by Andrew Bohardt

Created on: December 13, 2008

Everybody, even non-fans of the NBA, know who Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony are. And why not? They are superstars who can pretty much do whatever is asked of them on the court-except win a championship by themselves. Role players or "glue guys" are a must for team success in any sport, and all NBA superstars, no matter how good they are, need a solid supporting cast to win championships. Even the incomparable Michael Jordan couldn't win a championship until Scottie Pippen arrived in Chicago.

In 2008, there are many great players to choose from for the "most underrated NBA player" award, but the guy that sticks out in my mind is Los Angeles Clippers' center Marcus Camby. Camby is the quintessential "glue guy," doing whatever is asked of him to help the team win. He can score, rebound, pass and block shots at a high level (which makes him very appealing for fantasy players), and any team would take him in a heart beat.

In his 13-year career, Camby has nearly averaged a double-double (10.7 ppg, 9.7 rpg), something very few players can claim. He also blocks nearly three shots per game, a main reason why he captured the 2007 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. But outside of this award, he's never really received the individual notoriety he deserves; Camby has never made an all-star team because of his scoring average. The casual fan does not realize all the other ways Camby affects the game because they are so caught up in how many points players are scoring.

Team-wise, Camby has been an important piece of every team he's played on. This year's Clippers are putrid, but that is an aberration to Camby's value. He played a big role on The New York Knicks' run to the NBA Finals in 1999, replacing the injured Patrick Ewing. And in his six years with the Denver Nuggets, he won several games by himself on the defensive end. Camby was the only above-average defender on those Nuggets teams, and they don't make the playoffs most years without him.

Another reason Camby hasn't gotten enough respect is his injury history; he has played in 70 or more games just twice in his career. Nevertheless, when healthy, he's one of the best centers in the league. Now, at 34, Camby only has a few years of NBA basketball left, but he's still putting up strong numbers (10.4 ppg, 11.4 rpg this season). As his career winds down, it's about time Camby gets the respect he deserves.

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