Most Underrated Player in NBA History: Mark Price

May 7th, 1989, Coliseum at Richfield, home of the Cleveland Cavaliers — The

Chicago Bulls

trail by a single point with three seconds left in Game 5 of the 1989’s first-round series against the

Cleveland Cavaliers

.

Fast-forward 35 years, and everyone vividly remembers what followed those tense moments. Michael Jordan sprinted to the three-point line, faked two defenders, and drove to the free-throw line before rising up and using all of his patented hang time to shoot over the helpless defender. This shot was the starting point of the Bulls dynasty and remains arguably the most dramatic highlight of the Association.

Yet, in the shadow of Jordan’s iconic, fist-bumping celebration, another revolution was unfolding—a tale of quiet sorrow and overlooked brilliance.

Mark Price, though never the ostensible face of the game, left an indelible mark by quietly revolutionizing basketball from its very core. A story of subtle genius, unshakeable passion, and misunderstood greatness, we delve into Price’s never-to-be-forgotten career.

Mark Price, the Young Spark

Price won the ACC conference scoring title as a freshman at Georgia Tech

Approximately four years before Jordan’s “The Shot”, the Cavaliers capped off their 1985-86 season with a lackluster 29-53 record, missing out on the postseason for the seventh time in eight years. Facing a pivotal off-season, Cleveland’s front office decided to orchestrate a trade for the first pick in the upcoming draft, which they used on coveted first-team All-American Brad Daugherty.

In a move that didn’t garner as much attention, the Cavs traded a distant draft choice to acquire sharpshooter Mark Price out of Georgia Tech, who got drafted in the second round despite surpassing Michael Jordan for the ACC conference scoring title as a freshman. Georgia Tech was at the very bottom of the ACC conference when Bobby Cremins recruited Price.

They went on to win the conference championship in Mark’s junior season.

Those additions marked the start of a thrilling era in Cleveland and as often with Price’s teams, results were swift. Within two seasons, the Cavs secured their first winning record in a decade, clinching a playoff berth as the sixth seed with a 42-40 record.

Mark Price, who had inherited the starting point guard position that offseason, stormed the league with his dazzling quickness, shooting proficiency, and pick-and-roll wizardry. The 23-year-old sophomore averaged 16.0 points and 6.0 assists while having a true shooting 5.1 percent above the league’s average.

Cleveland ended up losing a decisive game five to the Chicago Bulls in the first of many playoff showdowns between the two teams, but with Mark Price orchestrating the offense and dashing witty passes in transition, the Cavaliers had become a team to fear.

Mark Price, the Redefining Shooter

Price was one of the most prolific shooters of his era

Cleveland’s herky-jerky point-guard closed the 1988-89 season by entering the prestigious 50-40-90 club and steering the Cavs to their best record in history (57-25). That season, only Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, and Michael Jordan rivaled Mark’s output of 18 points and 8 assists. Amidst those basketball giants, Mark Price registered the most efficient campaign at 62.2 percent true shooting.

Shoulders always squared towards the basket, Mark Price was redefining the geometry of the game in an era where players attempted threes at a rate five times inferior to today’s. He was comfortable letting it fly in movement, as proficient going to his right than to his left, and he had a seamless pick-up that triggered one of the purest, fastest releases in the history of the sport.

From the catch to the follow-through, Mark simply mastered all the fundamentals down to their very details. The work he put into practicing his shooting form elevated him to unguardable status (only quoting Isiah Thomas here).

Eyeing one side of the court before dishing it out to an open teammate on the other, Mark Price could bend defenses, unlike anything we had previously seen. The ability to convert shots at a historically high rate while being a fine-tuned musician with the ball in his hands made Price an unprecedentedly-encountered offensive weapon.

A frighteningly efficient, multifaceted prospect that neither opponents nor his very own team could completely understand.

Mark Price, the Silent Revolutionist

Price’s electric profile wasn’t used to its full potential

Under the helm of Lenny Wilkens, an integral part of the Cavaliers’ offensive synergy revolved around the underweight 5-foot-11 point-guard’s off-ball aptitudes. Long before teams fully grasped the potential that lied in those plays, Price’s twirling punch as a free electron hovering around screens marked the origins of several modern basketball sets.

When he arrived in the league, teams attempted 4.6 threes per 100 possessions; at his prime nine seasons later, he attempted 10.4 threes every 100 possessions by himself. In an era where the general perception hadn’t grasped the 3-point’s flamboyant power, Mark’s propensity to veer towards the three-point line wasn’t fully exploited.

…which takes us back to the introductory and crucial moments of Cleveland’s 1989 deciding game five against Michael Jordan’s Bulls.

With under 40 seconds remaining and the Cavaliers clinging to a one-point lead, Mark Price brought the ball up and slithered around a screen before kicking it out to an open man and relocating to the nearest corner. On the relocation, Price had been left totally unguarded by Chicago’s scrambling defense—a true beacon of luck for Cleveland.

But the spotlight shifted. Ron Harper, then Larry Nance, both turned away a 44 percent long-range shooter who was 3-for-4 on the night, opting to attempt a 16-footer that clanged off the rim. On back-to-back occasions, Mark saw his own team cast him aside as he stood ignored, a silent testament to what could (and should) have been.

Seconds later, Jordan struck. His iconic shot sent

Chicago Bulls

soaring to their first-ever Conference Finals, leaving Price and Cleveland frozen in the aftermath.

This is certainly the most fitting instance of Price’s greatness being overlooked —at times eclipsed—by his own teammates’ inability to comprehend the power of three-point looks.

Mark Price, the Unsung Powerhouse

Price’s production reached towering heights during his prime

Even after suffering a season-ending injury in his fifth season in the league, Mark came back with the same burst in his strides and the same assassin look on his angelic face. From 1991 to 1994, he recorded three straight appearances in the All-Star Game and was elected as a member of the All-NBA First Team for the 1992-93 season.

Dubbed “The OK Kid”, Price’s swift changes of pace and direction made him a nightmare to defend, and his creativity while handling the ball gave birth to the revolutionary “splitting” technique when two defenders stepped up to trap him on pick-and-rolls.

Mark Price’s offensive peak from 1991 to 1994 might be the most underrated prime in NBA history. He racked up 29.1 points (12th), 12.8 assists (4th), and 2.6 threes (5th) per 100 possessions, all while leading the league in efficiency among the top-fifteen scorers. Furthermore, he was the second most impactful offensive player behind only Michael Jordan, according to Offensive Box Plus Minus.

Despite sharing the league’s spotlights with numerous legends, Price was undeniably the finest playmaker during those seasons. To thrive as a small guard in an era dominated by the

Detroit Pistons

‘ “Bad Boys”, Mark Price zealously grew into an entire offensive powerhouse by himself.

Mark Price, the World Champion

Price led the way for Dream Team II

As a reward for his incredible level of play, Mark Price was selected amongst the often-overlooked Dream Team II. Gearing up for the 1994 FIBA World Cup in Canada, the blend of seasoned veterans and young phenomenons like Shaq had to fill the significant cultural impact left by the star power of the 1992 Dream Team I.

Not only did they utterly dominate the tournament from start to finish, but they did it while promoting Don Nelson’s exhilarating, fast-paced brand of basketball. The character, exuberant juice, and determination they showcased—in every way different than their predecessors’—heralds them as one of the most memorable teams to ever represent the country and proved that American basketball excellence could manifest itself in more than one form.

This gold medal representing his country was the culminating point of Mark’s career. A fitting end to his superb prime.

Mark Price, The Human, The Competitor, The Legend.

Price’s legacy continues to live on as decades go by

Son of Denny Price, a modest basketball player from Oklahoma who instilled in his son an unshakeable love for the game, Mark carved his way to the league as an under 6-feet guard through dedication, sheer grit, and, more importantly, an insatiable competitive spirit.

From Georgia Tech to Cleveland, Mark’s rigor and tenacity elevated his teams to excellence, forever changing their cultures. Rather an introvert off the court, Mark turned into a leader who rallied teammates and fans around his unwavering passion as soon as he stepped on the hardwood.

His professional career was cut short due to injuries, but whether it is in the way his playing style redefined the league’s trends or his impact beyond the court, Mark’s legacy certainly lives on.

There was the biggest revolutionary, yet overlooked point guard of his time.

There was Mark Price, from the

Cleveland Cavaliers

.

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