Top 100 NBA players entering 2022
29. . SG. San Antonio Spurs. Derrick White. 80. player
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 80. Derrick White
Derrick White hasn’t had quite the breakout season some expected in the wake of DeMar DeRozan’s departure, but the seeds are there. He’s both an elite guard defender and an increasingly dynamic offensive threat, with career-best assist numbers helping to offset his 3-point slump. Things are going to come around for White.
SG. Memphis Grizzlies. Dillon Brooks. 79. player. 211.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 79. Dillon Brooks
Dillon Brooks spent the early portion of 2021-22 on the sidelines, but since his return, the Grizzlies have certainly felt his presence. He’s averaging 19.3 points (a career high) while supplying the elite perimeter defense he first unveiled last season. Memphis is soaring near the top of the West right now, in no small part because of Brooks’ continued growth as a supplementary scorer and defender next to Ja Morant in the backcourt.
C. Sacramento Kings. Richaun Holmes. 78. player. 84.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 78. Richaun Holmes
Richaun Holmes has cemented his reputation as one of the NBA’s premier vertical threats. He’s shooting 69.1 percent from the field, far and away the best mark of his career. The Kings have needed every ounce of Holmes’ steady two-way production, with the backcourt struggling and a stark lack of defensive personnel around him.
156. . SG. Cleveland Cavaliers. Collin Sexton. 77. player
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 77. Collin Sexton
Collin Sexton’s numbers were down across the board prior to his season-ending knee injury. Why, then, has he moved up in the rankings? Because less is more with some players. There is no doubting Sexton’s isolation scoring prowess. This season, however, he showed a broader capacity to play off of teammates and contribute in areas other than scoring. That was always the next step for him.
84. . SG. Sacramento Kings. Tyrese Haliburton. 76. player
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 76. Tyrese Haliburton
Tyrese Haliburton hasn’t experienced the kind of sophomore breakout many anticipated him having, but he remains essential to Sacramento’s success and a clear building block for the future. In fact, with new questions surrounding the future of De’Aaron Fox, he may be the building block of the future.