For the next part in the Overrated series, TGH is starting the week with looking at overrated shooting guards in the league.
Last week, TGH looked at the backcourt counterpart, the point guards.
Disclaimer: When mentioning these players, it doesn’t mean they’re bad players. A lot of factors go into being overrated, whether it’s stats, team success or more.
Let’s get into the list.
Bogdan Bogdanović
In the offseason, there was some drama surrounding Bogdanović. Entering his first free agency, Bogdanović was a restricted free agent. There were several reports that the Milwaukee Bucks had signed the young shooting guard, but it turned out to be a failed sign-and-trade.
Milwaukee was eventually stripped of a 2022 second-round draft pick for tampering in that fiasco. Several weeks later, Bogdanović signed with in Atlanta which seemed to be a really good move.
At this point in the season, that signing by the Hawks looks horrible. In hindsight, the hype around Bogdanović looks bad because he’s playing horrible, which is why he’s at the top of the overrated shooting guards list.
This season is by far Bogdanović’s worst season in the league. He’s averaging his lowest point total (8.6). Also, one of his best skills, three-point shooting, is also suffering. He’s shooting a career low 30 percent from behind the arc. Not to mention a career low in field goal percentage, 35 percent.
With all the awareness and hype Bogdan Bogdanović was receiving in Sacramento, it’s definitely been anti-climactic this season. This was a no brainer including him on the overrated shooting guards list.
Wesley Matthews
For this analysis on Wesley Matthews, get ready to hop in the time machine. For anyone who may remember, Matthews played the beginning of his career in Portland. His five years in Portland were by far the best seasons he’s had.
He averaged the highest points per game of his career, and he developed the reputation of a knock down three-point shooter. He even participated in a three-point contest during all-star weekend in 2015.
Since then, he’s just been an NBA journeyman and bounced around to several teams, including the Mavericks, Knicks, Pacers, Bucks and now the Lakers.
This season, he’s averaging his career low in points (4.2) and three-point percentage (30 percent). Quite frankly, he hasn’t done much to help the Lakers in their quest for a repeat.
To sum it up, Wesley Matthews doesn’t have the touch he used to have like he did in his early years. It just proves that he’s regressing as time goes on.
Andrew Wiggins
Andrew Wiggins’ natural position is small forward, but according to ESPN, the Warriors have him listed as starting shooting guard in the rotation so he will be analyzed as such.
The reason Wiggins is on the overrated list is because he was never able to live up to the hype when he was coming out of college. After all, the Cleveland Cavaliers traded him for Kevin Love. The Timberwolves would have only agreed to the trade if they believed he would have a future in the league. Turns out, he hasn’t transpired into much.
He hasn’t made an all-star game, nor even come close to being considered for one.
Let’s take at other players from his draft class. Some notable players include Joel Embiid (3), Marcus Smart (6), Julius Randle (7), Zach LaVine (13) and Nikola Jokić (41). All of those players have very notable accolades since entering the league.
For being a number one pick, Andrew Wiggins hasn’t lived up to the hype up to this point in his career. He’s a solid player, but once again, for being number one and getting traded for a prime Kevin Love, he’s deserving of being on the overrated list.
All stats were taken from ESPN.com and basketballreference.com.
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