Kerry Kittles

Kerry Kittles was the two-way wing who quietly held together the best teams in New Jersey Nets history. Drafted eighth out of Villanova in 1996, he averaged 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals across eight seasons, but the raw numbers undersold his value. On the back-to-back Finals teams of 2002 and 2003, he was the connective piece next to Jason Kidd — the perimeter defender who guarded the other team's best scorer, ran the floor in transition, and hit the open three that Kidd's penetration created. His steal numbers hinted at elite instincts on that end. Chronic knee trouble sanded down his explosiveness and eventually his career, which ended after one injury-riddled season with the Clippers in 2005. He never made an All-Star team, but championship-caliber teams don't reach the Finals twice without a player like him.