Under Appreciated Series: Mark Eaton
Mark Eaton is one of the most overlooked players in NBA history. Despite being a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Eaton is often overshadowed by other dominant centers of his era such as Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, and David Robinson. However, when looking at Eaton's statistics and advanced statistics, it becomes clear that he was one of the most effective and efficient defensive players of his time. Eaton's career statistics are impressive, averaging 4.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game. However, it is his advanced statistics that truly showcase his impact on the defensive end. Eaton led the league in blocks per game four times, and his career block percentage (the percentage of two-point field goal attempts blocked by a player) of 7.5% is the third highest in NBA history behind only Mark Olberding and Manute Bol. Eaton's defensive impact can also be seen in the advanced statistic of defensive rating, which measures the number of points allowed p