The NBA has entered the first round of the playoffs, where every dunk, block, and buzzer-beater carries extra weight. The postseason is in full swing, and along with the on-court drama, the league’s awards season is heating up. The MVP race is once again the talk of the town, and it has come down to two familiar faces: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets. Shai is on a quest to become the third Thunder player in 12 years to win the award, following in the footsteps of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
Jokic, meanwhile, is seeking his fourth MVP in five years. Both have rock-solid resumes, but here’s the kicker: It’s been seven seasons since an American-born player won the award. James Harden was the last in 2018, and with global talent dominating the league, that feels like ancient history. Whatever these stars do in the playoffs won’t affect the regular-season vote, but it will certainly add to their legacies.
Haliburton Overrated, Cunningham Underrated
Every year, The Athletic runs an anonymous poll that gets NBA players to spill the tea, and this time, 158 of them – more than a third of the league – chimed in. They voted on everything from MVP picks to title predictions, but the real buzz came from two juicier questions: “Who’s the most overrated player?” and “Who’s the most underrated?”Tyrese Haliburton, the Indiana Pacers’ slick point guard, took the overrated crown with 14.4% of the vote, a big jump from last year’s 3.7%.
Ninety players weighed in, and Haliburton’s name came up a lot. He averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 9.2 assists this season, and let’s not forget that he led the league in assists last season. That’s no easy feat! Critics might say he’s more flash than substance, a media darling who knows how to work the spotlight. Still, leading the Pacers to the East finals last year, even with some luck from banged-up opponents, shows he’s got a game.
On the other hand, Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons was named the most underrated. The 2021 No. 1 pick averaged 26.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game to help pull the Pistons out of the basement. He sparked a 30-win jump – the sixth-best turnaround in NBA history – and delivered their first 40-win season since 2019, as well as a playoff berth. Cunningham is still learning to grab headlines like Haliburton, but his play speaks volumes. He even led Detroit to its first playoff win since 2008, and they have a chance to make life difficult for the Knicks in their series. The All-Star label fits him now, and at 23, he’s just getting started.
It would have been nice if they had asked who serves as an example to follow among veterans like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Chris Paul or Al Horford, players over 35 who continue to be an example of discipline, perseverance and overcoming every day despite having achieved many successes in the league, or maybe a question about LeBron playing with Bronny, but that would probably have caused a lot of controversy after how James faced Stephen A. Smith a few weeks ago.
More Survey Gems: Wembanyama’s Future and Organizational Rankings
But the poll didn’t stop there-it peered into the crystal ball and sized up the league’s power structure. When asked, “Who will be the face of the NBA in five years?”Victor Wembanyama came out on top with over 50% of the vote. Anthony Edwards came in a distant second with 13.8%. The San Antonio Spurs rookie phenom, even with an injury-shortened season, has players betting big on his future.
Then there’s the organizational breakdown. The Golden State Warriors (21.9 percent), Thunder (17.5 percent) and Boston Celtics (15.3 percent) were hailed as the league’s best-run teams. Flip the script, and the Charlotte Hornets (38.1%), Washington Wizards (20.4%), and New Orleans Pelicans (11.5%) were slammed as the worst – no shocker considering they’re three of the four worst teams of the season, along with the Utah Jazz (1.8%).
This poll is a goldmine of player insight, mixing respect with a little roasting. Haliburton may not love the overrated tag, but his assist title proves he’s no fluke. Cunningham’s underrated tag feels like the league is finally waking up to his stardom. As the playoffs roll on, these opinions will keep the chatter alive, proving that in the NBA, the stakes – and the takes – are always high.
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