This topic is a little random, but I was somewhat inspired by various podcasts and articles that talk about players that aren’t what they used to be or haven’t lived up to our expectations. I don’t know if he’s the first to come up with this, but a common phrase that Keith Smith likes to use is “he’s more name than game at this point.”
The examples that I can think of off the top of my head are mostly older players that were once very good to great but Father Time has caught up with them. Guys like
Brook Lopez, Joe Ingles, and Kevin Love. Some might put Al Horford in that category, but honestly I don’t want to. Actually, I think Nikola Vučević has been trending in this direction for a year or more.
Then there’s a similar type of player that maybe was ranked highly in the draft, showed some promise early on, or flashes in his career, but just haven’t panned out as anyone would have hoped. Sometimes related to injury, and sometimes just not panning out. Maybe that falls under the “bust” category, but not always. Think guys like DeAndre Ayton, Duncan Robinson, Dejounte Murray, or Jalen Green.
So who am I forgetting? Who would you call overrated or over the hill or whatever? Who’s more name than game these days?
