During the playoffs, the NBA released the All-NBA Teams, as well as the All-Defensive Teams and All-Rookie Teams. Each year, once the All-NBA teams are announced, they immediately spark endless fan debate. Throughout school hallways, office buildings, playgrounds, gyms, bars, and even on Twitter and Reddit, you’ll find fans playfully---or intensely---arguing about which players had better seasons, and who got snubbed from each team and why. This is one of the most enjoyable and fresh basketball conversations to have. Which player is ready to take the next leap and become a star? Who is underrated and why? These passionate debates helped spark an idea, and motivated me to put together the inaugural NBA All-Underrated Team for Hashtag Basketball.

To do this right, there have to be a few parameters. Mega-stars like Russell Westbrook are excluded from the discussion. The purpose of this article is not to argue if an established all-star is top 5, 10, or 15. Extremely young teams like the Lakers and Suns are also excluded from this discussion. The purpose of this article is not to debate the potential of players like Brandon Ingram and Devin Booker. The purpose of this article, however, is to showcase players who are usually on---or outside---of the proverbial All-Star bubble; players that are too easily dismissed from the All-Star teams and All-NBA teams discussion. These selections---like the All-NBA teams---were made in correlation with forming an actual roster, with player representatives from all traditional positions. 

Ricky Rubio, Utah Jazz

Since he became a full-time starter in 2013, Ricky Rubio has never gotten the respect that he deserved. Perhaps this was due to all the hype and expectations surrounding Rubio when he was just a teenage prospect on the Spanish National Team. Perhaps this was due to being drafted---along with enormous bust Jonny Flynn---by the Timberwolves, directly ahead of Steph Curry.

As a pass first, more traditional point guard, Rubio was rarely appreciated for what he brought to his team. A leader and excellent passer like Rubio can be valuable to any team, yet Rubio was always held to a higher Chris Paul-like standard that didn’t seem very fair to Rubio the player or Rubio the person. Following last year’s trade to Utah, it seemed very likely that Jazz Head Coach Quin Snyder would be able to find a way to maximize Rubio’s talents on both ends of the floor. Snyder did exactly that, and Rubio had arguably his best season to date.

The veteran point guard amassed career highs in several categories this season, including defensive win shares, where he ranked 17^th in the entire NBA and 3^rd in the playoffs. While with the Timberwolves, Rubio often went on post all-star break hot streaks, but he wasn’t always a consistent scorer. Towards the end of Rubio's stint with Minnesota, much of this was due to Wolves Head Coach Tom Thibodeau’s refusal to adjust schemes to fit his players. Thibs’ stale and outdated coaching style is extremely frustrating to watch---often reminding one of throwing dirt against the wall and expecting it to bounce back. No matter how many times the Wolves put Rubio in situations tailored for a score-first point guard, he inadvertently proved time and time again that it wasn’t the optimal way to deploy him or maximize his talents.

Fast forward to Rubio’s current role on the Jazz, and it’s a much different story. Quin Snyder’s best ability as a coach may very well be his ability to make adjustments---before, during, and after games. Snyder also has an impressive knack for finding the most ideal spots and situations to put each and every player in, which enables them to reach their ceilings. With the aid of Snyder, Rubio was able to excel as both a passer and as a scorer this season. When playing alongside rookie phenom Donovan Mitchell, Rubio was at his best, averaging over 17 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals per 36 minutes. Rubio’s usage rate barely fluctuated when Mitchell was off the court, a characteristic that resembles his consistency and efficiency within the offense. Both Rubio and Mitchell were effective handling the ball and running plays, as well as functioning off the ball. To have that kind of versatility in your starting backcourt is a luxury that Quin Snyder somewhat quietly enjoys.

Rubio’s best game of the season came in an April 21^st playoff game against the Thunder when he posted a monster triple-double to the tune of 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. For the season, Rubio averaged 13.1 points per game, to go along with 4.6 boards and 5.3 assists. Rubio shot 86.6% from the charity stripe---his 2^nd best mark ever---and 35.2% from three---his best ever.

Jrue Holiday, New Orleans Pelicans

This should be the last time anybody hears Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday mentioned in the same sentence as the word 'underrated'. The Pelicans combo guard was previously known best for his role in accidentally kick-starting “The Process” in Philadelphia, as well as getting “overpaid” last summer. 

Prior to last season, New Orleans signed Holiday to an eye-popping 5 year, 131 million dollar contract---almost fully guaranteed. Especially when considering the state of modern-day NBA contracts, Holiday’s contract doesn’t seem bad at all. In fact, after his breakout season---followed up by an outstanding playoff run---Holiday's contract looks just about right. The UCLA product will head into next year as a surefire all-star candidate. Holiday has one prior all-star appearance that came while he was with Philadelphia.

Heading into the 2017-18 campaign, NBA analysts commonly dismissed the Pelicans roster, often citing a strong doubt that the styles of their players would mesh. Anthony Davis wound up being an excellent fit alongside whoever he teamed up with in the frontcourt, whether it was fellow All-Star---and best friend---DeMarcus Cousins, or Nikola Mirotic, who was acquired mid-season from the Chicago Bulls. Meanwhile, Jrue Holiday rewarded the front office’s faith in him by proving he could excel at both the point and shooting guard positions. He performed well with and without veteran point guard Rajon Rondo on the court.   

Slowly but surely over the last two years, Jrue Holiday’s elite perimeter defense has gained recognition throughout NBA circles. Defending the elite pick and roll ball handlers in the Western Conference is something that nearly any player will at least partially struggle with. For Jrue Holiday, he didn't even flinch when assigned with this task. He was asked to be the primary defender in these cases a whopping 38.6% of the time. He responded admirably, grading out as ‘excellent’ per Synergy. Holiday's impact wasn't just felt on the defensive side though. In terms of real plus-minus rating, Holiday even ranked ahead of stars such as Kevin Durant, Paul George, Draymond Green, Kevin Love, and Al Horford. Still don’t believe in Jrue Holiday and/or his lockdown defense? Just ask Portland’s Damian Lillard what he thinks about it. Holiday shut down Portland's First Team All-NBA guard, making him a non-factor in a 4-0 series sweep for New Orleans.

If it wasn’t for Victor Oladipo, Holiday would have a solid case to be the 2017-2018 NBA Most Improved Player. Alas, First Team All-NBA Defense should be more than acceptable as a consolation prize. Holiday was recently officially named to the team for the first time. This recognition is well deserved as Holiday has emerged as a top 25-30 NBA player.

Jrue Holiday finished the 2017-18 campaign with per game averages of 19 points, 6 assists, 4.5 rebounds. Holiday also averaged 1.5 steals per game which was tied with teammate Anthony Davis for 11^thbest in the league (minimum of 60 games played). Directly in front of Holiday and Davis are Kent Bazemore of Atlanta and none other than fellow First Team All-Underrated member Ricky Rubio.

Josh Richardson, Miami Heat

Richardson emerged this season as a dark horse candidate for NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Despite the slower pace and lower scoring nature of many of Miami’s games, Richardson still racked up the 11th most steals in the league. Victor Oladipo leads the pack there as well, finishing first in the NBA with 177 steals. Oladipo has gained a lot of recognition this year---and rightfully so---for that reason only, Oladipo has been excluded from this team. When the NBA recently announced their All-NBA Defensive teams, Richardson was arguably the most notable snub after Paul George of the Thunder. With the ability to play and guard three positions along the perimeter, Richardson is suddenly the prototypical wing player that many NBA teams covet. 

Josh Richardson averaged just under 13 points per game for Miami, a team that is built around several versatile wing players that are similar to Richardson; Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra has a deep and solid roster that isn’t built around a star. With one of the most balanced rosters in the league, it’s easy to see why some of the Heat players may get lost in the eyes of the national media from time to time.

  Josh Richardson (0) talks strategy with Miami Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra. Photo taken by Keith Allison

While Spoelstra does have a deep roster full of players like Richardson, none are quite as good as him. Justise Winslow and James Johnson have somewhat similar roles and abilities to Richardson, while guards like Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade, and Dion Waters have garnered much more hype throughout their careers. With the spotlight off of him, Richardson has made steady improvements to his game every year. He has increased his per game averages in points, rebounds, assists, and steals in both seasons following his rookie campaign. 

At 6’6” and 200 pounds with elite athleticism, Richardson hasn’t even come close to reaching his ceiling yet. By this time next season, Richardson’s elite defensive prowess should be much more of a well know thing. In 2017-18, Josh Richardson boasted per game averages of 12.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.5 steals. Think of Richardson as a better version of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, with better shot selection among other things.

Al Horford, Boston Celtics

During this past season, arguably no team was dealt a bigger blow injury-wise than the Celtics. Boston lost newly acquired superstar Gordon Hayward for the season on opening night after a freaky on-court ankle injury. Kyrie Irving played like a true MVP candidate and galvanized the Celtics roster, leading them to one of the best records in the Eastern Conference. However, Irving ultimately went down with an injury as well, leaving Al Horford as the Celtics' sole veteran capable of assuming an influential leadership role. Horford has always been a leader, but his role grew even larger once Hayward and Irving both sidelined. 

Al Horford offers positional versatility and he is able to start alongside any type of frontcourt player. The Celtics featured him next to center Aron Baynes quite often, as well as forwards Marcus Morris and Jayson Tatum in smaller lineups. Horford consistently demonstrates a seamless ability to slide back and forth between power forward and center. At the defensive end of the floor, he can even switch on to small forwards and hold his own. Even against the average guard, Horford isn't always necessarily overmatched. Al Horford's defensive prowess was noticed throughout the league this year, leading to his selection on the NBA's All-Defensive 2nd Team.

  Al Horford (42) fends off Marcin Gortat (13) of the Washington Wizards. Photo taken by Keith Allison

With contributions that go way beyond the box score, Horford has been underrated for far too long. He is the type of player that makes life easier for his teammates; the type of player that other stars dream of playing with. He does all the so-called little things well in addition to the bigger things. Every move Horford makes seems to be precise and calculated. His stats may trend down slightly next season with the return of Hayward and Irving, but his impact will remain second to none. 

In 2017-18, Al Horford averaged 12.9 points per game, to go along with 7.4 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game.

Clint Capela, Houston Rockets

Clint Capela benefited tremendously from the presence of James Harden and Chris Paul this season. Despite this, Capela deserves much more recognition than he is currently receiving for what he contributed to the Rockets. This year Capela showed that he is without a doubt much more than just a lengthy pick and roll partner that can swat the occasional shot attempt. He has quietly developed into a top 8 NBA center; an argument for Capela as top 5 could also be entertained at this point. 

Other Prominent NBA Centers	Team
Joel Embiid	Philadelphia 76ers
DeMarcus Cousins/Anthony Davis	New Orleans Pelicans
Rudy Gobert	Utah Jazz
Karl-Anthony Towns	Minnesota Timberwolves
Andre Drummond	Detroit Pistons
Nikola Jokic	Denver Nuggets

Capela heads into the off-season as a restricted free-agent, meaning that if a team wants to make a bid for him, the Rockets have to match it dollar for dollar it in order to retain him. Prior to DeAndre Ayton's rumored rise to likely number 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns were reportedly plotting to offer Capela a max contract at the start of the upcoming free agency period. While it remains a top priority for Houston to re-sign their rapidly improving big man, they may have to contend with a shark or two in the free agency waters this off-season. 

  Clint Capela (15) fights to secure the basketball. Photo taken by Keith Allison

Losing Capela would be a huge blow for the Rockets to suffer. Among all players that appeared in at least 70 games this season*, Capela ranks surprisingly high in several traditional and advanced statistical categories. Using the chart below, it becomes extremely easy to quantify what Capela's hypothetical departure would mean for Houston. It will likely take the average fan by surprise to see the true impact that Capela made this season, all while playing only 27.5 minutes per game. 

Category	Clint Capela's Statistics	Overall NBA Ranking* (Category Leader)
Field Goal %	65.2%	2nd (J. Poeltl)
Rebound %	22.0%	4th (D. Jordan)
Overall Net Rating	+9.2	7th (F. VanVleet)
Player Impact Estimate	15.5	12th (J. Harden)
Blocks Per Game	1.9	2nd (A. Davis)
Double-Doubles	42	T-8th (K. Towns)

For the season, Capela's per game averages were 13.9 points, 10.8 boards, and 2.7 combined blocks and steals. 

Sixth Man

Caris LeVert, Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets quietly possess one of the most interesting backcourts in the NBA. Much of the spotlight is absorbed by D'Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Allen Crabbe, but it is Caris LeVert who may end up having the best 2018-19 season. This may be a hot take, but LeVert is my early pick to win the NBA's Most Improved Player award next season.

Prior to last season, LeVert received the majority of his minutes at the shooting guard position. In 2017-18, Nets Head Coach Kenny Atkinson decided to expand LeVert's role a bit more. LeVert was the primary ball-handler with the second unit quite often down the stretch---even after D'Angelo Russell returned from his knee injury. For the most part, LeVert looked dynamic, decisive, and comfortable while running the point for the Nets. 

LeVert is a former first-round pick who slipped a bit in the draft due to injury concerns. He is now proving to be a steal for the Nets, who acquired his rights from Indiana after the Pacers picked him 20th overall in 2016. At the ripe age of 23 and with an athletic 6'6" frame, it appears LeVert has the physical tools to go along with talent and basketball intelligence. 

His best game of last season came on March 31st at Miami, when he delivered 19 points on 7-13 shooting from the field, to go along with 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. He played nearly 35 minutes, a sharp increase from his usual 26.3 per game. This game showed exactly what LeVert is capable of doing when given ample playing time; it was also further evidence of the potential that LeVert flashed during his college days as a Michigan Wolverine. As a freshman, LeVert was a key role player on the Wolverine's National Runner-Up team. He averaged 16.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game during his senior season in Ann Arbor.

In his second NBA season, LeVert showed major improvement from his rookie year, improving in virtually every statistical category. He posted per game averages of 12.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.3 steals. Look forward to him turning plenty of heads next season. 

Bonus: Underrated Rookies

Jordan Bell, Golden State Warriors

Bell's contributions to the Warriors certainly haven't gone unnoticed this season. His athleticism and versatility as an interior defender came in handy throughout the season as well as during multiple playoff series. Bell seemed to always energize the team when he was on the court. He was also a popular DFS option several times when a teammate such as Draymond Green sat out a game and afforded Bell with a larger opportunity. 

Jordan Bell has been referred to by one of the funniest current nicknames in the NBA: "Cash Considerations". This isn't exactly a nickname at all, but more so a way to poke fun at the Chicago Bulls, who infamously sold the draft pick that eventually turned into Bell for $3.5 million. Many people including myself thought this was a curious decision considering a rebuilding team like Chicago should capitalize on every chance it gets to add young talent, rather than try to save a couple million dollars on the salary cap.

As of this week, fans have something newer and better to call Jordan Bell: world champion. Bell played a limited but effective role in the Warriors convincing NBA Finals sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Not bad for cash considerations, eh? Because Jordan Bell wasn't picked until the 2nd round (38th overall), he is only costing the Warriors just under $2.2 million over the span of his two-year rookie deal. 

In his first NBA season, Jordan Bell played 14.2 minutes per game, while starting 13 of the 57 contests he appeared in. His per game averages were 4.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks. 

Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat

Most rookies come out of Kentucky garner more of the spotlight and headlines than Bam Adebayo received this year. Playing behind Hassan Whiteside contributed to this as the latter received more attention this year, mostly to name recognition more than anything else. By the time the playoffs came around, Whiteside was virtually ineffective.

Adebayo, on the other hand, started to look better and better as the season wore on, with his best game of the season coming January 9th at Toronto. Bam filled up the stat sheet to the tune of 16 points (8-14 FG), 15 rebounds, 3 assists, and five blocks. It is very possible that Miami's center of the future is Adebayo, rather than Whiteside. 

In 2017-18, Bam Adebayo averaged 19.8 minutes per game, while starting 19 of the 69 contests he appeared in. His per game averages were 6.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.6 blocks.

Bogdan Bogdanovic, Sacramento Kings

At 25, Bogdan Bogdanovic is much better, but also older than the average rookie. Perhaps his age is partially why much of the publicity directed towards Kings' rookies was for De'Aaron Fox, a former college teammate of Bam Adebayo. Fox was selected by the Kings with the 5th overall pick but failed to make either of the All-Rookie teams. Bogdanovic, on the other hand, was selected to the All-Rookie 2nd Team. 

Fox put together a decent rookie campaign, but it was clear early on that Bogdanovic was not only Sacramento's best rookie but their best player as well. Bogdan has no relation to Bojan Bogdanovic of the Pacers (Bogdan is Serbian while Bojan is Bosnian), but the former did emulate the latter to some degree this season when it comes to shooting.

2017-18 Player Statistics	FG%	3P FG%	FT%
Bogdan Bogdanovic (SAC)	44.6	39.2	84.0
Bojan Bogdanovic (IND)	47.4	40.2	86.8

In 2017-18, Bogdanovic started 52 of the 78 games he played in while posting per game averages of 11.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 0.9 steals.