Why are players considered underrated?

Just a general Q, why do we consider players underrated?
Like i read Dirk, Artest at one stage, Ray etc?
What is diff bw Drik or Ray and say Kobe or Wade?

In my opinion...its now that Kobe/Wade/T-mac make fancy plays! But they are the once who couse the most hype.
Eg.
Kobe, we know he's the "best player" but itsthe other stuff he does/doesnt do. Like Rape case and win championships.
Wade, all the hype now only coz he recived little of it in his rokie year, plus a seond year man who goes for 25, 6, 7 i think!?

On the other hand..we have Dirk and Ray... We know Drik is either too fast or too big for any defender..we r told that every freaken time he touches the ball. We alos know that Dalas wins regular season game.
Same as Ray.. we know he can shoot/penatrate and he's experanced enouph not to dunk it backwards everytime he's next to the hole (even though we all know he can)

So see... being underrated really mean, not cousing enouph hype about other things u do!
Now if Drik would all of the sudden stop playing well then he'll get all the hype...u know get his 5ppg coming off the bench.. then next season refresh and score 25ppg and all of the sudden he is the focus of the L. (remember the Vin Baker-Celtics story?!)

So see... being underrated really mean, not cousing enouph hype about other things u do

I agree with that. Underrated you become when you don't get under the spotlight so much...

its not just spotlight...its also why ur in the spotlight.. ther is only a sertain moment when players r in the spotlight due to thier skill
and it goes away qucik if u dont do something dff

yep....it was always guys like Steve Smith (when he was in his prime) that are gonna get underrated....good old Smitty....

Steve Nash was underappreciated for the last half a decade or more, but it's not until he signs with Suns and catches onto a winning situation that the hype is thrown on him....Nash was always that good....as simple as that....

Elton Brand is underrated, Donyell Marshall is underrated...and a host of players around the league.....kids dont like guys who just go out there and play "classical" b-ball.

Guys like Kobe, Iverson and even more lately Lebron, Wade, Iguodala and Josh Smith are being overhyped and overmarketed by the League. 8/10 plays of the day or dunks of the night come from these guys. They may be good players and they can do some fancy stuff, but LeBron's dunks aren't all that great and the other players aren't all that good/fancy either.
I hate nba.com

Elton Brand is underrated, Donyell Marshall is underrated...and a host of players around the league.....kids dont like guys who just go out there and play "classical" b-ball.

Actually I like Donyell a lot and my friend is in love with Elton Brand.

Guys like Kobe, Iverson and even more lately Lebron, Wade, Iguodala and Josh Smith are being overhyped and overmarketed by the League. 8/10 plays of the day or dunks of the night come from these guys. They may be good players and they can do some fancy stuff, but LeBron's dunks aren't all that great and the other players aren't all that good/fancy either.

Are you kidding? Those oops yesterday had me jumping out of my seat. I have to agree with you about LeBron though.

There's a lot of factors that lead to players being underrated - good teammates, a struggling team, popular misconceptions or statements that are no longer true. Consider Dirk Nowitzki. Most people who have seen him play this year and taken a glance at his stats will agree that he's improved his defense, but I'm sure not everyone would credit him as doing so. And that's basically what being an underrated NBA player entails, not getting credit where credit is due and not thought of as being as good as you actually are.