Happy NBA tip-off ladies and gentlemen! After a long four month wait, the NBA is back in action tonight on TNT. The defending champion Celtics caught fire from three to stomp the new-look Knicks, and as you’re reading this the Lakers could make history with the first ever father-son duo to play together against the Timberwolves.
And with the season beginning, we will also be continuing our countdown of the Top 100 NBA players, picking up where we left off at 80. If you missed part one, make sure to check it out here. As a reminder, or if you’re tuning in now for the first time, here is our foundational ground rules.
Ground Rules
We gathered together with our own separate lists and took the average position of each player to fully determine our Top 100 as a collective.
We also want to make things clear that this is our rankings of these players GOING INTO the 2024-25 NBA Season. This is not a prediction article, this is a “where are they now?” article. There will not be any rookies in this list. Without further ado, let’s officially kick off Part 2 of the Fantom Sports Top 100 NBA Players.
80. Jalen Suggs/G/Orlando Magic
The defensive-minded fourth-year guard got a five-year $150.5 million extension with the Magic just yesterday.
After a few struggles in his first two seasons, he truly came into his own, posting his most efficient season shooting 47.1% from the field and 39.7% from three. Not to mention ascending his defensive game to an All-Defensive team level.
79. Austin Reaves/G/Los Angeles Lakers
The third option for the Lakers who has been a consistent option for the team over the last two seasons. He ascended his level of play on the defensive side of the basketball while improving as a playmaker, and under the new J.J. Redick-led system I expect him to have a significant impact on the team.
78. Tyler Herro/G/Miami Heat
Herro has been a core member of the Miami Heat since he was drafted. The 2022 Sixth Man of the Year still finds himself as a pivotal member of the Heat’s success. He’s been a bit stagnant over the last few years, and at this stage we know the kind of player he is. But he’s always liable to catch fire offensively.
77. Nic Claxton/C/Brooklyn Nets
Nic Claxton is entering his sixth season with the Brooklyn Nets and has quickly become one of the most underrated defensive bigs in the league. He’s averaged more than 2 blocks per game over the last two seasons and has become a double-double threat any given night. Now with a larger role in Brooklyn, he could be due for a career year.
76. Bogdan Bogdanovic/G/Atlanta Hawks
Speaking of career years, Bogdan Bogdanovic had no problem putting the ball in the basket a season ago. A candidate for Sixth Man of the Year, Bogdanovic was pouring in 16.9 points per game, with more than half of his shot attempts coming from the three point line. He’s also coming off a stellar international performance with Serbia in the Olympics, and with Dejounte Murray gone he could find himself ready to start alongside Trae Young and torch some more nets this season.
75. Isaiah Hartenstein/C/Oklahoma City Thunder
One of the most highly coveted offseason acquisitions this year was Isaiah Hartenstein going to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Hartenstein is one of those guys whose counting stats don’t give his style of play justice. Last season with the Knicks he found himself starting over half the season, showing prowess as a rebounder, interior defender and talented playmaker. Seeing how great Jalen Brunson played alongside him, seeing how he can bring out the most in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams will be great.
74. Donte DiVincenzo/G/Minnesota Timberwolves
Speaking of Knicks departures, Donte DiVincenzo might have been the biggest loss for the team. DiVincenzo is electrifying when shooting the ball. He’s coming off a career best 15.5 points per game on 40.1% from three. He set the Knicks single-season record for made three pointers and will add vital spacing to the Timberwolves offense, especially in lineups alongside Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, and Naz Reid.
73. Malik Monk/G/Sacramento Kings
The super sixth man is one of the driving forces behind the Kings elite offense. A guy that can simply score from any level of the court, and the type of guy you want on the court in the fourth quarter. Now adding DeMar DeRozan to the unit as well, the Kings are fully prepared to outscore nearly any team in the league.
72. Josh Hart/F/New York Knicks
Josh Hart is one of the most volatile players in the modern era of the NBA. A 6’4 defensive forward that is capable of rebounding amongst the league’s best bigs, guard some of the shiftiest guards and forwards, and works best going coast to coast or hitting a clutch three pointer. Hart is one of the best gadget guys in the league and will be very important to the success of the Knicks this season.
71. Alex Caruso/G/Oklahoma City Thunder
Another one of those gadget guys like Josh Hart, but with Alex Caruso you also get the upside of All-Defensive level perimeter defense. Caruso is a 6’5 lockdown guy that can play anywhere from 1 to 3, making him an incredible pickup for the Thunder, who got him for the low low price of Josh Giddey. Caruso alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is going to be borderline unbeatable for opposing backcourts.
70. Herbert Jones/F/New Orleans Pelicans
Herb Jones kicked his game up to another level in his third full season. He became a 41.8% three point shooter, ascended his defensive game to All-Defensive First Team level. And now he faces a new challenge this year, starting at Center. The 6’8 wing is a man of many talents, and I think he’ll adjust well to whatever the Pelicans need from him.
69. Naz Reid/C/Minnesota Timberwolves
The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is preparing for an even bigger role in Minnesota. Following the departure of Karl-Anthony Towns and the offensive ineptitude of Rudy Gobert, he’s most likely due for more touches. Especially now as a 41.4% three point shooter. I’m sure he’ll be on a mission to defend his Sixth Man of the Year title, perhaps with some more playoff fireworks on the way.
68. Brandon Ingram/F/New Orleans Pelicans
Ingram has taken a bit more of a passive role following his breakout All-Star campaign back in 2020. But by no means has he regressed offensively. He’s still a 20.8 points per game scorer while raising his field goal percentage to 49.2% and becoming a consistent 5.7 assists per game guy as well. Now entering a contract season, he has a bit more to prove, and with the new additions to the team he seems primed for his biggest season since 2020.
67. Jalen Green/G/Houston Rockets
One player on the cusp of a breakout is the former second overall pick in 2021, Jalen Green. Post All-Star break, the young guard was averaged 24.5 points per game and 37.5% from three. The writing is on the wall with his raw talent and he was rewarded with a three-year $106 million extension including a player option, the first rookie extension of its kind.
Green, who was the first G League Ignite signing, crosses another groundbreaking accomplishment off his list as he enters his fourth season with his sights set higher than ever.
66. Cam Thomas/G/Brooklyn Nets
Also apart of that 2021 Draft class was standout scoring guard Cam Thomas. In his limited playing time in his first two seasons, he always showed flashes of what he was capable of. Then he took the keys from Mikal Bridges and broke out as a number one option. Going from 10.6 points per game to 22.5, he’s probably due for another dramatic scoring increase as the primary option for a clearly rebuilding Nets team.
65. Coby White/G/Chicago Bulls
One of the more unexpected stories of last season was the emergence of Coby White. The former seventh overall pick in 2019 stepped into the full-time starting role for the first time since his sophomore season and looked impressively comfortable leading an offense. He averaged a career high 19.1 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game on 44.7% from the field. Even with the return of Lonzo Ball, White has more than earned his keeping as the starting PG of the future in Chicago.
64. Jalen Johnson/F/Atlanta Hawks
Another breakout story from a season ago came out of Atlanta, where the third-year forward from Duke, Jalen Johnson, found his groove and didn’t look back. He went from a measly 15 minutes per game two seasons ago to starting in all but four of his appearances, averaging 16 points and 8.7 rebounds on 51.1% from the field. He’s athletic, can stretch the floor, and can even create for others on the perimeter and in the post. He’s everything that John Collins was supposed to be for Trae Young, and he’s still only 22 years old.
63. Jarrett Allen/C/Cleveland Cavaliers
The former 2022 All-Star is entering his eighth year in the league, his fifth in Cleveland, and he’s grown his offensive game each year he’s been there. Now up to nearly 17 points a night, alongside double-digit rebounds and stifling interior defense, you get what you pay for with Jarrett Allen. With another year of keeping the core four together, and now reunited with his former coach in Brooklyn in Kenny Atkinson, Allen and the Cavs could be headed for another gear next season.
62. Michael Porter Jr./F/Denver Nuggets
Michael Porter Jr is now entering the third year of his massive rookie extension that he signed back in 2021, and so far, he hasn’t really lived up to it. Sure he’s still a high-volume shooter capable of lighting any team up if you leave him enough space. But I’m not sure if he’ll ever live up to those superstar expectations he once had. But he’s still dangerous enough offensively to gameplan against when matching up with Denver.
61. Bradley Beal/G/Phoenix Suns
The third man of a depth-less Suns team, Beal has taken a step back from the main man he once was in Washington. Injury concerns held him to only 53 games last season, and when he played he posted around 18 points a night, his lowest since 2016. But Beal shot a career best 51.3% from the field and 43% from three, proving that even in a reduced role he’s a reliable scoring option for Phoenix.
60. Jalen Williams/F/Oklahoma City Thunder
With all eyes on the Thunder next season, the emergence of the third-year wing Jalen Williams will be one to watch. He already ascended last year to 19.1 points per game shooting a scorching 54% from the field and 42.7% from 3. With the signing of Hartenstein adding a two-big lineup to their arsenal, we’ll see more of Williams back at his natural swingman role, and I think he cements himself as the secondary scoring option for the Thunder.
59. Dejounte Murray/G/New Orleans Pelicans
The freshest face in New Orleans, Dejounte Murray joined the Pelicans this offseason after two disappointing years with the Hawks. Murray is still a very talented player, but his playstyle just didn’t mesh well with Trae Young. But I think he meshes very well with the core in New Orleans. A very defensive-minded wing unit with Herb Jones and Trey Murphy will complement his strengths, and he’s proven that he’s capable of being a shot creator in his own regard too, coming off a career high 22.5 points per game.
58. Franz Wagner/F/Orlando Magic
Franz Wagner found himself the butt of a lot of jokes this offseason following a less-than-stellar playoff performance against the Cavs. But make no mistake, Franz Wagner is still a very valuable young star in the NBA. With the addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the star duo of Wagner and Paolo Banchero, the team’s defensive identity is set. Wagner and Banchero are more than capable of leading the offensive unit for the Magic.
57. Jaden McDaniels/F/Minnesota Timberwolves
Another man who was involved in jokes was the Kevin Durant-stopper himself, Jaden McDaniels. But he quickly made a fool out of anyone doubting his abilities. McDaniels is a versatile point-of-attack defender that can match up well against almost anyone with his 6’9 frame. And offensively, he was spacing the floor well in Minnesota’s playoff run, shooting 42.9% from three. With a new look for the core of the team, McDaniels development will be pivotal to their success this season.
56. Myles Turner/C/Indiana Pacers
Myles Turner is entering his tenth season in the NBA, and has always been a name floating in trade talks year by year. But despite all the rumors, he’s remained a Pacer the entire time. And now it’s paying dividends. Turner is still the heart of the Pacers defense, has turned into a reliable floor-spacing stretch, and can still give you 17 points any given night. He’s the heart and soul of a possibly contending Pacers team.
55. Cade Cunningham/G/Detroit Pistons
The first overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft has had some ups and downs in the first three seasons of his career. But he seems to have fixed the obvious flaws of his game and showed true star potential last season. He’s shooting the ball well, becoming comfortable as a primary scoring option, and has taken a big step as a playmaker getting his average up to 7.5 assists per game. Next season will show how much of a star he can be with capable veterans around him.
54. Aaron Gordon/F/Denver Nuggets
It’s safe to say that Aaron Gordon joining the Nuggets is what turned them from a good team to a great one. An athletic forward to play alongside Jokic that could also operate as the team’s top defender doesn’t come by often. And even though he might not be the offensive weapon that he was expected to be when he was drafted 11 seasons ago, his role today still makes him one of the most underrated players in the league.
53. Evan Mobley/C/Cleveland Cavaliers
The second big in the Cavs frontcourt seems due for his big break this season. As it stands now, Mobley is one of the most prolific interior defenders in the league and isn’t slowing down on that side of the basketball. If he can avoid injury concerns that limited him to just 50 games a season ago, he could possibly be in Defensive Player of the Year conversations.
52. James Harden/G/Los Angeles Clippers
My how the mighty have fallen. Once the unstoppable MVP of the league just five seasons ago, Harden has now taken a backseat offensively entirely. This isn’t to say that Harden is unable to score, but he’s now more of a playmaker. However, with Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely to start the season, Harden may be asked to play a bigger offensive role for a Clippers team that doesn’t have their own first round pick.
51. Khris Middleton/F/Milwaukee Bucks
The former Robin to Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s Batman. The biggest think that Middleton needs to excel next year is health. He was only able to suit up in 55 games, but when he was on, he was on. He matched his average from last year with 15.1 points per game, but upped his efficiency to 49.3% from the field and 38.1% from three. If he can keep that level of play alongside another year of Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo meshing together, the Bucks could be dangerous.
If you’re reading this, my New York Knicks just got embarrassed by Boston, but that means NBA basketball is officially back! And we’ll be back again soon as we dive into our Top 50 NBA players going into this new NBA season. Who’s some players you think are ranked too high so far? How about too low?
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