Damian Lillard, most underrated player?

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He's a top 10 player. Most label him top 20. He's not as underrated as Conley was a couple years ago, but he definitely is a little bit.
 
One of the most underrated of all time?
 
2 time All Star

2016 2nd Team All NBA

Until Mike Conley signed his contract, Lillard had the richest contract in NBA history.

Seems like he's well rated to me.
 
In my mind most underrated of all time has got to go to somebody like Steve Kerr (not necessarily him specifically) who won championships in the shadow of a Superstar. It's weird to me to call a franchise player one of the most underrated...Especially so young in their career.
 
How is he not underrated? barely anybody mentions him when they talk about Top pg's in the league. They didn't think he could lead this team. No all star vote. Not even last year, only made it because of injury. People wanna talk chris paul and kyrie up but to me lillard is 3rd best PG in the league. I don't wanna hear about percentages, he shoots the shots he has to, to get the W. Still was 45 percent in 2 point fg percentage. 37 percent in threes. Could easily be higher. As we saw he figured out his shots this year more and gathered up 7 assists. For whatever reason though, nobody really talks that much about him. I see recognition here and there but not on the Kyrie level. Kyrie to me is a great guard but his really great finals performance made people think he was the greatest. Dudes always been overrated
 
Cippy91 said:
How is he not underrated? barely anybody mentions him when they talk about Top pg's in the league. They didn't think he could lead this team. No all star vote. Not even last year, only made it because of injury. People wanna talk chris paul and kyrie up but to me lillard is 3rd best PG in the league. I don't wanna hear about percentages, he shoots the shots he has to, to get the W. Still was 45 percent in 2 point fg percentage. 37 percent in threes. Could easily be higher. As we saw he figured out his shots this year more and gathered up 7 assists. For whatever reason though, nobody really talks that much about him. I see recognition here and there but not on the Kyrie level. Kyrie to me is a great guard but his really great finals performance made people think he was the greatest. Dudes always been overrated
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There's always somebody balling and not getting the coverage they deserve. Doesn't make dame the most overrated of all time this early in his career.
 
You look at the list of guys who simply put up 25ppg over a season, and you generally see a long list of perennial All-Stars. Between 3 and 6 guys usually pull it off, and if you do it more than once you pretty well cement your All-Star selection. There's Cousins, Granger, Monta Ellis in there once a piece, and that's where I guess Damien is widely considered--a fringe star who maybe could break through but probably won't. A guy famous for a couple of clutch shots, but more of a novelty act who doesn't deserve All Star votes like, say, Andre Iguadala. lol.

I only see him improving, personally. Like the guy in that video says, there are precious few guys who average 25ppg/6.5 assist by his age. I'd add, though, that the few that have done it didn't cap out at 25/6.5. If you can reach that kind of status at that age, you still seem to have upside.

This video was long and meandering and isn't really worth 15 minutes of your life, but he does make a few solid points. Lillard really is overlooked when you consider his statistical achievements and his ability to pull the 4th youngest team in the league, a team gutted of vets the prior summer, to the 5th seed and all the way into the second round.
 
I'd add that with the addition of Evan Turner we could see Dame go for the scoring title this coming year. Last year the SF position was just another mouth to feed for our PG, meaning it was a stand-still guy in Hark or Crabbe. These were young guys looking for new contracts who were only going to be happy in the offense if they got some shots set up for them (because they can't really create for themselves).

This year the SF position goes from hungry mouth to feed to breadwinner. Turner shows up and sets the table for others instead of waiting for the handout. Dame is going to have less reason than ever to worry about setting teammates up and ensuring chemistry is working. I expect Dame to constantly move off the ball looking for Turner to deliver it to him. Turner just doesn't fit our team if he isn't constantly used in the offense, which means it's going to be Turner's responsibility to worry about keeping teammates involved and running the show. Dame's job is to shoot shoot and shoot some more. He's basically going to play the same roll CJ did last year whenever Turner's in the game.

This last year we went from having an enormous mouth to feed at the 4 (Aldridge) to a much less hungry mouth at the 3 (Crabbe/Hark). With the added freedom he went from 21ppg to 25ppg. With even more freedom now, I see him getting in that 27-29ppg range, which would put him right there in contention for scoring title.
 
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mook said:
I'd add that with the addition of Evan Turner we could see Dame go for the scoring title this coming year. Last year the SF position was just another mouth to feed for our PG, meaning it was a stand-still guy in Hark or Crabbe. These were young guys looking for new contracts who were only going to be happy in the offense if they got some shots set up for them (because they can't really create for themselves).

This year the SF position goes from hungry mouth to feed to breadwinner. Turner shows up and sets the table for others instead of waiting for the handout. Dame is going to have less reason than ever to worry about setting teammates up and ensuring chemistry is working. I expect Dame to constantly move off the ball looking for Turner to deliver it to him. Turner just doesn't fit our team if he isn't constantly used in the offense, which means it's going to be Turner's responsibility to worry about keeping teammates involved and running the show. Dame's job is to shoot shoot and shoot some more. He's basically going to play the same roll CJ did last year whenever Turner's in the game.

This last year we went from having an enormous mouth to feed at the 4 (Aldridge) to a much less hungry mouth at the 3 (Crabbe/Hark). With the added freedom he went from 21ppg to 25ppg. With even more freedom now, I see him getting in that 27-29ppg range, which would put him right there in contention for scoring title.
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As much as I agree with everything in this post, Russell Westbrook will not allow anyone else within 2 ppg of him this year. If Dame even gets within spitting distance of the scoring title, Russ will go full WestChuck to ensure his status.
 
When Damian improves into an above avg defender, he'll be compared to Chris Paul, etc....until then, he's a franchise player who's broken quite a few records and improves every year. He's a star and he's built a brand. Doesn't matter what the guys who predicted we'd win 23 wins last season think.....(HCP)
 
PtldPlatypus said:
As much as I agree with everything in this post, Russell Westbrook will not allow anyone else within 2 ppg of him this year. If Dame even gets within spitting distance of the scoring title, Russ will go full WestChuck to ensure his status.
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Yeah i see westbrick going full kobe and dropping in 15/63 shooting and everyone praising him for 40 points when his percentages are attrocious.
 
SlyPokerDog said:
2 time All Star

2016 2nd Team All NBA

Until Mike Conley signed his contract, Lillard had the richest contract in NBA history.

Seems like he's well rated to me.
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He barely made the 2nd all star team, as the video said, and didn't make it this year despite averaging 25 and 6, and leading an incredibly over-achieving team to a playoff spot.

I didn't get the Conley reference (exactly for the reason you stated), but I think it kind of had some merit. Conley is good, but he averaged 10 fewer ppg last year, and fewer assists.

The biggest difference between the two of them is defense. one plays it, the other knows the word exists.
 
Conley making more money than Dame is a goddamned joke. I'm so glad our owner isn't the punchline.
 
mook said:
You look at the list of guys who simply put up 25ppg over a season, and you generally see a long list of perennial All-Stars. Between 3 and 6 guys usually pull it off, and if you do it more than once you pretty well cement your All-Star selection. There's Cousins, Granger, Monta Ellis in there once a piece, and that's where I guess Damien is widely considered--a fringe star who maybe could break through but probably won't. A guy famous for a couple of clutch shots, but more of a novelty act who doesn't deserve All Star votes like, say, Andre Iguadala. lol.

I only see him improving, personally. Like the guy in that video says, there are precious few guys who average 25ppg/6.5 assist by his age. I'd add, though, that the few that have done it didn't cap out at 25/6.5. If you can reach that kind of status at that age, you still seem to have upside.

This video was long and meandering and isn't really worth 15 minutes of your life, but he does make a few solid points. Lillard really is overlooked when you consider his statistical achievements and his ability to pull the 4th youngest team in the league, a team gutted of vets the prior summer, to the 5th seed and all the way into the second round.
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I think he gets more respect then you think.
 
The biggest thing that I disagree with in this video is that he said LA left because he was tired of losing.

Nope. I don't agree at all. I don't think winning/losing was much of a factor at all, and definitely not THE reason.
 
Natebishop3 said:
The biggest thing that I disagree with in this video is that he said LA left because he was tired of losing.

Nope. I don't agree at all. I don't think winning/losing was much of a factor at all, and definitely not THE reason.
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Yeah I hate when people who don't really know the situation comment on it. I hate the other narrative which is "LA left because he was tired of being number 2 to Dame". Like what? everybody treated LA as the leader, including the fans. Just because Dame got more national coverage due to being marketable and LA being so bland as fuck that he wasn't marketable so I guess that made LA the number 2 guy lol
 
Cippy91 said:
Yeah I hate when people who don't really know the situation comment on it. I hate the other narrative which is "LA left because he was tired of being number 2 to Dame". Like what? everybody treated LA as the leader, including the fans. Just because Dame got more national coverage due to being marketable and LA being so bland as fuck that he wasn't marketable so I guess that made LA the number 2 guy lol
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I'm with you. I shared a hoop the other day with some guy I met named Rayshon. We started taking about Portland and he immediately went to letting Aldridge go. It then devolved into the rest of the exodus; Wes Matthews, Nic Batum, and Robin Lopez. I don't think he understood how things changed but got better for the future.
 
theprunetang said:
I'm with you. I shared a hoop the other day with some guy I met named Rayshon. We started taking about Portland and he immediately went to letting Aldridge go. It then devolved into the rest of the exodus; Wes Matthews, Nic Batum, and Robin Lopez. I don't think he understood how things changed but got better for the future.
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At the time we thought the sky was falling because we loved that team but honestly things are way better for the future of the squad with cj and dame leading it. I don't like aldridge but I don't carry the hate I had when he first left. I just find it funny when people who don't know the situation try to talk about how and why LA left along with the whole team. They don't understand we let the rest go, it's not like we offered contracts. LA WAS the number 1 guy. LA wasn't tired of losing, he just didn't like that dame got the attention. He was marketable and Adidas really backed him. LA was still considered 1 but dame got more shine in marketing. Apparently he was really close to going to Phoenix. So yeah it wasn't about losing. He just wanted to be the number one guy, he is a selfish diva. Is what it is
 
Aldridge has a skill set that fits an increasing role in today's NBA focused on floor spacing. But ultimately he was hard pressed to surpass Dirk no matter where he decided to play. After going to SA he basically said that he doesn't care to be remembered as an all time great. When people talk about this eras Spurs they will talk about Duncan. Regarding recent blazer teams people will talk about the Roy era, and the Lillard era. Dirk will always be the pioneer HOF stretch 4, as he deserves. Meaning there won't be any underrated for Aldridge, and it's possible he made a choice that avoided any overrated discussions

Regardless I predict the Spurs finally fall back this year and after years of people claiming their age would catch up, they finally realize how big of a contribution Duncan continued to have. They will still make the playoffs but I think they could be a 4-5 seed. I also think the loss of Diaw will make the loss of Duncan seem even greater.
 
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Fonzthecpt1 said:
As you all know the NBA game evolves over time. Ultimately Aldridge has a skill set that fits an increasing role in today's NBA focused on floor spacing. He was hard pressed to surpass Dirk no matter where he decided to play. After going to SA he basically said that he doesn't care to be remembered as an all time great. When people talk about this eras Spurs they will talk about Duncan. Regarding recent blazer teams people will talk about the Roy era, and the Lillard era. Dirk will always be the pioneer HOF stretch 4, as he deserves. There won't be any underrated for Aldridge, it's possible he made a choice that avoided any overrated discussions.
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I feel like he will have another solid two years and then slowly fade away and people will just be like oh yeah that was Lamarcus, he had a great fade away and was great for a few years but that was about it. It's unfortunate. I feel like he could of been so much better with the right mind set. Another unfortunate thing is going to San Antonio where you have two legend bigs in David Robinson and Tim Duncan. Good luck being remembered there especially when Kawhi is the Spurs golden child. Now THATS a place you will serve as number 2
 
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