in NBA Betting Trends

The perception that the NBA is a "stars league" has been around for at least two decades, as the tempo picked up, television became an integral part of the league and the athletes became bigger, stronger and more athletic.
 
And while the league is indeed filled with an astounding amount of super talents from all over the world, teams don't win without role players. Never was that better illustrated than during the 2004 NBA Finals.

Few, if any, expected the no-name Detroit Pistons to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers.  Remember that was the "Four Hall of Famers" team starring Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone and Gary Payton.

But Detroit destroyed them, and it required only five games.

"One of the reasons we won last year was we never had any issues about who shoots the ball," Pistons coach Larry Brown said. "Everybody accepts their role and wants to see their teammates do well. That's the way it's supposed to be.

"I really believe if you look around the league more of that is happening. It's not going the other way. I don't think us winning last year hurt our sport at all. It truly helped not only our sport, but I had more people from other sports telling me how much easier it is to coach their teams because of the fact we won as a team."

Having said that, it comes as no surprise that as we look around the league for the top role players, that Pistons All-Star Ben Wallace tops the list. It would be easy to surmise that this group is filled with guys that have less pure talent than others; therefore they had to bury themselves in roles just to make the league.

It's true to a point, but also keep in mind that EVERY player in the NBA has been a star on several levels. Actually, Brown made a point last season of encouraging Wallace to shoot more and it rounded out his game nicely.  No longer is he just a rebounder and defender extraordinaire.

"Everybody has to understand their role on a team," Wallace said. "You're going to be asked to do some stuff you're not comfortable doing or don't want to do. But on this level, everybody has to be able to make plays and accept their role. You've got to know that coming into the league because everybody on your team and every other team is going to be watching everything you do under a microscope.

"It means you'd better work to be a player. Those guys who get a lot early and are content with just having the money, don't last. The ones, who stay in this game because they love it and have a passion to play, continue to get better. And they're the ones who succeed and have long careers in the NBA."

And that's perhaps why it is no coincidence that our top 10 role players in the league include four players who were not drafted, and three who went in the second round. Even more interesting is the probably not so incidental fact that all 10 went to college for four years.

Perhaps that's why they understood the reality of putting themselves out on the line to fight for their life's work.

"I just knew when training camp started I had to work harder than anybody else there," Seattle Sonics forward Reggie Evans said. "Other guys had more talent and all I could do was work."

And it's just that attitude that has allowed Evans and the rest of this group find a place in the NBA and make teams that much better not only by their mere presence, but their approach to the game.

1. Ben Wallace, 6-9, 240 Detroit Pistons. Wallace wasn't drafted out of Virginia Union in 1996, signing just before training camp with Washington and three years later was traded to Orlando. And when the Pistons had to sign and trade Grant Hill to Orlando in the summer of 2000, perhaps only Joe Dumars knew he was getting the better end of that deal. Wallace has twice been the NBA defensive player of the year and a three-time All-Star since.
 
2. Bruce Bowen, 6-7, 200 San Antonio Spurs. Bowen wasn't drafted out of Cal State Fullerton in 1993, and spent parts of the next three seasons playing in France and the CBA before signing a 10-day deal with Miami in 1997, but it wasn't until the next two seasons in Boston that he got to play. It required a cup of coffee in Philly and then back to Miami before he earned his stripes. And when he signed as a free agent with the Spurs in 2001, he transformed into the best defensive small forward in the game and a legitimate 3-point threat.

3. P.J. Brown, 6-11, 240, New Orleans Hornets. Brown was the 29th overall pick in the second round by the New Jersey Nets in 1992, and elected to play in Greece instead. Three years with the Nets, then four with the Heat proceeded the now five seasons he has spent with the Hornets. A no-nonsense, tough guy inside who will challenge every shot and battle for every rebound while conducting himself as a hard-working leader on and off the floor. Every team needs a P.J.
 
4. Doug Christie, 6-6, 205, Orlando Magic. His recent trade to Orlando and ankle problems aside, Christie took a circuitous route toward being a key figure in the success of the Sacramento Kings the past 4 1/2 seasons. Drafted by Seattle 17th overall out of Pepperdine in 1992, he never signed with the Sonics and was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers where he began to develop a game. An inauspicious 12 months in New York followed before a trade to Toronto got him on the right path before going to the Kings. Although his confidence never caught up with his latent offensive skills, he has made his mark on the defensive end and has been a great role player for the Kings.

5. Aaron McKie, 6-5, 210, Philadelphia 76ers. The 17th pick overall in the first round out of Temple by the Portland Trail Blazers, he bounced to the Detroit Pistons for about a year before heading home to Philly. Once there, he became the consummate defender, locker room leader and clutch shooter. Although some say he's injury-prone, it's mainly because he plays so hard throwing his body around that he's struggled to stay healthy. He may not have much left, but what he's got, the Sixers get ... the same way he gave it up down the street at Temple and Simon Gratz High School.

6. Bryon Russell, 6-7, 225, Denver Nuggets. The 45th overall pick in the second round by the Utah Jazz in 1993, Russell has been the consummate defensive tough guy, 3-point shooter his entire career. Although not quite as accomplished defensively as Bowen, he's been more productive offensively. After nine seasons with the Jazz, he left as a free agent in 2002 for Washington, spent last season with the Lakers and now is giving the Nuggets some defense and wisdom. He only helps the cause; never hurts it or gets in the way.
 
7. Reggie Evans, 6-8, 250, Seattle SuperSonics. Undrafted out of Iowa in 2002, the Sonics signed Evans as a free agent before training camp that fall and he's been garnering more minutes and rebounds ever since to the extent that he's now starting at power forward for the second season in a row. He is limited offensively, but he's the classic, get-under-your-skin defender and a relentless rebounder. He's averaging 9.3 rebounds in just 23.2 minutes per game, making him the league leader per 48 minutes at 19.2. A free agent after this season, he should cash in well.

8. Earl Boykins, 5-5, 130, Denver Nuggets. A two-time first team selection in the Mid-American Conference and an honorable mention All-American his senior year at Eastern Michigan, the diminutive wonder was not drafted when he came out of Eastern in 1998. He spent two years with Rockford in the CBA, averaging 21.6 points and 9.3 assists his second season, while bouncing around from New Jersey to Cleveland to Orlando and back to his hometown of Cleveland. A 10-game stint with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2000-01 notwithstanding, his career took off with the Golden State Warriors in 2002-03, and now he is arguably the best guard coming off the bench in the league. Cheers to the little guard who could.

9. Eric Snow, 6-3, 205, Cleveland Cavaliers. Drafted 43rd overall in the second round by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1995 out of Michigan State, his draft rights were dealt to Seattle and he played a role behind Gary Payton on the Sonics run to the Finals in 1996. Two years later, the Sonics dealt him to the Philadelphia 76ers, where he became a starter and ultimately the starting point guard next to Allen Iverson on the Sixer team that went to the Finals in 2001. Always a tough defender, his legs are leaving him, but he was traded to the Cavs last summer and will be a key factor off the bench as the Cavs attempt to make the playoffs for the first time since 1998.

10. Brian Grant, 6-9, 255, Los Angeles Lakers. The lone lottery pick and maximum salaried player of this group, the only way to describe Grant has been a lunch pail style player his whole career. Drafted by the Sacramento Kings, he signed as a free agent with the Portland Trail Blazers but then was dealt to the Heat in a sign and trade for the maximum contract. But knee problems began to take their toll and he was included in the monster deal last summer with the Lakers that brought Shaquille O'Neal to Miami. Nonetheless, on one leg or two, he'll be the guy working the hardest inside for the Lakers, and minutes for him will be a necessity if they're going to slip into the playoffs.