2023-04-18 16:43:03
Over a hundred NBA players responded anonymously to a survey organized by The Athletic. Worst coach, player with whom it is the most dangerous to fight, the most overrated player, the worst supporters… No subject has been avoided. And Rudy Gobert finds himself slightly scratched.
In the mind of an NBA player as if you were there. Over the past three weeks, The Athletic had fun asking the Big League players the questions every fan asks. In all, 108 players were interviewed anonymously. And their answers are oh so instructive.
While the race for the regular season MVP trophy has rarely been tighter, with three favorites – Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo – clearly standing out, the players surveyed have already made their picks. Out of 102 players, 50% vote for Embiid, once morest 25.5% for Jokic and 15.7% for Antetokounmpo. The Greek interior of the Milwaukee Bucks can however reassure themselves by winning the title of star with which the other players would like to start from scratch in the event of a reconstruction of a franchise (52.4%, far ahead of Jokic and Doncic).
Gobert 5th most overrated player… and “forgotten” in the best defenders
Another trophy awarded by this survey, much less rewarding: that of the most overrated player in the current league. Out of 54 votes, half of those polled did not want to answer this rather tricky question, 14.8% believe that the most overrated player is Trae Young. The Atlanta Hawks leader is ahead of Julius Randle (7.4%), Pascal Siakam (7.4%), Jimmy Butler (5.6%) and… Rudy Gobert (5.6%).
The unpopularity of the French pivot in the United States is also illustrated by the poll on the best defender. Despite his three titles of best defender in the NBA (2018, 2019, 2021), awarded by journalists, Gobert is not even among the 15 players who have received the most votes from players. According to the latter, it is by far Jrue Holiday who is the most formidable defender (28.7%), ahead of Luguentz Dort (11.4%), Brook Lopez (8.9) and Marcus Smart (8.9%). ). Holiday also wins the “prize” for the most underrated player (17.5%).
James Johnson scares everyone
Another poll carried out by The Athletic: the player considered the most “dangerous”. When asked “who would you least like to fight with”, 41.1% of voters voted for James Johnson (Indiana Pacers). In second place in this ranking, 27.8% of respondents say they do not want to get confused with Steven Adams. Joel Embiid comes third (3.3%).
NBA fans also take it for their rank. With 15.2% of the votes, the regulars of the Spectrum Center of the Charlotte Hornets win the prize for the worst fans, ahead of those of the Detroit Pistons (11.1%) and the Washington Wizards (10.1%). Conversely, supporters of the Boston Celtics (18%), Sacramento Kings (12.1%) and Golden State Warriors (9.7%) are considered the best.
In the coaches department, finally, Tom Thibodeau wins by far (43.6%) the not very honorary title of technicians with whom the players have the least desire to evolve. The coach of the New York Knicks, yet qualified for the playoffs and winners of the first game of their series once morest the Cleveland Cavaliers, has plenty of time to prove his critics wrong in the weeks to come.
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