Unsung Heroes: Spotlighting Underrated Players Making an Impact in the NBA

Celtics’ Payton Pritchard

By Ben Friend

In a league with so many talented players making headlines night in and night out, many players are often overlooked or underappreciated for their contributions to a team's success. Let's take a look at some of the most underrated players in today's NBA, and how they are each making an impact on their team.

Payton Pritchard

While many might just see him as a half court specialist after his incredible shot in game 5 of the finals, and various other mind boggling end of quarter buzzer beaters, Pritchard has truly broken out to start this season and is proving that his contract with the celtics was worth every penny. So far this season, Pritchard is averaging 16.1 points per game (ppg), 3.1 rebounds per game (rpg), and 2.9 assists per game (apg) and is shooting 48.7% from the field. Pritchards 16.1 ppg and 3.1 rpg are both career highs, and last season he was averaging just 9.6 ppg, showing just how much Pritchard has stepped up his game to begin this season. Because the Celtics are coming off of a championship season, with 5 players who you could make a case to be all stars in their starting lineup, it is understandable why Pritchard is often overlooked, but he has had as big of an impact as anyone on the team this season. Pritchards shooting has been excellent so far this year, and he has made significant strides as a defender. Pritchard is looking like the sixth man of the year front runner as of now, and if he keeps this level of production up, it is going to be hard to ignore what he is doing on the court.

Franz Wagner

So far this season, Orlando has completely flown under the radar. The Magic got off to a slow start, losing 6 of their first 9 games, but since then, they have seemingly figured things out. The Magic now sit fourth in the eastern conference, with a record of 16-9, and Franz Wagner has played a large role in this early season turnaround. Wagner is currently averaging 24.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, and 5.7 apg, and is shooting 46.5%. All of these numbers are career highs for Wagner, and he is proving that the Magic made the right decision in giving him a hefty 224 million dollar extension. Wagner has also picked up the slack of injured star Paolo Banchero who has been sidelined 4-6 weeks with an oblique injury. Wagner has played a huge part in the Magic's success so far this season, but he still hasn't been getting the credit he deserves. Wagner recently suffered a similar injury to his teammate Banchero, and is out for an indefinite period of time, so it should be interesting to see how the Magic fare without both of their young stars.

Isaiah Hartenstein

The Thunder have been one of the best teams in the NBA so far this season, and they are clear contenders for the NBA Championship. The Thunder currently sit at the top of the Western Conference, and a large part of this is due to free agent pickup Isaiah Hartenstein. Hartenstein spent the last 2 seasons on the Knicks and was a clear difference maker, but he has really shown his full potential on both ends of the floor with the Thunder so far this season. Hartenstein is currently averaging a double double, scoring 11.8 ppg, grabbing, 12.8 rpg, and dishing out 4.5 apg, and he is shooting an outstanding 57%. Hartenstein is averaging a career high across the board, but there's plenty more impact that he makes behind the numbers. Hartenstein is an exceptional rim protector, making it hard for any team to get into the paint, and his ability to read the game and playmaker makes him a unique big man with a skillset that not many others at his size have. Hartenstein is also a tenacious offensive rebounder, and is relentless on the boards at any point in the game. Hartenstein will play a crucial role for the Thunder as the season continues on, and will likely be a large part of their success if they make it far in the playoffs.