Top 100 NBA players entering 2022
24. . C. Chicago Bulls. Nikola Vucevic. 60. player
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — Nikola Vucevic
Nikola Vucevic has been the victim of a rather ugly adjustment period this season. Once the undisputed top dog in Orlando, Vooch is now the No. 3 in Chicago. That, combined with COVID and myriad other factors, has led to extremely underwhelming production. Still, Vucevic has earned the benefit of the doubt. One has to expect he’s going to get better with time.
player. 169. . C. Houston Rockets. Christian Wood. 59
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 59. Christian Wood
The Rockets are truly terrible — at the very beginning of a rebuild with a young, extremely mistake-prone roster. That has made Christian Wood’s life harder, even if he gets more opportunities in Houston than he would anywhere else. Wood’s diverse offensive repertoire is rare for a 6-foot-10 center, and he’s pretty efficient considering the circumstances.
SF. Denver Nuggets. Michael Porter Jr.. 58. player. 73.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 58. Michael Porter Jr.
Michael Porter Jr.’s future is somewhat in jeopardy with the reemergence of nerve issues in his back. We won’t see him for the rest of 2021-22, but it’s impossible to deny the raw talent. The 6-foot-10 Porter is one of the best shooters in the league, with deep pull-up range and real juice scoring off the dribble. He needs to get better defensively and as a facilitator, but he’s going to have a long All-Star level career if he can stay healthy.
PG. Orlando Magic. Cole Anthony. 57. player. 38.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 57. Cole Anthony
Cole Anthony showed flashes as a rookie, but no one saw this coming. He has burst onto the scene as the undisputed ringleader of Orlando’s blossoming rebuild. He’s averaging 20 points, six rebounds, and 5.8 assists with copious offensive freedom and some real defensive spunk. There aren’t many more natural leaders in the NBA, as evidenced by his fiery post-game interviews.
player. 29. . PG. San Antonio Spurs. Dejounte Murray. 56
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 56. Dejounte Murray
It has been the season of Dejounte Murray in San Antonio. He has emerged as the Spurs’ leader and best player, doing his best Ben Simmons impression to the tune of 17.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 8.8 assists. That is, of course, a joke. Murray is a much different player than Simmons, even if his laurels still rest overwhelmingly on defense, rim pressure, and facilitating. That said, Murray has become a more dynamic perimeter threat this season, and has assumed the keys to the offense accordingly.