10 Underrated NBA Youngsters Who are Sure to Become Stars

Kobe, LeBron, Wade, and Dirk are household names, their skills are transcendent, and each is destined to finish his career as a top-20, top-15 player all time. Every casual fan is familiar with the aforementioned players, but do they know about Steph Curry's sharpshooting, Rudy Gay's versatility or Ty Lawson's blazing speed? The guys listed below are emerging stars who either play for perennial cellar dwellers, small market teams (or both), or behind veteran players who've refused to relinquish their minutes. Given the opportunity, they could take that step into the next tier — maybe not into LeBron's or Dirk's tier, but they could enter discussions regarding the best at their positions.

1. 
   

   Kevin Love, Minnesota: In reality, Love is already a star. Because he played for the worst team in the NBA in 2010-11 and possibly the worst-run organization in the league, people tend to dismiss his remarkable production. Not since Moses Malone has a player posted such gaudy scoring and rebounding totals. Last season, he became the first player to post a 30-30 game (30 points, 30 rebounds) since Moses almost 30 years ago. He tallied 53 consecutive double-doubles, the longest such streak since 1976, and led the league in rebounding with more than 15 per game. Perhaps his most impressive attribute as a big man is his shooting ability. Listed at 6-10, 260, he shot 85% from the free throw line 41.7% from the 3pt line, an 8.7% jump from the previous season. For his efforts, he won the NBA's Most Improved Player Award.

2. 
   

   Brook Lopez, New Jersey: When Lopez entered the league, he drew comparisons to Tim Duncan, who possesses a similar body type and a refined post game, though obviously more advanced than Brook's. The 23-year-old center's strengths are his low-post scoring, ability to hit the outside shot, and excellent free throw shooting for a big man (80.1% for his career). His best asset may be his durability — in three seasons, he hasn't missed a game, averaging 34.2 mpg. His defense and rebounding leave a lot to be desired, but, as it stands now, he's already a top-5 center in the league.

3. 
   

   Tyreke Evans, Sacramento: If you follow John Hollinger's statistical musings, then you're already familiar with the incredible efficiency of Kevin Love — 24.39 PER in 2010-11, fourth best in the league after LeBron, Howard and Wade — and the sometimes unsettling inefficiency of players such as Tyreke Evans, a combo guard who struggled during his sophomore campaign due to family issues and a nagging plantar fasciitis injury. As a result, his PER ranking fell to 33rd among point guards in 2010-11, 25 spots lower than what he posted during his rookie season. An athletic slasher with solid court vision, a healthy Evans — physically and mentally — is capable of lifting the Kings from the bottom of the Western Conference. As he evolves and learns to properly harness his skills, higher efficiency numbers are sure to follow.

4. 
   

   Stephen Curry, Golden State: He's already among the league's best shooters, ranking up there with Ray Allen in 3pts made and 3pt percentage (43.9% for his career). During his sophomore season he shot 48% from the field, 44.2% from 3pt range and a league's best 93.4% from the free throw line, accumulating a true shooting percentage of 59.5 — only veterans Chauncey Billups and Steve Nash shot better overall. Despite his small size and slender frame, he can score at will, and he's not a bad distributor either, though he could stand to reduce the amount of turnovers he commits per game. That should come with experience.

5. 
   

   Rudy Gay, Memphis: Sure, the Grizzlies knocked off the No. 1 seed Spurs and nearly reached the Western Conference Finals without Gay, who suffered a shoulder injury that ended his season. But he's still an indispensable player for the team, as evidenced by the five-year, $82 million contract he was rewarded last summer. Since the acquisition of Zach Randolph, he's been the Grizzlies' second-leading scorer and go-to option on the perimeter — last season, he averaged 19.8 ppg while shooting 39.6% from 3pt range and 80.5% from the free throw line. As the Grizz make more noise in the playoffs in the coming years, you'll be hearing a lot more from Gay.

6. 
   

   Eric Gordon, LA Clippers: Overshadowed by Blake Griffin and his nightly jaw-dropping highlights, Gordon has quietly become the Clippers' most reliable perimeter scorer, supplementing Griffin's work in the interior. One of the league's best clutch scorers last season, he shot 55.6% from the field and 53.3% from 3pt range in the final five minutes of regulation when the Clippers were either winning or losing by five points or fewer. He's at his best when he attacks the basket, which also serves to free up opportunities for his teammates. The Griffin/Gordon duo is destined to become one of the league's best one-two punches, unless, of course, the Clippers manage to screw it up.

7. 
   

   Marc Gasol, Memphis: The future is certainly bright in Memphis. Gay has molded himself into one of league's best small forwards, Randolph has emerged as one of the league's best power forwards, Mike Conley made huge strides last season, and Gasol has developed into one of the league's best centers. The Grizzlies are committed to keeping this summer's most coveted (restricted) free agent, whose presence underneath the basketball with Randolph gave their Western Conference opponents fits last season. The 26-year-old seven-footer tallied 15 ppg, 11.2 rpg and 2.2 bpg during the postseason, demonstrating his worth before a captive playoff audience.

8. 
   

   Marcus Thornton, Sacramento: A second-round pick in 2009, Thornton made the 42 teams that passed on him sorry during his rookie season, as he immediately contributed to the Hornets. In 25 mpg, he ranked fifth among rookies, scoring 14.5 ppg. He spent much of his sophomore season in new coach Monty Williams' doghouse primarily because of his lack of effort on defense. At the trade deadline, he was sent to Sacramento in a deal for Carl Landry, which allowed him to flourish. In his final 27 games of the season, 23 of which he started, he scored 21.3 ppg in 38.1 mpg, giving the Kings an intimidating one-two punch in the backcourt. He's been compared to Jason Terry, who may not be a superstar, but did happen to be the second-best scorer on a championship squad.

9. 
   

   Ty Lawson, Denver: Raymond Felton, a very good point guard who just had the best season of his career, was made expendable by the presence of his fellow Tar Heel Lawson. Nuggets' GM Masai Ujiri traded Felton on draft day knowing that the future of the position is secure with Lawson, who averaged 11.7 ppg and 4.6 apg in 26.3 mpg last season. His most impressive attribute is his speed, which enables him to push the ball in transition and regularly elude defenders. He's an excellent scorer inside and outside, making 63.2% of his baskets at the rim, 40.4% of his 3pt shots and 50.3% of his shots overall last season. In a full-time starting role with more minutes (he started 31 games last season), Lawson will have the opportunity to assert control over the Nuggets' offense.

10. 
    

    DeAndre Jordan, LA Clippers: Whether or not he remains with the Clippers remains to be seen, as multiple teams will undoubtedly bid for the services of Jordan, a freakishly athletic 6'11 center who can provide both excitement and size in the post. Turning just 23 this summer, Jordan's production has steadily increased as his minutes have increased. Last season, he averaged 7.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, and 1.8 bpg in 25 mpg, shooting a team-high 68.6% from the field. There are concerns about his work ethic, so it's essential that he lands in the right situation with the right tutelage.

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