NBA Players Who Secretly Made Teams Great Without the Spotlight

by Jeremy Block - 1/26/2026

In the NBA, it’s easy to get caught up in focusing on the stars; the ones who dominate the headlines, rack up the points, and steal the spotlight. But every team has those players who don’t show up in the box score yet make everything run smoothly. These are the ones who grab crucial rebounds, lock down defense, hit the open shot, and step up when the pressure’s on.

They were rarely making highlight reels or MVP ballots. However, without them, their team wouldn’t have functioned nearly as well. They kept the game flowing, even when the cameras were focused elsewhere. So, let’s shift gears and take a look at six players who made their teams better, without being in the spotlight.

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Mike Conley

It’s easy to forget about Mike Conley when talking about NBA point guards, especially with names like Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, and Russell Westbrook thrown around. But when looking at his entire career, the success Conley had, whether with the Memphis Grizzlies or elsewhere, was built on pure consistency and leadership.

His stats never jumped off the page, averaging just 13.7 points and 5.6 assists on his career, but he was always reliable. Conley hit timely shots, ran the offense, and most importantly, kept everything together.

Let’s be real: Conley was never an MVP candidate, nor was he his team’s go-to scorer. But wherever he played, his teams were always better with him on the floor. His ability to execute the offense, keep his teammates engaged, and make plays when needed most, made him crucial to the team’s success. He may not have had the spotlight. However, without him, those teams would’ve been a whole lot less scary.

Horace Grant

There’s always that one guy on a championship team who never gets the credit he deserves—and Horace Grant was that guy for the Chicago Bulls and the Orlando Magic. Everyone knows about Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, but it was Grant who held down the fort in the paint, playing tough defense and grabbing rebounds when the teams needed it most.

Need a player who does their role and then some, without needing all the attention or spotlight? Look no further than Grant, who proved that every championship team needs that gritty, physical big man. He didn’t care about just scoring like most big men nowadays—he cared about doing the little things right and creating chaos for the opposing offense in the paint.

Offensively, Grant wasn’t a slouch, either, averaging 11.2 points and 8.1 rebounds for his 17-year career. While he often played a "supporting" role on most of his teams, his ability to guard the best players, hit the occasional big shot, and keep everything balanced, was critical. His work often went unnoticed under the spotlight of others, but when you talk about the players of the early ’90s, Grant deserves to be in that conversation as the one who held everything together.

Shawn Marion

If there were an award for being the most underrated player who made every team they played for better, it would definitely go to the Matrix himself, Shawn Marion. Everything about Marion’s game was unorthodox. From a shooting form that looked like a seven-year-old trying to heave a medicine ball from their chest, to his awkward movement on the floor—yet, Marion did it all, and he did it at a solid rate: guarding all positions, rebounding, playmaking, and shooting the 3-pointer.

Averaging 15.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 48% shooting for his career, Marion’s versatility was the glue that kept teams together. You rarely saw him dominating the stat sheet, but his ability to contribute in every facet of the game made him irreplaceable on any roster.

Marion’s all-around game was exactly what teams needed. And without him, they wouldn’t have had the same balance or defensive edge to close out games.

Joe Johnson

Always reliable on both ends of the floor, you'd think a player like Joe Johnson would get the attention he deserved. However, that wasn’t always the case. For those who don’t know the name, Johnson, besides being one of the smoothest players to ever do it, was the kind of guy who could quietly drop 25+ points and make a huge difference without anyone even noticing. He wasn’t the flashiest guy on the court. However, when his team needed a quick basket or a stop, Johnson was the one who’d deliver, and he did it time and time again.

With career averages of 16 points, 4 assists, and 3.9 rebounds, Johnson’s numbers don’t quite capture how vital he was for his teams. He could score from anywhere, defend multiple positions, and always played within the flow of the game. Johnson deserved the spotlight, and while he didn’t get it, his contributions were felt in every win.

Zach Randolph

If there was one thing Zach Randolph could do, it was make sure you knew he was on the floor. A bruiser in the post on both offense and defense, Randolph was the heartbeat for every team he played for. Despite never getting the attention he deserved, especially during his time in Memphis, there’s no denying the impact he had. Whether it was crashing the boards, scoring in the paint, or defending without backing down, Randolph was the unsung engine that kept things running. He might not have been the guy hitting the game-winners, but his presence on the floor gave his team the toughness it needed to compete with the best.

Sure, posting 16.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game is solid, but it was the grit “Z-Bo” brought to the floor that really set him apart. Randolph was all about doing the dirty work, owning the paint, and making sure his team didn’t back down from anyone.

John Salley

Standing 6'11" with a defensive instinct that was hard to match, John Salley was the quiet force who never needed the spotlight—but always brought value to the table. Offensively, he wasn’t much of a threat. However, defensively, Salley made sure opposing offenses never found a rhythm. Averaging 1.3 blocks and 0.6 steals per game, his stats don’t tell the full story. Salley had a knack for forcing teams to adjust mid-game. And while he often went unnoticed, his contributions made teams that much tougher.

When it came time to ramp up the defense, Salley was the guy who stepped up. His ability to guard multiple positions and stir up chaos on the floor made him a defensive weapon. In tight postseason games, when every possession counted, it was his interior presence that often swung the game in his team’s favor.

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Start:	January 26, 2026 @ 7:00 PM
Expert:	Scott Spreitzer
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NBA Players Who Secretly Made Teams Great Without the Spotlight

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