Criminally Underrated: NYC Legend Rod Strickland aka Uncle Drew's Godfather

For copyright reasons, the audio in the above mix about one of the most underrated and unappreciated players -- not just point guards -- of all-time has been muted. The good thing is you don't need to hear anything to see how special the Point God's game was.

His game was so special, the New York Knicks drafted him in the 1st round (I still don't get this) even though they drafted Rookie of the Year winner Mark Jackson the year before. His game was so special, the last line of one of the Wu-Tang Clan's best songs, Triumph, name-dropped him.

Max mostly, undivided, then slide in, sickenin'
Guaranteed, made em jump like Rod Strickland

He was so special, the Wizards traded Rasheed Wallace after his rookie season for the 30-year-old vet. And here's a nice throwback video (with audio!) of the 30 year old, in Washington, putting up a rare 20/20 triple-double vs the Warriors during his ONLY All-Star season -- yes, this is also the same game when Tracy Murray went off for a career-high 50 with Webber and Juwan Howard sitting out with injuries. And this is also the same season we got to see Strickland lead the league in assists and land on the All-NBA 2nd team.

Younger people might only know him as Kyrie Irving's Godfather or the assistant head coach at the University of South Florida but for those who remember watching him make those twisty layups in the 80s and 90s, I suggest you listen to this recent podcast of the always hilarious New Yorker Michael Rapaport with one of the first players I think of when I hear New York basketball: Mr. Rod Strickland.