On a recent episode of OPEN COURT, 80's point GOD Isiah Thomas said Mark Price had a run of a few years when he was one of the top point guards in the league, right below himself and Magic Johnson. Even with that type of love from veteran greats and an All-NBA First team appearance, the originator of splitting the screen remains one of the most underrated guards in NBA history.
Like Penny Hardaway in the 90s, his stats — with the exception of his free-throw and 3-point percentages — won't blow you away. But stats don't do any justice to their game and value. Unlike Penny Hardaway, he didn't have the dunks and flair that many fans and endorsers wanted to see, and playing with the Cavs in the early to mid 90s, he wasn't going to get much TV exposure either. Well, except when the 4x All-Star is playing the Bulls, or he’s winning back-to-back 3-point Championships at All-Star weekend.
So it's very likely that when the king of flair, Allen Iverson, entered the league as the No. 1 pick, he didn't have very many opportunities to see the Mark Price play. But he learned during his rookie season that a near-retired Price on the Warriors still had some gas in the tank and tricks up his sleeves.
In Price's two games against Iverson that season, he had 19 points and 4 assists in 21 minutes and 18 points and 4 assists in 36 minutes. Iverson had 12 & 8 and 26 & 8 in the two losses, mainly due to Latrell Sprewell going off for 38 and 39.
But this is a Mark Price appreciation post, so here are a few more videos of the underrated point guard who Thomas and many others have said played a lot like Steph Curry before Steph Curry.
And Thomas would know, according to Ron Harper.
"I can recall a game, we played Detroit up in the Palace, he ate Isiah a** up. Isiah was mad!" Ron recalled. "He almost tried to fight him. I told him, 'Don't get mad 'cause he's lightin' your a** up!' Mark can play."
MARK MIXTAPE
MARK PRICE ON JUMP SHOOTING