Sports
•
NBA Players Poll: Blazers, Thunder Top Underrated List
## NBA Players Poll: Blazers, Thunder Top Underrated List, Gilgeous-Alexander MVP Favorite
An anonymous poll of 158 NBA players, conducted by *The Athletic*, reveals intriguing insights into player perceptions of the league. While no Portland Trail Blazers player topped any category, several received notable mentions. Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara tied for 13th in the "most underrated player" category, each garnering 1.5% of the 136 votes cast. Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe each received a single vote in their respective categories. Head coach Chauncey Billups received 1.4% of the vote for both "best coach" and "worst coach," reflecting a split opinion among his peers. The Trail Blazers also received a single vote for "best organization."
The Oklahoma City Thunder, however, fared significantly better. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the overwhelming MVP favorite, securing 56.1% of the votes, significantly outpacing Nikola Jokic (37.4%). The Thunder's strong showing extended to organizational rankings; they were considered the second-best organization in the league (17.5% of votes), trailing only the Golden State Warriors. Furthermore, eight Thunder players were named among the league's most underrated: Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Jalen Williams, and Cason Wallace each received 2.2% of votes, while Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Isaiah Joe each received 0.7%. Mark Daigneault, the Thunder's head coach, was ranked the best coach in the league with 21.8% of the vote.
Other notable poll results include Victor Wembanyama's dominance as the projected "face of the league" in five years (54.3% of votes) and the Boston Celtics as the predicted NBA champions (57.7% of votes), with the Thunder a distant second (17.5%). The poll also touched upon controversial topics, such as the potential for shorter seasons and the impact of analytics on the game, with the majority of players expressing opposition to these changes. The results highlight a significant divide in opinions regarding the game's current direction and the players most deserving of recognition.
An anonymous poll of 158 NBA players, conducted by *The Athletic*, reveals intriguing insights into player perceptions of the league. While no Portland Trail Blazers player topped any category, several received notable mentions. Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara tied for 13th in the "most underrated player" category, each garnering 1.5% of the 136 votes cast. Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe each received a single vote in their respective categories. Head coach Chauncey Billups received 1.4% of the vote for both "best coach" and "worst coach," reflecting a split opinion among his peers. The Trail Blazers also received a single vote for "best organization."
The Oklahoma City Thunder, however, fared significantly better. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the overwhelming MVP favorite, securing 56.1% of the votes, significantly outpacing Nikola Jokic (37.4%). The Thunder's strong showing extended to organizational rankings; they were considered the second-best organization in the league (17.5% of votes), trailing only the Golden State Warriors. Furthermore, eight Thunder players were named among the league's most underrated: Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Jalen Williams, and Cason Wallace each received 2.2% of votes, while Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Isaiah Joe each received 0.7%. Mark Daigneault, the Thunder's head coach, was ranked the best coach in the league with 21.8% of the vote.
Other notable poll results include Victor Wembanyama's dominance as the projected "face of the league" in five years (54.3% of votes) and the Boston Celtics as the predicted NBA champions (57.7% of votes), with the Thunder a distant second (17.5%). The poll also touched upon controversial topics, such as the potential for shorter seasons and the impact of analytics on the game, with the majority of players expressing opposition to these changes. The results highlight a significant divide in opinions regarding the game's current direction and the players most deserving of recognition.
