Top 100 NBA players entering 2022
The new year is upon us, and it’s time to look ahead to the second half of the NBA season. We’ve already learned a lot from this strange, COVID-warped campaign, with new contenders and stars emerging, while others fade to obscurity.
With that in mind, it’s time to update our list of the top 100 NBA players. You can read our previous installment here. How many Sixers make the cut? And has Kevin Durant lost his grip on the No. 1 spot?
Let’s dive in…
100. player. 77. . PG. Los Angeles Clippers. Reggie Jackson
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 100. Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson has built on his bravura performance in the postseason, emerging as one of LA’s key creators next to Paul George. The Clippers have needed extra help on the margins without Kawhi Leonard, which Jackson has consistently supplied. He would benefit from better efficiency, but 17.2 points and 4.2 assists per game is hard to write off.
. PF. Charlotte Hornets. P.J. Washington. 99. player. 170
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 99. P.J. Washington
P.J. Washington’s 2021 has been peaks and valleys so far, with injuries and the emergence of Miles Bridges casting a long shadow over the promising young forward. Even so, when healthy, Washington is a dynamic small-ball five, with the versatility to anchor a defense and the skill to stretch the floor offensively. He’s a starter for most teams, and an elite sixth man in Charlotte.
18. . PG. Boston Celtics. Marcus Smart. 98. player
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 98. Marcus Smart
It’s hard to knock Marcus Smart too far down. He has a certain intangible quality about him, even when the offense is subpar. Smart’s shooting has been erratic all season and he’s not really the starting point guard Boston needs him to be. On the flip side, there aren’t many perimeter defenders you’d rather have in a pinch, and he can still get his shot going every now and then.
player. 125. . SG. Atlanta Hawks. Bogdan Bogdanovic. 97
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 97. Bogdan Bogdanovic
Injuries and the general vagueness of this COVID-warped season have made it hard to peg where exactly Bogdan Bogdanovic stands in the NBA hierarchy. He’s a lot better than his numbers would currently suggest, though, with a lengthy resumé stretching back to his overseas career that suggest he’s a winning professional.
PG. Minnesota Timberwolves. D'Angelo Russell. 96. player. 86.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 96. D’Angelo Russell
D’Angelo Russell is still due for a big game every now and then, but he’s the clear No. 3 in Minnesota’s hierarchy and he no longer commands the same respect his previous All-Star berth would suggest. Russell is a bad defender and he’s somewhat unreliable offensively, combining electric shot-making with inconsistent decisions and a general lack of enthusiasm off the ball.