My Favorite non superstar NBA player is Joe Alexander.

You want to know why he is my favorite non superstar player? Well thats very simple, the motha fucka can jump out of the god damn building and guess what, HE IS WHITE. Also he lived in China for a while and was born in Taiwan, thats pretty cool. Not only is he white and can jump but he also has the uncanny ability to not live up to his 8th overall selection in the '08 nba draft, good job milwaukee first you get YI who wouldnt even play for your team and now Alexander.

The bottom line is that Alexander can hit his head on the rim jumping strait up and thats just plane awesome.

Udonis Haslem - Undersized but rebounds against people much bigger, shoots a great %, takes charges (without flopping) and does all the hustle plays. All without complaining about money or shots. Plus he has cool hair.....

Instead of mentioning my favorite non-superstar player (Lopez), I will mention my favorite role player; I believe that is what the spirit of this contest is.

By and far, my favorite role player is Jason Collins. Simply put, he puts his heart and soul on the line, each and every game. He does all of the little things.

Collins is the unsung hero of the Nets finals runs. Kittles, Kidd, Jefferson, Montross, and Kenyon received all of the credit, and rightfully so, but the legs (and now, shredded knees) of that team was Jason Collins.

Collins plays max effort every single day, even when his body is screaming "No". When you watch him, you can see the painful grimace on his face as he lumbers up the court. You see him set hard, tough screens against stronger, taller, and more athletic players, but hold his ground and take the hit for the sake of a single basket. After years of being one of the best in the league at boxing-out, Collins is still doing it now, even though his legs are in pieces.

He was, in essence, the perfect embodiment of the Nets finals run. They worked hard, had great chemistry, and played fantastic defense. In the Nets playoff series against the favored Raptors, Collins was able to shutdown the younger and more skilled Chris Bosh, both mentally and physically. Hell, he even made Fat Eddy Curry cry!

The best part of Collins was his emotion after the game. He kept a team filled with conflicting egos- Carter, Kidd, and Jefferson, together. His laugh was infectious after wins, and really kept the team together. It was a sad day for many Nets fans when Collins was traded for Swift. Sure, Swift was bubbling with talent, but Collins was one of the last pieces of the Finals teams that still kept the same demeanor. While Kidd and Jefferson were turning into prima donnas, and stopped playing on defense (Jason I and Richar Jefferson), Collins remained himself, albeit without his knees.

Luis Scola - He is the quintessential hustle guy, the heart and soul of the Houston Rockets, rebounds, defends, pick and pop king...If Luis plays well the Rockets will win, simple as that

Ryan Gomes.

Look at the man, he's so dapper. Plus he's the epiphany of being a great "community guy." Not to mention he's been the Wolves best overall player since Big Al went down with his injury and most of the "casual" NBA world has no idea who the hell he is.

Three cheers for Gomes the Great.

Travis Diener. Every time I see him I think of the quote from the movie Rudy "You're 6 foot nothin', 100 and nothin', and you have barely a speck of athletic ability. And you hung in there with the best basketball players in the land for 3 years. And you're gonna walk outta here with 5 million dollars." Gives me the confidence that if I hit the gym now and then, shoot a few extra jumpers, and redshirt during middle school I could be a rich SOB some day.

I'm not entering the contest, but I wanted to share my favorite non-superstar.

I follow so many players in the Association, its tough to choose. I'd have to say Matt Barnes is my favorite, non-superstar. He is an amazing athlete. He reminds me of a "very" skinny Rodney Rogers. What I mean, is he often has to guard the opposing teams center, yet has a very nice outside shot. He doesn't quite have the big power, Rodney had, but he can still get up and throw it down.

Soph

Telfair...because ESPN told me as much in Through the Fire.

My favourite non-superstar would have to be Louis Amundson...
They guy is down to earth, funny (He sung Ice Ice Baby at the Suns Annual Gala) and the true energy guy.
An undrafted Senior out of UNLV he had to hustle to get in the NBA and even then it wasn't enough for playing time. He gets sent to the D-League and works his way to Rookie of the year honours. He moves to PHX and it looks like more of the same on the becnh, but then Amare goes down and he has taken his chance in a big way.
In a team which is light on for hustle he give the suns a massive defense boost and with a little work on his jump shot he can push himself beyond anyones expectations.
And he is smart, He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in university studies focussing in English and philosophy and is currently earning a second degree in Finance.

He's not flashy and he certainly doens't play sexy basketball but he is certainly exciting to watch develop...

Chris Andersen is not only my favorite non-superstar, but he is THE non-superstar whose wings still soar despite his low status in the NBA, hence his nickname, "The Birdman". Statistically, he shows little, but when you watch him play, you really appreciate what he does for his team.

Here's a little background on Chris Andersen. He originally received eligibility for Houston University, but after dropping out, he played at Blinn College (wait, where?) His moderate success at a community college left him undrafted in 1998, and he played in the Chinese Basketball Association for a couple of years. Denver gave him his first shot, and he did not let them down.

Averaging only ten minutes a game in his rookie year, Andersen became a favorite and maintained that status since. Andersen gets limited minutes, but during that time he plays his heart out. For a player like him, you're expected to only play defense and rebound. Chris does that, and then he adds more to the game. He's a NASTY blocker and a capable rebounder. Per 36 minutes, he averaged (at one point) about 7-8 rebounds a game. Considering where he started, that's not bad.

Birdzilla is also known for his dunking abilities. Andersen was one of the first basketball players to prove false that "white men can't jump", and had his first shots in 2004 and 2005. Despite his embarrassing performance in 2005, he proved to the world that he wasn't afraid to detest a long-standing myth and attempted to shock the millions of viewers on TV.

Chris Andersen's attitude is also very... how do we say it? How about upbeat? He shows his hustle and energy through his playing style - and maybe off the court too. Ever see his tattoos? He looks like a walking mural. His drug incident was also unfortunate, especially because of his high popularity in Oklahoma City (at the time, New Orleans was in Katrina days. It's nice to see that now Chris is probably off of drugs and is starting to see a little bit straighter.

Chris Andersen is a basketball player of character. His nickname, Birdman, not only shows in his high-flying dunks and energy-filled celebrations, but in his personality as well. He brings his team's mood up sky-high like a bird. He's made destructive dunks, killer blocks, and even a half-court shot. He's certainly not a Hall of Famer, but he deserves an enshrining in the Hall of Passion.

Runner up: Brian Scalabrine.

Birdman is the man. His hair is awesome too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BieL_YOzQkI

Did you see his 'dunk' against the wizards? It hit the back of the rim and flew about 5 metres in the air then swished in the net for a 3 point play... It looked unreal...

Thaddeus Young has emerged as my favourite non-superstar in the past couple of seasons. It's impossible to ignore his athletic ability but we continue to see him develop in other areas.

Without the Iggy - Young combo, Philly would almost not be worth watching. What Young was doing at the beginning of the season was basically the only reason the 76ers remained afloat. While his tomahawk left hand will always be what has made him a well known player, seeing him develop a three point shot and improve in other areas has been impressive.

It wouldn't surprise me if Young emerges as a genuine star next season.

Didier Ilunga-Mbenga AKA DJ Mbenga. Not only is he exotic, he is also a model citizen and great basketball player. Born and raised in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mbenga was the son of a prominent government official. When power was seized by another government, the former government officials and their families were imprisoned, including Mbenga. Luckily for us, Mbenga's father heroically sacrificed himself in order to free his children from the twisted government's clutches. Mbenga escaped to Belgium. This is where our story gets interesting.

Mbenga began his rise to basketball prominence with the Dallas Mavericks. The Dallas Mavericks were in the Finals for the 2006 Playoffs, but they received some crushing news. Their best player had been suspended for 6 games for entering the stands, and helping his coach's wife into the locker room because she was being harassed during a game. The Mavs loss has been directly attributed to the suspension or Mr. DJ Mbenga, unsurprisingly. Instead of receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, as he deserved, Mbenga was not only slapped with a suspension, he was also slapped when he saw the Heat cheering after the Mavs loss.

Perhaps the most beautiful part of DJ Mbenga is his actual Basketball game. 1. Although he has a propensity for minor foul trouble, anyone foolish enough to wander into the key when Mbenga is on the court is likely to get smashed in the face. Congo style. 2. Mbenga's jumpshot is Congo Cash. It is also very high arcing. Beautiful. 3. Mbenga can speak English, Portuguese, French, Lingala and Tshiluba. (whatever the hell those are)

As soon as i saw Mbenga's goblin face put on a Lakers uniform, I was hooked. His infamous taco video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1rZBxn3Zx8) has inspired millions, and he continues to excel both on and off the court. Also, I love mountain Dew. GO CONGO! (I am such a huge fan of Mbenga, that I have a flag that I made myself on my wall that features a hand drawn rendition of Mbenga's face, and the words GO CONGO! on the top. It is sick.) It is not a coincidence that the team that i captain on Court Rivals is named Team Mbenga. Thank you for reading this long, but surely entertaining, article on my personal favorite player. Above all, GET SOME!

Well i don't know if he's my favorite non-star in the NBA but I like Glen Davis. I believe he is the type of role player that every team needs.He's a janitor,does the dirty work no one else wants. He averages 5.8 PPG ,3.6 RPP, .8 to in 19 minutes of playing time a game on a team filled with superstars .When there were injuries to key starters he has shone that he can pick up his game to another level.Now he will probably never make "superstar" status but you can guarantee that when his contract is up there will be a lot of people vying for his services.

My favorite non-superstar NBA player is Michael Finley. I dont know why I started liking him, I just did. He is a great role player, when he is called to make a shot, he will usually make it. He was a big part of the Spurs title run in 2007. He is getting old, but still one of the best clutch shooters in my opinion. He accepts the "backup" role and is a great teammate. He is also a great person and is liked throughout the NBA.

Jeff Green, Rudy Gay/OJ Mayo, LaMarcus Aldridge , Delonte West, Dorrell Wright, Wilson Chandler

Leon Powe is the coolest non-superstar in the NBA. Every part of him, and his story, make him an un-sung hero. Leon raised his brothers and sisters on the streets of Oakland and played his way to a Cal scholarship even though he and his siblings were homeless for a while because his house burnt down, his dad left at age 2, and his mother was into drugs. the state took him and his siblings away because his mother couldnt care for them. She died 4 days before his championship game him highschool. He has had two very serious knee injuries but fought his way back every time and was a valuable role player for the celtics in their championship run. He comes off the bench and provides toughness, a lot of hustle, and infinite heart. He plays harder than anyone i have ever seen in the NBA and his effort translates into success for the team. His story, his game, and the fact that he is so humble and grateful for where he is makes him admirable and I will be a fan for life, even when some team dumps big bucks on him and he leaves the celts.

Trevor Ariza.

Robert Swift. The correct answer is Robert Swift.

Carl Landry is the greatest Rocket ever. He's not the best player or the smartest or the most talented, but he wants to win so badly that almost every play forces this ridiculous emotional outpouring that leads to him looking like he just wept at his mother's funeral afterwards. Landry's skills read like a laundry list of what you want in a role player: hits open jumpers, dunks anything around the basket, controls the offensive glass, plays great help defense, awe-inspiringly clutch. He's an efficient monster with a tremendous drive to win. Everyone would know this if Luis Scola weren't so good.

One of my favorite non-star players would have to be Mikki Moore. He's not the greatest out there, but when I saw him on the Nets, I've never seen a guy that brings such energy to his team. He currently plays for the Celtics were he obviously doesn't play as much, but he's just a great team player and always brings and extra energy boost to the floor.

He was also a fan favorite. Every time he made an energy play, or a terrific move, the croud went nuts. I've been to quite a few Nets games when he was with the Nets, and everybody knows who he is and they all love him. I've seen booing when they take him out - that's how much they love him. Overall, he's just a great guy.

I've got to go with Antonio McDyess. I'm not really a Pistons fan, but the way the guy hustles to every rebound, shoots that mid-range 17-footer with such consistency...he's been the most consistent player the Pistons have had this year (sorry Stuck,Rip).

...that,and he is regarded as one of the league's most upstanding veterans; he's our unsung player.

...or how about Derek Fisher though?

Great,great open three-point shooter, cool head, one of the Lakers' unquestioned leaders...

PLUS he's the president of the Players' Union...good,good dude.

Basketball-wise,he's stabilized the Lakers ever since their reunion last season,giving the Lakers that patient veteran voice they've needed to temper Kobe Bryant's constant need for perfection. To me, he is as important an acquisition as Pau Gasol was.

Kirk Hinrich
He's white but he plays just as hard as anyone. Plays like he has a chip on his shoulder and is the best defensive point guard in the game,

Leon Powe

STEVE NOVAK, come on how could you hate him? he's a great shooter
WILSON CHANDLER
RYAN GNOMES
ROY HIBBERT
SHAUN LIVINGSTON*( MY TOP GUY... so much talent so little else...)

Steve Blake

This guy is the unsung hero of the Blazers. Blake plays intelligently and in line with his physical abilities (which are limited in comparison to many other nba players). He rarely makes offensive or defensive mistakes. He willingly defers to the young Blazer core with no ego. Case in point: he often functions as the off guard shooting spot up threes so Roy can have the ball in his hands. He injects the offense when it's lagging. He rarely turns the ball over. AND, he tied the NBA RECORD for most assists in a quarter, and received very little buzz after that.

From a personality standpoint he's great. Being part of the small veteran group on the leagues youngest team he's had to take a leadership roll. He's been helping shape Bayless, who is slowly learning how to run point under Blake's tutelage, and he frequently gets the younger guys in line during the game. Blake has a real scrappiness quality to his person. He never backs down from confrontation, but never escalates it, and he always gives it his all. He's great with fans, has a growing family, and has other interests outside of NBA (he trains in MMA too!)

Blake is the kind of player I would want to be if I, as a unathletic and short white guy, would want to be. He's intelligent, scrappy, assumes a big leadership roll, doesn't care about praise, and does whatever the team and city needs him to do.

Terance Kinsey is my favorite non star player. He played for south carolina and i met him and he was a really nice guy. He gets no playing time at all but i followed him win he played in a foreign league. He is vocal on the sidelines and cheers on his team. He doesnt complain about playing time and could be better if he played more. He looks like a beast also. Who doesnt like a player who is all about team and not me.

Jason Maxiell.

A great energy spark off the bench, doing it all. Grabbing rebounds, blocking shots like few men can, dunking hard, finishing alley-oops - great energy overall!

Thaddeus Young
By: kriskrosser4, March 23, 2009

To me, the best non superstar is Thaddeus
Young. Without Young the 76ers would not be holding the 5th seed in the East. He is the glue that keeps them together and that's what a team needs to be a good team.

Young is averaging 14.8 Points Per Game right now and 5 Rebounds Per Game. Young makes plays when the 76ers need it but he also isn't the superstar on team (Miller-Iguodala), but don't get me wrong, Thaddeus is dripping potential.

He may eventually be the future of the young 76ers and if he keeps on getting better, which I'm sure he will, he won't be a NONSuperstar for long

Without a doubt the award goes to none other than Zydrunis Ilgauskis. The man did nothing besides play his butt off on a horrific decade of Cleveland teams. He was unsung and unheard of but he could play. But did he ever complain? No, the man is as selfless as can be and he is finally getting a lucky break when they drafted Lebron James and are now on pace for the best record in the NBA. And cmon who doesnt enjoy that rare awkward three he pulls out every now and then?

ya thats wats up
waterbury representin, and he rele does do alot of work around here and the surrounding areas although it was easier for him when he was a celtic

Wow, Nice timing. I second the nomination of Zydrunas Ilgauskas of the Cavs. Added to the previous comment, are these facts... He missed 2 1/2 seasons with foot injuries that required reconstructive surgery. The fans were starting to thing he was one of the biggest bust draft picks in memory. But to that even he never complained. He was always class. Now? He is the franchise all-time leader in rebounds and block shots. He has scored more than 10,000 points in his career. But how many around the league know him? He was only voted an all-star once. But he goes out and gives you 14 and 9 with a few blocks nearly every night. Final fact to seal the deal? HALF of the Cavs 13 losses this season have come when "Z" was out with injury. The best record in the NBA this season is even better percentage wise when he is in the lineup. There's an unsung star for you!

My guy isn't going to be a non superstar for very long. Wilson Chandler. Get familiar. He's built like Lebron but he's got much longer range. He's sneaky fast and able to explode to the hoop 'with malice'. A super nice guy who has never protested a bad call with a ref. Yes, in 2009, there's a guy who just shuts his mouth and gets back on defense. It's only his second season and he has started the whole year. A fun trivia game to play is 'see if you can spot WIlson's latest tatt.' The guy came back from all star break with a sleeve on his right arm and every few games he's got a new one. I always thought guys waited till the off season to get their work done but Wilson's so badass he'd prolly get a dragon tatted on his back at halftime. Much better than tweeting.

Even though he's not on the Lakers anymore I still have to say Ronny Turiaf. He brought energy from the bench and on the court and played with his heart on his sleeve. Not to mention how he came back from a nearly fatal heart condition to become a solid NBA player. We miss his dancing and celebrating, along with his toughness and scrappy play in Los Angeles.

Tayshaun Prince. Ultimate team player. Quality player and unselfish.He never backs away from the opposing team's best player,will guard the point through center positions. Tay will sacrifice his own scoring,run the point when pressed,and if you need that big play,well ask Reggie Miller.He was the only non-superstar player on Redeem Team. Never made the all-star team but is always MVP of the Pistons.

Jason Kapono

Doesnt get a lot of playing time but when he does he can score in bunches. I saw him play in person against the pistons the game after the pistons pacers fight. he scored 22 points for the Bobcats and led them into overtime. even tho the Pistons won, I instantly fell in love with Kapono's style of play. he can hit the three with the best if not the best of them. although recently gaining popularity for his 3 Point Contest wins, he was my favorite player long before.

Anthony Parker., no question in my mind. He plays his position perfectly, and is likely the best all-around role player in the league. No question that the Raptors would hurt terribly without him.

Mark Madsen, he has the biggest heart plus he is the nicest guy. He is a real competitor and hustles like crazy. He will never let you down. The guy is a true champion even if he can't dance. That is why he is Mad Dog. Mark does all the dirty work and will never stop boxing out and has solid fundamentals. The guy is a beast!

Amazing to not see the Vanilla Gorilla on here. Joel Przybilla is an amazing player who can rebound in the double digits in just minutes of game time. At one point during this season, he averaged 8 rebounds in only 16 minutes a game.

Nicolas Batum.

With a photo to prove it!!
Batum's Got Voltage

Trevor Ariza. Goes in, plays D, gets steals, and dunks like a motha ******

bruce bowen. He is the best defender in the league and can shut down basically anybody. I love how he contiues to play his game even though all the haters think he is dirty, and they want him to be soft like they were

Kelenna Azubuike

Let me start by saying I'm a huge Warriors fan. Ok, so Azubuike was not drafted by any team. He wasn't a savior at Kentucky or the NBA. He just plays really, really hard. Some guys want you to know they hustle, so they talk about injuries, make obvious attempts at the ball when they know they cannot actually get it, and reach when they are beaten defensively so announcers can say "Wow, look at him get after it!" Kelenna doesn't do any of those things, and he does nothing detrimental to the team at all. He plays at an even temperment, never getting flustered, always ready to make the next big play. What, you want statistics? How about 46% shooting on three's (top 10 in the league), 47% shooting overall, and 79% from the line. He's the second best perimeter defender on the Warriors (outside of Captain Jack), and his defensive effort is much more consistent. He steals, blocks shots, and by the way, he's only 25 and this is his third year in the league. Championship teams have 3-4 role players who bring effort and performance like Azubuike, and I for one would love to see this D-League alum win one, with the Warriors or without them. Just 3 years into the league, he's already deserved it.

My favorite isn't so much of a player as it is a team. The Atlanta Hawks. This team has an ownership that is tearing the team and city apart. An ownership that has it's hands tied with what it can do since there is dispute over who actually owns the team. And yet, they push the Celtics last year to 7 games, and this year have not only exceeded all of the experts expectations, but has amassed an amazing year. Sure they have probably the most underrated "superstar" in Joe Johnson, but after that there is no one the team who gets all that much attention and they never get mentioned. Flip Murray, Al Horford, Mike Bibby, Josh Smith, et al have not only made basketball relevant in Atlanta again (even though I don't live there I am a fan), but have solidified the 4th spot in the East region. I think to do what they have done this year and last as a team without a lot of notice deserves a mention.

Mine Is Rafer Alston AKA Skip To My Lou. BIG UPs To QUEENS NY.

Zaza Pachulia

His father died during a routine doctors checkup while he was still in his early teens. He offered to quit basketball in order to get a real job and provide for his mother, but Marina (his mother) told him to stick with it.

He was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2003 draft, to a bad Orlando team, was taken in the expansion draft by the then-terrible Milwaukee Bucks, and then signed to a 4-year/16 million dollar contract by the Atlanta Hawks. a 20 year old, who had never averaged more than 5 points, gets to become a starting center.

He is all hustle. One jumping on Shaq's back. Once being dogpiled by 4 Wizards, and once running through a ref and giving him a concussion. He is a ball of energy, not afraid to get into a Bully's face (Kevin Garnett), and though his stats have dropped, he is still just 25, and a 6 year NBA Veteran. His name is Zaza! He sounds like Arnold Schwarzenegger, and has backne! You have to love him.

Walter Herrmann:

Palms the ball with such astute sexiness. Likes to shoot from anywhere, he knows what he is put out on the court to do, and that is to provide scoring punch!

I even named by puppy after the dude.