One of the best things of watching the NBA is to see different players rise to the level of basketball stars. It’s good to see that these players go from good to elitist. Throughout the history of the NBA we have seen several players shining in the league. Some will shine from the start, while others will need a change of scenery before they can show off their full arsenal of basketball talent. The first is of course the ideal path for any NBA basketball player. However, the course of basketball is usually different for each player.
There is no doubt that fighting on the field, playing limited minutes and negotiating is not an easy pill for them to swallow. These are difficult obstacles that have led some players to give up their NBA dreams. But despite the difficulties, some actors have managed to overcome these obstacles and have waited patiently for opportunities to break through.
It should also be noted that there are talented players in their former teams who have been given a limited role. However, after being traded and getting a bigger role, she blossomed and became basketball stars. In this article, let’s take a look at five players who have become stars after they have been traded.
Jermaine O’Neil
If there’s one player who has taken the time to score his league class, it’s Jermaine O’Neal. He was recruited in high school in the same class as Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Ray Allen. The six meter long center was full of potential that the Blazers couldn’t resist. In the 1996 NBA draft, the franchise picked him up with the 17th overall choice. Worldwide selection. In fact, O’Neal was the youngest player in the NBA at the time.
O’Neil, however, has failed to shine in Rip City. With a team that already consists of solid pillars like Rasheed Wallace, Brian Grant and Arvydas Sabonis, the high school star just didn’t make it. O’Neal had only 3.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.3 assists per match. The limited production forced the team management to send it to the Indiana Pacers for Dale Davis.
Luckily, O’Neal became a star for the Pacers. After the 2002 exchange, the Pacers won the Most Improved Player award. He also recruited six NBA All-Stars and was appointed three NBA teams. He has been a double threat to the Pacers, averaging 18.6 points and 9.6 boards per game in eight seasons with the team. When O’Neal was there, the Pacers continued to make the post-season six years in a row, including the Eastern Conference final in the 2004 NBA playoffs.
Although O’Neal was frustrated by the Portland Pioneers, his trade with the Pacers was a blessing that established him as one of the best men of his generation.
Ben Wallace
Ben Wallace was definitely a diamond in the rough. Wallace, a part-time center that spent his school years at an NCAA Division II school, didn’t really win many fans when he entered the design in 1996. In fact, as the project indicates, the 6’9 centre was underdeveloped. Although Washington eventually took a risk with him, Wallace was hardly used. He only had 3.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game on the bench.
Wallace had just started his ascent in the NBA when he was traded for the Orlando Magic for Isaac Austin. With the famous Heart & Hustle Magic, Wallace began to establish himself as a legitimate starter in the competition. For magic, he averages 4.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.
Although his work in Orlando was decent, he only really became famous when he was traded to the Detroit Pistons for Grant Hill. As Hill was a rising star at the time, trade was described as unbalanced. However, as the story unfolded, we all learned which team benefited from the agreement.
Wallace has finally blossomed into a star center that values defense and excitement. His presence gave the team a protective anchor. The tall six-footed man led the competition in blocks and rebounds. He was also named defender of the year four times. It should also be noted that he played the NBA All-Conference five times and the All-Defensive teams six times. Most importantly, Wallace helped the Pistons win the NBA Championship in 2004, when they defeated the hard-hitting Los Angeles Lakers led by the late Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. In an exciting championship game, Wallace scored a double-double with 18 points and 22 rebounds as he tried to contain Shaquille O’Neal, which is no small feat.
For a player averaging no more than five points per game, Wallace has come a long way to reach the pinnacle of his career.
Victor Oladipo
Victor Oladipo has been selected by the Orlando Magic as the next star of the franchise after the departure of Dwight Howard. Unfortunately, Oladipo was unable to build a relationship with Orlando. Although he was able to score 15.9 points per game and show the perimeter defense during his three seasons with the Magic, his outside shot was ineffective. The 6’4 guard’s perimeter game on the left offensive side wasn’t impressive because he only hit 33.9% of the arch. Moreover, Oladipo did not succeed in bringing a young Magic team back to the late season.
While team management was not impressed and Evan Fournier played better on the field, the Magic Oladipo eventually sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Domantas Sabonis and Serge Ibaka. Oladipo did well against the Thunder, averaging 15.9 points per match. However, his fame began when he was sent to the Indiana Pacers for Paul George.
The Oladipo improved, averaging 20.7 points per outing in four seasons with the Pacers. He also won the Most Improved Player title in his first year in Indiana. The guard was also able to make two consecutive All-Star statements at 6’4.
Although Gladipo suffered from an Achilles tendon crack that forced him to sit out many games, he made a successful comeback last season and will be looking to prove to everyone that he is back in the All-Star category for the 2020-2021 season.
With his performance in Indiana, Oladipo proved that he is not only a regular starter, but also an elite goalkeeper around whom a franchise can be built.
Kyle Lowry
Before becoming a star of the Toronto Raptors, Kyle Lowry was just another actor in the past. When he played for the team that put him together, the Memphis Grizzlies, Lowry was hardly a factor on the NBA field because he was hardly part of the team rotation. Moreover, the lack of playing time certainly hampered his ability to shine on the pitch. In three unforgettable seasons with the Grizzlies, he averages only 8.6 points and 3.6 cents per game.
The hothead was eventually traded in a multi-party exchange with the Houston Rockets, where he finally had the opportunity to show his potential. Lowry has shown a steady improvement in production with the Rockets, scoring 11.6 points and 5.6 assists per outing in four seasons, making him the playmaker of the team.
Lowry, however, will reach his peak when he plays for the Toronto Raptors. After an exchange that Gary Forbes sent to Houston and Lowry to the Raptors, the 6’0 guard quickly established himself as one of the top players in the league. While wearing a Raptors jersey, Lowry was named NBA All-Star six years in a row and was also selected once for the third straight NBA All-NBA team. More importantly, Lowry played a key role in leading the Golden State Warriors to their very first NBA Championship in 2019, which they won with a large number of players. In the play-offs of 2019 Lowry achieved an average of 15.0 points, 6.6 assists and 4.9 rebounds per outing. Although Lowry was not a candidate for MVP in the finals, his exceptional presence and timely contributions played a major role in the team’s success.
James Hardening
The beard wasn’t too bad to get off the bench for the Oklahoma City Thunder, averaging 12.7 points per game. In fact, Harden will also win the title of sixth man of the year in 2012, as his score certainly gave a boost to the star duo Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. He will also play a role in helping the Thunder to make it to the finals of the NBA this year.
However, Harden will emerge as a superstar in the league when he is part of a multi-talented group with the Houston Rockets. The Rockets have trusted Harden to be the face of the franchise, and his individual performance is better than ever. In eight seasons in Houston, Harden has averaged 29.6 points, 7.7 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game. Since joining the Rockets, Beard has played in eight All-Star games, has been named All-NBA player six times and has received the 2018 NBA MVP award. As the cornerstone of the Houston Rockets, he is also the league’s top scorer and top assistant.
Harden certainly proved to everyone that he was able to lead the franchise’s superstar points when he moved to Houston. In doing so, he has managed to transform himself from role-player to superstar, which is not an easy task.
Unfortunately, the star of the Rockets is currently facing many problems outside of court. Initially, Harden made headlines for his absence during the early stages of the team’s training camp, as he reportedly celebrated in several cities. The eighth All-Star also demanded that his team make a trade, although he brought John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins to Houston. Shortly afterwards, Harden was also punished for violating COWID-19 protocols, with the NBA imposing a fine of $50,000 on him. His breach of protocol also played a role in the postponement of the opening game of the Houston Rockets against the Oklahoma City Thunder, as the team was unable to field at least eight players for that game.
The future of James Harden with the Houston Rockets is certainly a big question mark. But one thing’s for sure: When Harden has mastered his sudden problems, the former league MVP is clearly a talented player who can bring a lot of stardom to any team he plays for.
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