit. Their roster is full of young players that need time to develop and mature. It’s difficult to pick someone and label them “overrated” when the team lacks experience.
With that being said, I chose Markelle Fultz because he’s failed to live up to the hype. Selected No. 1 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, many consider Fultz to be a bust. He’s been in Orlando for three years and has missed a lot of playing time (he only appeared in 18 games last season).
I genuinely don’t think Fultz would’ve been in the NBA right now if it wasn’t for the buzz early in his career.
Most 76ers fans will tell you that Thybulle is a valuable asset to the team. He’s often touted as a defensive specialist who can guard just about anybody in the NBA. During last season’s trade deadline, the 76ers even declared him a nearly untouchable prospect.
Unfortunately, Thybulle is extremely one-dimensional as an offensive player. He has lackluster ball-handling skills, and he’s wildly inconsistent when shooting from three-point range. Thybulle is now heading into year four, and I’m not convinced he can develop into a two-way player.
The former No. 1 overall draft pick is a good player, but he also benefits from having a strong supporting cast around him. If Chris Paul wasn’t there to pass him the ball, Deandre Ayton likely wouldn’t sustain his production on offense.
Ayton usually scores the bulk of his points on wide-open layups and dunks. He hasn’t shown that he can create shots in the post like some of the more elite centers, such as Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid.
On top of that, the Suns were forced to give Ayton a huge contract so they don’t lose him for nothing.
There’s no way that I could’ve picked Damian Lillard. He’s a generational talent and the main reason why Portland is relevant in the first place. Instead, I chose Anfernee Simons, who makes over $20 million a year to score 17.3 points per game.
I’ll be honest, Simons is a pretty talented player who’s got a bright future ahead of him. However, he’ll have to replace CJ McCollum, which are big shoes to fill. He’ll have to knock down jumpers consistently and make the most of his opportunities.
Domantas Sabonis has a ton of potential – many people compare him to Nikola Jokic in terms of his skill set. He’s also a well-rounded player who can pass and shoot the ball. Let’s also not forget that he’s 6’ 11” and is incredibly fluid for his size.
Sabinos ultimately lacks that “it” factor that separates him from other power forwards in the NBA. Based on the past few years, he also doesn’t have what it takes to transform a mediocre team into a contender.
San Antonio desperately lacks superstar players, so I chose head coach Greg Popovich instead. He’s had an extremely successful run in the NBA that includes five NBA championships, but his glory days are well behind him.
Popovich is the most winningest head coach in NBA history, but the past few seasons have been dreadful. Since 2019, San Antonio hasn’t captured a winning record or a playoff berth. Maybe Pop’s methods are no longer working?
The narrative out of Toronto is that Gary Trent Jr. is an excellent defensive player. The truth is he gets a ton of steals because he gambles often. He actually ranks among the bottom 10 players in terms of points given up.
Trent Jr. is still pretty young, and we all know that 2021-22 was a development year for the Raptors. He’s got to get more aggressive as a two-way player if he expects to become integral to Toronto’s success.
This article focuses on the most overrated player on every NBA roster. However, I had a tough time determining who fits this label on the Utah Jazz. The roster no longer features Donovan Mitchell or Rudy Gobert, so Bojan Bogdanovic felt like the natural choice.
The nine-year NBA veteran is arguably the best player for the Jazz right now. However, he’s not the most efficient defender, especially when he’s guarding the perimeter. He’s a productive shooter, but that’s one of the few things he does really well.
Many of you were expecting Bradley Beal, but he’s too dynamic of a player for the “overrated” label. The truth is that Kristaps Porzingis fits the distinction more aptly. He’s a player who puts up solid numbers, but he’s not much of a difference maker.
Porzingis is an above-average shooter, but he often fails to distribute the basketball. Furthermore, his health has also been a major issue – Porzingis hasn’t appeared in more than 70 games since his rookie season in 2015-16.
Having information on the most overrated player on every NBA team is valuable for betting purposes. I advise that you study the rosters and players to get a better idea of which teams will succeed (or fail) this season.
You can then visit the best NBA betting sites and check their odds for obvious discrepancies.
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I also recommend checking my post on the most underrated NBA players on each team for more helpful information on the upcoming season.
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