9. Eric Snow
By Editorial Staff
Seasons: 6.5
Stats: 9.7 PTS, 6.6 AST, 3.2 REB per game
Accolades: 2002-03 NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team
Long before he became an internet meme for his lack of NBA skills, Eric Snow was actually a very good basketball player.
I know many people won’t believe it, but it’s true. Eric Snow was a valuable player on a contending team. No, he never could shoot all that well, evidenced by a low field goal percentage and a lack of threes taken from a guard (never more than 0.9 per game during his career).
He played a strong point, though – averaging between 6 and 7 assists yearly is tough to pull off with Allen Iverson, a true ball hog, as your teammate. Like long time teammate Aaron McKie, Snow was a versatile defender, quick enough to handle smaller point guards but big enough to “cross-cover” with Allen Iverson and defend 2-guards. His versatility, along with Aaron McKie’s, helped make the Allen Iverson two-guard experiment succeed. Matching Iverson with the likes of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan just wouldn’t work. Snow’s defense made the team’s alignment possible.
While Snow will be remembered more for the 2000-01 season than any other as a Sixer, he actually improved his performance across the board over the next three seasons. He improved his shooting percentages and become a knock-down free throw shooter while maintaining strong assist totals. In 2002-03, he was honored with an all-defensive team selection, yet his offense was what made that year his best. He averaged his highest point output, field goal percentage, and free throw percentage while having a steady 6.6 assists per game.
Snow played for six and a half years with the Sixers, making the playoffs five times. While the team’s success in those playoff runs varied, Eric tried his hardest to make something happen. Even when struggling, as he did in the 2001 playoffs with his shooting, he could be relied upon as a steady contributor. And that’s what we’ll remember Eric Snow for in Philadelphia – being a steady contributor to some good teams. And falling asleep while broadcasting (well, that’s something completely different). Through his steady contributions, Snow takes the ninth spot on my list.