Most frustrated NBA players

(Originally posted on Sunday, 20 January 2019; updated most recently on 19 November 2022)

All the statistical data I used I found on this site:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/

In most cases it's weak team record that makes a player frustrated, because it diminishes the importance of his individual stats.

Typical factors that make a player frustrated:
– second best player on his team was injured,
– several important role players on his team were injured,
– his team's front office were not able to get him valuable teammates,
– his team was tanking to get a high pick in the coming draft,
– he himself was recently drafted by a very weak team,
– his team as a whole was very weak defensively,
– his team's coach was weak,
– his teammates were selfish and/or the team chemistry was bad,
– he himself was selfish and/or made the team chemistry bad.

My formula for the MFP value (Most Frustrated Player) is based on my formula for the MVP value (Most Valuable Player).

I described my way of calculating the MVP value in this post:
Comparing NBA MVPs

MFP value = overall value – MVP value
MFP value = overall value * (60 – team wins) / 60

The reference point of 60 team wins means that all the players from such a team should never be frustrated (their MFP value is 0). The MFP value for players who played on a team that won more than 60 games is negative (opposite of frustrated).

The bigger MFP value of a particular player (positive value) the more frustrated he was after a particular season.

The most frustrated players according to my values of basketball statistics and my MFP value formula are listed below. The players who were in top-3 according to my MVP value in at least one other season are marked by an asterisk. TW means “Team Wins”.

1. Christian Wood (2021-22):   918.5   (TW: 20)
2. Saddiq Bey (2021-22):   808.4   (TW: 23)
3. LeBron James * (2021-22):  771.3   (TW: 33)

1. Karl-Anthony Towns (2020-21):   764.2   (TW: 23)
2. Collin Sexton (2020-21):   704.5   (TW: 22)
3. Anthony Edwards (2020-21):   677.4   (TW: 23)

For the season 2020-21 (72 games) I had to use a different reference point: 53 games. I simply used a similar proportion (60/82 = 0.732 and 53/72 = 0.736). The shorter season explains why the MFP values are lower.

1. Trae Young (2019-20):   1211.0   (PTW: 24)
2. Bradley Beal (2019-20):   941.5   (PTW: 31)
3. Zach LaVine (2019-20):   891.4   (PTW: 28)

In the season 2019-20 the NBA decided that all individual awards, including the MVP award, would be based only on games played prior to the suspension of the 2019-20 season. It made this season very different from the lockout-shortened seasons, because in the lockout-shortened seasons all teams played the same number of games. For the season 2019-20 it was not true. Because my standard calculations are based on a reference point of team-wins I HAD to calculate the final results for the 2019-20 season as projections, so PTW means “Projected Team Wins”.

1. Devin Booker (2018-19):   1013.9   (TW: 19)
2. Bradley Beal (2018-19):   933.1   (TW: 32)
3. Deandre Ayton (2018-19):   924.2   (TW: 19)

1. Marc Gasol (2017-18):   869.4   (TW: 22)
2. Harrison Barnes (2017-18):   775.8   (TW: 24)
3. Devin Booker (2017-18):   736.7   (TW: 21)

1. Karl-Anthony Towns (2016-17):   1079.4   (TW: 31)
2. Brook Lopez (2016-17):   946.2   (TW: 20)
3. Anthony Davis (2016-17):   932.1   (TW: 34)

1. Brook Lopez (2015-16):   936.5   (TW: 21)
2. Karl-Anthony Towns (2015-16):   878.9   (TW: 29)
3. Thaddeus Young (2015-16):   768.9   (TW: 21)

1. Nikola Vucevic (2014-15):   864.4   (TW: 25)
2. Andrew Wiggins (2014-15):   828.4   (TW: 16)
3. DeMarcus Cousins (2014-15):   745.2   (TW: 29)

1. Thaddeus Young (2013-14):   883.8   (TW: 19)
2. DeMarcus Cousins (2013-14):   864.4   (TW: 28)
3. Brandon Knight (2013-14):   843.2   (TW: 15)

1. Kemba Walker (2012-13):   908.1   (TW: 21)
2. Nikola Vucevic (2012-13):   867.4   (TW: 20)
3. Kyrie Irving (2012-13):   717.3   (TW: 24)

1. Kevin Love (2011-12):   670.6   (TW: 26)
2. Kemba Walker (2011-12):   644.4   (TW: 7)
3. John Wall (2011-12):   637.9   (TW: 20)

For the season 2011-12 I used a different reference point (48 games) because the season was shorter than usual (66 games). I used a similar proportion: 60/82=0.732 and 48/66=0.727. The shorter season explains why the MFP values are much lower.

1. Kevin Love (2010-11):   1295.3   (TW: 17)
2. Brook Lopez (2010-11):   865.4   (TW: 24)
3. Blake Griffin * (2010-11):   864.4   (TW: 32)

1. Brook Lopez (2009-10):   1270.5   (TW: 12)
2. Al Jefferson (2009-10):   1002.2   (TW: 15)
3. David Lee (2009-10):   960.8   (TW: 29)

1. Antawn Jamison (2008-09):   1172.0   (TW: 19)
2. Kevin Durant * (2008-09):   1020.2   (TW: 23)
3. Caron Butler (2008-09):   884.1   (TW: 19)

1. Al Jefferson (2007-08):   1095.9   (TW: 22)
2. Rudy Gay (2007-08):   935.6   (TW: 22)
3. Jamal Crawford (2007-08):   858.1   (TW: 23)

1. Kevin Garnett * (2006-07):   907.1   (TW: 32)
2. Pau Gasol * (2006-07):   844.4   (TW: 22)
3. Mike Miller (2006-07):   816.4   (TW: 22)

1. Kevin Garnett * (2005-06):   895.8   (TW: 33)
2. Joe Johnson (2005-06):   868.6   (TW: 26)
3. Chris Bosh (2005-06):   864.0   (TW: 27)

1. Emeka Okafor (2004-05):   819.4   (TW: 18)
2. P.J. Brown (2004-05):   806.3   (TW: 18)
3. Stephon Marbury (2004-05):   794.8   (TW: 33)

1. Tracy McGrady (2003-04):   1080.5   (TW: 21)
2. Shawn Marion * (2003-04):   845.8   (TW: 29)
3. Elton Brand (2003-04):   817.5   (TW: 28)

1. Ricky Davis (2002-03):   965.9   (TW: 17)
2. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (2002-03):   922.6   (TW: 17)
3. Juwan Howard (2002-03):   909.1   (TW: 17)

1. Pau Gasol * (2001-02):   942.0   (TW: 23)
2. Antawn Jamison (2001-02):   896.4   (TW: 21)
3. Andre Miller (2001-02):   857.2   (TW: 29)

1. Antawn Jamison (2000-01):   1188.0   (TW: 17)
2. Elton Brand (2000-01):   1117.7   (TW: 15)
3. Shareef Abdur-Rahim (2000-01):   1012.0   (TW: 23)

1. Elton Brand (1999-00):   1106.6   (TW: 17)
2. Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1999-00):   1077.7   (TW: 22)
3. Lamar Odom (1999-00):   963.4   (TW: 15)

1. Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1998-99):   788.7   (TW: 8)
2. Antonio McDyess (1998-99):   649.2   (TW: 14)
3. Toni Kukoc (1998-99):   502.1   (TW: 13)

For the season 1998-99 I used a different reference point (37 games) because the season was shorter than usual (50 games). I used a similar proportion: 60/82=0.732 and 37/50=0.740. The shorter season explains why the MFP values are much lower.

1. Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1997-98):   1094.0   (TW: 19)
2. Michael Finley (1997-98):   1060.2   (TW: 20)
3. Doug Christie (1997-98):   931.5   (TW: 16)

1. David Wesley (1996-97):   1011.9   (TW: 15)
2. Antoine Walker (1996-97):   996.9   (TW: 15)
3. Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1996-97):   978.3   (TW: 14)

1. Clarence Weatherspoon (1995-96):   992.4   (TW: 18)
2. Vin Baker (1995-96):   947.7   (TW: 25)
3. Damon Stoudamire (1995-96):   890.3   (TW: 21)

1. Dana Barros (1994-95):   1097.5   (TW: 24)
2. Loy Vaught (1994-95):   1011.4   (TW: 17)
3. Christian Laettner (1994-95):   909.2   (TW: 21)

1. Terry Mills (1993-94):   942.3   (TW: 20)
2. Jim Jackson (1993-94):   936.6   (TW: 13)
3. Eric Murdock (1993-94):   916.8   (TW: 20)

1. Christian Laettner (1992-93):   1007.8   (TW: 19)
2. Micheal Williams (1992-93):   965.4   (TW: 19)
3. Hersey Hawkins (1992-93):   901.6   (TW: 26)

1. Pooh Richardson (1991-92):   1074.1   (TW: 15)
2. Pervis Ellison (1991-92):   881.1   (TW: 25)
3. Larry Johnson (1991-92):   852.5   (TW: 31)

1. Michael Adams (1990-91):   1143.8   (TW: 20)
2. Lionel Simmons (1990-91):   807.4   (TW: 25)
3. Derek Harper (1990-91):   796.3   (TW: 28)

1. Rodney McCray (1989-90):   958.1   (TW: 23)
2. Wayman Tisdale (1989-90):   952.7   (TW: 23)
3. Tony Campbell (1989-90):   916.2   (TW: 22)

1. Benoit Benjamin (1988-89):   948.4   (TW: 21)
2. Ken Norman (1988-89):   931.3   (TW: 21)
3. Willie Anderson (1988-89):   908.8   (TW: 21)

1. Otis Thorpe (1987-88):   1030.4   (TW: 24)
2. Buck Williams (1987-88):   933.1   (TW: 19)
3. Charles Barkley * (1987-88):   932.9   (TW: 36)

1. Michael Cage (1986-87):   1184.8   (TW: 12)
2. Buck Williams (1986-87):   976.6   (TW: 24)
3. Michael Jordan * (1986-87):   865.0   (TW: 40)

1. Herb Williams (1985-86):   870.1   (TW: 26)
2. Sleepy Floyd (1985-86):   789.5   (TW: 30)
3. Roy Hinson (1985-86):   773.9   (TW: 29)

1. Purvis Short (1984-85):   1055.3   (TW: 22)
2. Clark Kellogg (1984-85):   902.9   (TW: 22)
3. Bernard King (1984-85):   854.8   (TW: 24)

1. Ralph Sampson (1983-84):   890.3   (TW: 29)
2. Clark Kellogg (1983-84):   858.6   (TW: 26)
3. Terry Cummings (1983-84):   818.9   (TW: 30)

1. Clark Kellogg (1982-83):   1076.7   (TW: 20)
2. Terry Cummings (1982-83):   942.6   (TW: 25)
3. Herb Williams (1982-83):   892.2   (TW: 20)

1. Adrian Dantley * (1981-82):   1229.7   (TW: 25)
2. Michael Brooks (1981-82):   931.8   (TW: 17)
3. James Edwards (1981-82):   918.9   (TW: 15)

1. Adrian Dantley * (1980-81):   1130.3   (TW: 28)
2. Tom LaGarde (1980-81):   828.2   (TW: 15)
3. Mike Mitchell (1980-81):   819.8   (TW: 28)

1. Adrian Dantley * (1979-80):   1021.9   (TW: 24)
2. Dan Issel (1979-80):   921.4   (TW: 30)
3. Terry Tyler (1979-80):   880.7   (TW: 16)

1. Artis Gilmore (1978-79):   1016.4   (TW: 31)
2. Rich Kelley (1978-79):   961.7   (TW: 26)
3. Cedric Maxwell (1978-79):   872.8   (TW: 29)

1. Bernard King (1977-78):   920.3   (TW: 24)
2. Randy Smith (1977-78):   891.5   (TW: 27)
3. Dave Cowens (1977-78):   834.6   (TW: 32)

1. Randy Smith (1976-77):   887.4   (TW: 30)
2. John Drew (1976-77):   834.9   (TW: 31)
3. Adrian Dantley * (1976-77):   827.6   (TW: 30)

In the season 1976-77 there were no stats for individual turnovers, so the values of individual players in that season were not lowered because of their turnovers. It doesn't matter for that particular season, but the MFP values from that season are overstated when compared to following seasons.