With one-third of the NBA regular season over, star players are making headlines. Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, two rookies, have lived up to expectations. A lot of young athletes are making the transition, such as Tyrese Haliburton and Tyrese Maxey. Even though there are so many rising stars, a few unsung heroes need greater recognition.

What does one consider to be an unsung hero? There are several methods for being eligible. They can be representing a little-known team in a small market. Alternatively, they may have enhanced crucial aspects of their performance that aren’t often shown in the highlights. On a team, underappreciated players can occasionally be overshadowed by star players, but they are still vital components.

The fact that these players are not well-known yet need to be is the most crucial aspect about them.

Here are a few players that are key members of their respective teams that all fans should be aware of.

Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings

The play of Malik Monk off the bench has gone underappreciated, despite the Sacramento Kings not being as popular as they were the previous season. The guard, who is currently 25 years old, has significantly improved with time.

Monk is averaging a career-high 14.6 points and 41.9 percent from three this season. He has already scored 20–29 points in seven games, providing a potent offensive punch off the bench. But the playmaking is even more amazing than the score.

Apart from his career-best scoring and three-point percentage, Monk is also averaging 5.2 assists, which is an increase from his previous high of 3.9 from the previous campaign. He has therefore developed into Sacramento’s third playmaker.

The X post below has two video that demonstrate Monk’s passing ability. He receives the ball from Domantas Sabonis after a dribble handoff in the first play. After seeing the defence close in on his drive and Sabonis’ roll, he throws a one-handed pass to Keon Ellis for a wing three right off the bounce. In the second clip, he cuts to Keegan Murray and makes a fantastic bounce pass after coming off a ball screen.

After being drafted in Charlotte but never being able to settle down there, Monk decided to travel and joined the Lakers in Los Angeles. He displayed his abilities there, but he has made Sacramento his home and is continuously becoming better.

Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami Heat

It may seem absurd to include a rookie on a list of players to keep an eye on, but Jaime Jaquez Jr. is an exception. The Miami Heat were the ideal team for him to join. As a gritty, experienced, and intelligent player, Jaquez embodies every aspect of their approach. That shouts “Heat in Miami”!

Jaquez’s stats on the court aren’t particularly impressive. In 28.3 minutes per game, he is scoring 12.9 points on 50.5/37.3/84.2 shooting splits. Jaquez will be on the all-rookie team since he ranks fourth among rookie scorers.

Erik Spoelstra has a certain amount of faith in Jaquez. It appears in the distribution of crunch time minutes. Jaquez ranks sixth for the Heat in total minutes during crunch time. In reference to Jaquez, Spoelstra has even declared, “He’s playing winning basketball.”

As the season progresses, keep a watch on Jaquez, who is a fixture in the rotation and averages 31.9 minutes in December. Despite attending a pointless university, he exemplifies all that the Heat stand for (Fight On!).

Norman Powell, LA Clippers

With 14 victories in their past 18 games, the LA Clippers are among the hottest teams in the NBA. Paul George, James Harden, and Kawhi Leonard have deservedly received all of the attention. However, one person’s name has been crucial to the Clippers’ success: Norman Powell.

Powell has been fantastic since coming off the bench. In addition to his 50.8 percent shooting from the field, he is averaging 13.5 points and shooting a team-best 45.5 percent from three (minimum three tries). Even more astonishing, he is accomplishing this as his usage falls 6.8 points, from 25.1 to 18.3.

Synergy Sports Technology says Powell is devastating teams with a variety of play styles. He has a point per possession of 1.442 in the spot-up game, 1.316 off screens, and 1.545 off cutting. He is the ideal teammate for the Clippers’ star players because of his versatility.

Powell’s skill has been a major factor in their recent success, but it is easy to see how the bigger stars on the team can eclipse him. Powell has been extremely effective despite his decline in usage, and if the team keeps winning, Powell will have a chance to win Sixth Man of the Year.

Alperen Şengün, Houston Rockets

Some people might be surprised to learn that Dillon Brooks or Fred VanVleet are not the top offensive players on the Houston Rockets. The secret of Houston’s offence is Alperen \engün.

\engün has performed admirably on that end of the court. With 19.7 points and 52.9 percent from the field, he leads the Rockets in scoring. With 5.2 assists, he is ranked second.

\engün’s absence causes Houston’s offence to completely collapse. The offensive rating statistics of the squad when he is on the court are astounding; when he is off the court, the offensive rating falls to 105.7 from 114.9 when he is on the floor. That represents the team’s largest swing—a 9.2 decline.

This year’s Rockets are very different from last year’s in that Ime Udoka established a framework and \engün has profited from a real strategy. This season, his use has gone from 21.1 to 26.7 while maintaining the same level of effectiveness.

Given his ability to score and create plays, \engün is probably not going to be selected as a reserve for the All-Star squad this season, but there is a good chance that Indiana will invite him.