Who is the most surprisingly amazing player in NBA history?

[cdif911]

A take on the other topic, but basically a guy no one knew about, thought would amount to anything, perhaps someone everyone thought was overrated and turned into a true stud for years and years in the league

I think being undrafted, or a very low draft pick probably helps your cause on this one

I'm gonna throw Ben Wallace out there - I mean the guy was undrafted, tried out for the Celtics and they wanted him to be a swingman, lands in Washington, where he was solid, traded to the Pistons where he became a perennial all defensive player

[celticsclay]

I would have started with Wallace, he is who came to mind for me. To the casual NBA fan that had not seen him in europe Arvidis Sabonis had to be up there. He came over here as an old man with broken legs, extremely unathletic and was still a really solid player for a few years.

[Who]

Steve Nash

[cdif911]

Nash is an interesting one because he was stuck behind Kidd to start his career, but he was a lottery pick if memory serves (just checked it, #15) - but yeah, you wouldn't think he'd be any better than a solid guard, not a dual MVP

[Who]

Nash is an interesting one because he was stuck behind Kidd to start his career, but he was a lottery pick if memory serves (just checked it, #15) - but yeah, you wouldn't think he'd be any better than a solid guard, not a dual MVP

Especially after his first few years in the league, two years in Phoenix as a backup PG and two years in Dallas as a starter where Nash was still only putting up about 8ppg and 5apg.

To think that he became a two time MVP and one of the most dominant players of the last half a dozen years after that start .... amazing development.

[fairweatherfan]

John Stockton.  No one had ever heard of Gonzaga's program when he came out (and it fell off the map for another 15 years after), and he spent his first 3 seasons backing up the immortal Rickey Green. 

Despite this he led the league in assists for 9 straight years, in steals twice, and crushed both the all-time assists and steals records.  He has a bigger lead over every other player than anyone does in any other statistical category. 

Assists: 

1. Stockton 15806
2. Kidd 10923

Steals:

1. Stockton 3265
2. Jordan 2514

Oh yeah, and he also played 1504 out of a possible 1526 games - and 18 of the missed games were in the same season.  Played and started 378 out of 378 games from ages 36-40.  Ridiculous.

[JBcat]

John Stockton.  No one had ever heard of Gonzaga's program when he came out (and it fell off the map for another 15 years after), and he spent his first 3 seasons backing up the immortal Rickey Green. 

Despite this he led the league in assists for 9 straight years, in steals twice, and crushed both the all-time assists and steals records.  He has a bigger lead over every other player than anyone does in any other statistical category. 

Assists: 

1. Stockton 15806
2. Kidd 10923

Steals:

1. Stockton 3265
2. Jordan 2514

Oh yeah, and he also played 1504 out of a possible 1526 games - and 18 of the missed games were in the same season.  Played and started 378 out of 378 games from ages 36-40.  Ridiculous.

When I saw the topic I was going to mention Stockton.   I remember him saying when he came in the league he hoped to last a year or 2 nevermind be a hall of famer. 

[fairweatherfan]

Another good candidate:  Dennis Rodman.  Complete nothing in high school, got a job as a janitor after graduation but suddenly grew about a foot and went to an NAIA school.  He was arguably better than Ben Wallace at everything Wallace is good at, except probably shot blocking.

[wdleehi]

John Starks.


Undrafted.

[Redz]

I like the guys who came in fairly unheralded and turned themselves steadily into star level players...Arenas, Sprewell, Redd, David Lee,

[ram]

Dennis Johnson was a 2nd round pick

George Gervin was a 3rd round pick

[jason macleod]

Gerald Wallace

[BballTim]

  Based on his first 3 years, Dale Ellis.

[Roy H.]

Manu Ginobili opened some eyes, for sure.  He was picked something like 57th overall.

[Fafnir]

Nash is an interesting one because he was stuck behind Kidd to start his career, but he was a lottery pick if memory serves (just checked it, #15) - but yeah, you wouldn't think he'd be any better than a solid guard, not a dual MVP

Especially after his first few years in the league, two years in Phoenix as a backup PG and two years in Dallas as a starter where Nash was still only putting up about 8ppg and 5apg.

To think that he became a two time MVP and one of the most dominant players of the last half a dozen years after that start .... amazing development.

He's the only MVP to be drafted as low as 15 though right?

And he won twice! (though to be fair Tim Duncan/KG should have won the award but people were tired of giving it to Timmy and KG's tema fell apart)