Zydrunas Ilgauskas: Underrated

The following article is brought to us by Hoosierfan:

In response to Bill Simmons' article on who is underrated, and on how the players become overrated as a result of being underrated (e.g. Ben Wallace), I am going to proffer one who is underrated: Zydrundus Ilgauskus.

Yes, Big Z was an All-Star, sometime before the Cavs had LeBron, and were wasting picks on doofuses like Derek Anderson & Dajuan Wagner.

Everyone has been talking about how Mo Williams was shafted in the pick for the All-Star game. Some had talked before that about both Z and Williams. Perhaps Z was ignored after that because he made the All-Star team (approximately) 8-10 years ago. His $10 million contract seems like a bargain right now, whereas people had moaned about the difficulties of dumping him over the past several years. Perhaps Zydrunas was ignored because he's completely: UNDERRATED.

I would like to point out a trend on the previous several championship teams... with the possible exception of the Lakers who had the entertaining Kobe-Shaq soap opera, every team has had a big man who can step out and shoot... in addition to his necessary posting up and rebounding.
Example: Duncan... Garnett... Rasheed Wallace... every good team seems to have that threat... including Z and the Cavs.

Zydrunas is money - he can hit the outside shot; he comes up with several tip-ins per game, he spreads the defense, and if truly necessary, he'll come down with the boards - but he's always played with a big rebounder like Ben Wallace, A. Varejao, or Boozer. However, Zydrunas owns the Cavs record for the most rebounds... usurping Brad Daugherty.

If you compare him against the true centers of the last 20 years.... he comes out pretty well. He was a teammate of Danny Ferry - who is now GM of the Cavs! Zydrunas has staying power and he has my vote, for the 2nd most valuable player on the Cavs for the last 30 years - perhaps above Mark Price & Brad Daugherty, Ron Harper & Larry Nance & World B Free.