The 2026 anonymous NBA player poll conducted by The Athletic has ignited major discussion across the basketball world after several star players appeared on both the “most overrated” and “most underrated” lists. The results highlighted just how divided opinions remain among NBA players when it comes to evaluating talent, impact, and reputation around the league.
One of the biggest surprises from the poll was Alperen Şengün reportedly finishing at the top of the “most overrated” category. The result quickly became a talking point online, especially considering Şengün’s breakout performances and growing status as one of the league’s most skilled young big men.
On the opposite side, Jalen Johnson and Derrick White tied for the No. 1 spot as the league’s “most underrated” players. Fans widely praised White’s two way consistency and Johnson’s rise as an emerging force for the Atlanta Hawks.
Several other stars also received notable “overrated” votes, including Rudy Gobert, Trae Young, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Paolo Banchero. The inclusion of established All Stars and franchise players added even more fuel to the ongoing conversation surrounding player perception in today’s NBA.
The poll also covered coaching, where Joe Mazzulla earned recognition as the league’s best head coach according to players. The Boston Celtics coach finished ahead of Mark Daigneault and Erik Spoelstra in the voting.
Online reaction to the poll has been mixed, particularly across Reddit, where many fans argued that anonymous player voting often reflects personal rivalries, playoff narratives, and stylistic preferences more than actual production or efficiency. A common belief among commenters was that NBA players tend to value difficult shot creation and flashy offensive skill sets more heavily than analytics driven impact.
Another major talking point involved players who appeared in both the underrated and overrated discussions. Scottie Barnes and Bam Adebayo were among the names mentioned on both sides, leading fans to joke that the players had become “perfectly rated” by league standards.
Many commenters also reminded fans that the poll’s voting pool represents only a fraction of the NBA player population. Because of the relatively small sample size, some category leaders may have received only around 10 votes total, making the results more reflective of league chatter than definitive consensus.
