Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 15. Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson has been actively bad on defense so far in his career, but he’s an absolute mega-star because of the offense. Williamson’s dominant athletic profile has met no match at the highest level of professional basketball. He’s too strong and too fast for just about any defender, with the ability to knife through defenses to score inside despite the complete absence of a 3-point shot.
Already one of the most efficient at-rim finishers in the NBA, Zion does things no 6-foot-7 forward should be capable of. He’s absurd and unique and flat-out dominant. He will get MVP consideration sooner than later. The Pelicans started running the offense through Zion to great effect last season. With a better coach at the controls, expect a big year three from the former No. 1 pick. In just his second NBA season, Williamson averaged 27.0 points and 7.2 rebounds while shooting 61.1 percent from the field.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 14. Chris Paul
Chris Paul captained the Suns to a Finals appearance, and is primed to put them in a similar position next season. Even at 36 years old, there’s little reason to expect a precipitous decline for the 6-foot Point God. Age is always a concern for every player, and Paul has a lot of wear and tear on his body, but the production and impact is there in spades. When healthy, Paul can absolutely be the best player on a championship team.
The Suns were in the midst of a long playoff drought before Paul arrived. While there were signs of improvement in the Bubble the year prior, there’s no No. 2 seed and no Finals appearance with Paul at the helm. Paul not only produced at a high level individually, but had a clear impact on the productivity of his teammates — Deandre Ayton’s massive growth being the clearest example of Paul’s ability to elevate others. He averaged 16.4 points and 8.9 assists on .499/.395/.934 shooting.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 13. Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler’s Heat flamed out in the first round, but even still, it’s hard to blame Butler. He’s a true two-way superstar, with elite playmaking chops and clutch shot-making, combined with active hands and perennial All-Defense contention. Butler can shut down the opposition’s best player, but he’s also an elite team defender, communicating at a high level and throwing wrench after wrench into opposing offenses. He led the NBA with 2.1 steals per game last season.
On offense, Butler’s lack of a 3-point shot is mildly concerning, but it’s offset by a dynamic pull-up game inside the arc and his impressive growth as a facilitator. Butler led the Heat in assists last season, averaging 7.1 per game on top of his 21.5 points and 6.9 rebounds. His shooting percentages — .497/.245/.863 — reinforce that he’s good at just about everything except 3-point shooting.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 12. Paul George
Paul George put the “Pandemic P” jokes to rest in the postseason, leading the Clippers to a conference finals after Kawhi Leonard suffered another lower leg injury. George looked every bit the top-3 MVP candidate he was in OKC, with efficient three-level offense and top-tier wing defense. Jokes have too often gotten in the way of properly appreciated just how good George is. He’s the quintessential 3-and-D wing on steroids.
The regular season was equally productive for George, who averaged 23.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and a career-high 5.2 assists as Leonard’s “sidekick.” He slashed .467/.411/.868, and was his typically impactful self on defense, with a long, agile 6-foot-8 frame and elite anticipatory skills.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 11. Anthony Davis
Frankly, the Anthony Davis vs. Joel Embiid/Nikola Jokic arguments are often misframed. “He’s nowhere near Embiid!” That’s true in a certain context. Embiid is clearly the better top option. That said, there aren’t many better “No. 2s” in the NBA. As the second-best player on a team, or the No. 2 option offensively, Davis is an absolute beast. He’s much more of a complementary talent than Embiid. Simply put — Philly is happy with Joel, the Lakers are happy with AD.
Davis is an elite defender, with the mobility to guard in space and the length to lead the NBA in blocks. He anchors a top-5 NBA defense, and offensively, his talent goes without saying. He’s not the world’s greatest shooter, but he can score from the perimeter and has an elite face-up game. In the block, he’s consistently a mismatch — be it speed, strength, height — for whoever has the misfortune of guarding him. In a “bad” 2020-21 season, Davis averaged 21.8 points and 7.9 rebounds on .491/.260/.738 shooting splits.