One of the toughest tasks at the beginning of the year is to know where to slot players coming off career-best seasons. Was that as good as it gets or did they establish a new norm? Today we’ll look at three players who were coming off surprisingly strong seasons last year, were probably passed over one time too many in your draft, and have proven this season that they shouldn’t be doubted moving forward.

Mehmet Okur
Lost in all the talk about Carlos Boozer’s all-star season and Deron Williams sophomore campaign breakout is the ascension of Mehmet Okur to Legitimate Fantasy Force. He ended last season at 33/42 on the player rater, but it was easy to get the sense that not many people took him all that seriously. He’s a center who doesn’t block that many shots and likes to shoot 3s, he’s got Jerry Sloan to deal with, he doesn’t have a long track record of success … if you looked hard enough you could find reasons to pass on taking him. Doubtful that will happen in the future. If you’ve been watching Jazz games lately you know that Okur has been given a new nickname – “Money.” And it’s entirely appropriate because he has become one of the most reliable clutch shooters around. I remember watching the Jazz play the Wizards back on MLK Day, when the Wizards were still a good team, and Okur and Gilbert Arenas just traded huge 3s back and forth in the final minutes. It basically came down to who had the ball last in that one. The other night Okur was questionable with the flu but toughed it out and came through with some huge hoops in the fourth quarter against the Knicks to force overtime in a game the Jazz eventually won. His touch from the outside is simply sensational, and it has led to him becoming more enamored with the outside shot. He attempted 3.7 3pg in November, 4.4 in December, 5.8 in January and is up to 6.3 in the first three games of February. A bit odd for a center, but his owners certainly don’t mind. He’s currently 15^th in the league in made 3s, an amazing competitive advantage from a center that makes up for his lackluster 0.6 blocks. Okur has also ceded some of the work on the boards this year to Boozer and rookie Paul Millsap, but his overall line of 18.1/7.5/2.0 with 1.8 3s on 47/78 shooting is fantastic. It’s more or less identical to what he did last year – a few more 3s and a few less boards this time – and it puts him at 39/48 on the player rater, slightly off last year’s pace. Still, many folks thought last year was a career year and Okur has proven those people wrong. He’s a legit, clutch player who at 27 years old is in the midst of his prime and hasn’t missed a game in three seasons. He’s established himself as one of the top threats on a newly high-powered Jazz offense and should be looked at as a third/fourth round pick for the foreseeable future.

Tony Parker
Parker, like Okur, is another player who tends to fall in drafts because his skill set isn’t typical for the position he plays. We like our point guards to rack up the 3s and steals, and Parker simply doesn’t do that. But what he does do is score, and score efficiently. He is a legitimate anchor in FG% from the PG position, which is even rarer than Okur’s prowess from the outside. Parker is currently the 9^th ranked player in FG% value. Every other player in the top 15 is a PF or C, except for Steve Nash. Besides Nash, the next highest PG in FG% is Dwyane Wade down at #35, with Jose Calderon the only other in the top 50. If you know this strength going in, it can really help you shape your team. He may never top last year’s 54.8%, but his 52.8% this year is close enough. Parker can simply get to the hoop and finish, and the presence of Tim Duncan means that he doesn’t have to do it 20 times a game. By keeping his attempts around 15 per game, his percentage stays higher. His actual shooting has also improved this year, as he is knocking down more jumpers and is shooting a career high 78% from the line. This is especially big, as it is the first year when he hasn’t had negative value in that category, which is clutch for a PG. So the steals and 3s – and assists, sort of – aren’t really there. Appreciate Parker for what he is, which is the 40^th ranked player right now. He’s another incredibly durable guy in his prime who is clearly established at the top of his team’s hierarchy. Consider this year his established level of play.

Jason Terry
Somehow Terry is one of the most perennially underrated players around. It was somewhat understandable when he was toiling in obscurity in Atlanta, but you’d think things would have changed in Dallas. Not the case. Terry went 55^th on average in ESPN drafts, slipped to 47 in my league, and even though he hasn’t been particularly impressive this year, there he is at #36 on the player rater. Unlike Terry’s first year in Dallas, his role is secure now. In 04-05 he saw just 30 mpg, and even though he managed to put up very impressive numbers, people were understandable skeptical about his ability to repeat that production with the same playing time. He’s now a consistent 35 mpg man, and what’s most impressive about Terry is how his game has transformed over the years. Back in Atlanta he was a classic best option on a bad team guy. He piled up the stats, but missed enough shots to be a real drag on your FG%. He’s at just 45.4% this season, but that’s still very acceptable for a PG/SG. Most importantly, it hasn’t meant fewer 3s, as he is hovering right around a pair of treys per game for the second consecutive season. That Terry’s numbers are so similar to last year’s is comforting. The assists are up, the scoring’s a bit down, and his once very nice steals are below average. But the Terry you see now is the Terry to expect in Dallas. If you see a trend here, it’s that of players establishing themselves as a top option on a reliable team. We love consistency and health here at FBB, and Terry, like the other two players featured today, gives that to you. With Dallas, you know that on most nights it will be Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Terry giving you the best lines in the box score. Terry is signed for the long haul in Dallas, and as long as he stays there, it’s time to start finally appreciating him.