NBN Top 10 Players Retrospective
Oct 24, 2024 6:11:30 GMT
josephballin11, SpikeLee14, and 1 more like this
Post by carlos on Oct 24, 2024 6:11:30 GMT
Last offseason, I ranked my Top 10 players in the league for what was supposed to be a partner article. Today, I’m taking a look back at my rankings to see how I did or what I would have changed.
1. Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama has to be #1 in the league as he’s the reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year for a reason. Not only is he the best defender and rebounder in the league, but he can lead an offense and score efficiently from anywhere on the court. His only weakness might be his turnovers, but you can live with 2-3 turnovers when he’s the best in the league at every other aspect of the game.
Retrospective: No argument here. Wemby won both the MVP and DPOY for the second year straight and is easily the best player in the league. He has a chance to compete for his first championship next year with the Jazz adding Luka.
2. Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg is basically a mini-Wemby who can do it all on the court, albeit at a slightly lower level. At only 24, Flagg is already a consistent fixture in the All-League and All-Defense teams on a yearly basis and has had a ton of regular season success in Washington alongside Isaiah Collier and Bilal Coulibaly. Given the talent on his team, Flagg hasn’t had to shoulder as much of the offense as Wemby has throughout his career, which is what separates them at this point in their careers. Flagg is better at holding onto the ball while Wemby is more disruptive on defense and the boards. If Flagg gets full control of an offense, he could push for #1.
Retrospective: Flagg had another great year but didn’t take the leap I was hoping to see and arguably took a step back. He scored more but did so on worse shooting while the defensive numbers took a 0.5 stock dip. The Wizards as a whole also struggled, failing to make the playoffs for the first time in 5 years.
3. Tyrese Maxey
Tyrese Maxey has been the best player in the NBN dating back to the start of the league and is still in the top 3 despite a tough 2029 season in which he missed 21 games and suffered an early playoff exit. Maxey is among the best scorers in the league but sets himself apart by being an elite playmaker who takes care of the ball and also rebounds and plays defense at a high level for the PG position. In a stacked position, I still think it’s a two-man race for the best PG in the league.
Retrospective: Maxey is still consistently a top PG and I’m still confident putting him top 3 but he was probably the second best Tyrese this year, missing All-League First Team to Haliburton. Maxey finished 3rd in points and 2nd in assists with great shooting efficiency and low turnovers.
4. De’Aaron Fox
The other challenger for top PG is two-time MVP De’Aaron Fox. Fox has led the Kings to be a consistent title contender throughout his career while averaging over 30 PPG the past 6 seasons and contributing elite defensive production at the PG spot. Where Fox comes up a bit short is where Maxey shines, getting his teammates involved and taking care of the ball. Fox has averaged around 8 assists and 3 turnovers throughout his career, but I could see an argument between
the two depending on what you want out of your PG.
Retrospective: Fox was limited to half a season due to injury but likely would have challenged for the First Team spot if he stayed healthy. He was matching some of his best years and had the Kings competing for the league’s best record.
5. Anthony Edwards
Edwards weirdly gets overlooked in these types of lists but is easily one of the top players in the league. He's a great all-around player who can fill whatever role his team needs him to at a high level. He’s proven he can lead a team to a championship in both Orlando and Minnesota, has shown he can be one of the top scorers in the league, and has flashed signs of elite defense. He comes into this year off a strong TC where he somehow continues to get better and looks to lead the Magic to a repeat alongside a couple other top ten players.
Retrospective: Edwards had another great year playing out of position on his way to his second championship with Orlando and third overall. Edwards missed the All-League teams this year and his overall scoring is limited by being the second option on his team. I’d likely move him down for Haliburton.
6. LaMelo Ball
LaMelo Ball isn’t the type of PG I typically like and is definitely on a lower tier than Fox & Maxey, but he’s still among the best players in the league. Ball is a stat-sheet stuffer who has showcased elite-level scoring and playmaking while pitching in great rebounding and defense. His only issue is a major one, he ironically can’t take care of the ball and will turn it over 3-4 times per game.
Retrospective: The Hornets were creative with Ball this year, using him at different positions on a guard-heavy roster. His turnovers limit him as he’ll always be near 4 per game but we should see some more assists next year with the emergence of Raiest and his return to PG. I had him listed a little high, though he’s likely still competing for top 10.
7. Xavian Lee
Lee is a weird one who will likely struggle to get his in-game accolades but might actually be underrated even at #7 on my list. Lee is the best scorer in the league, averaging nearly 35 PPG last season on a stacked Magic team that secured their first championship. Outside of his scoring, he’s also a solid all-around contributor, throwing in 5 assists and 5 rebounds. Lee is in the perfect spot in Orlando, surrounded by other good playmakers in Lonzo Ball and Chet Holmgren, but he doesn’t have a real position. He’s not a great playmaker at PG and is undersized and a poor rebounder at SG. While he has his limitations, it’s hard to keep him off the list as the best scorer in the league.
Retrospective: Lee’s scoring was down this year though he was still second in the league behind Wembanyama. He lead the Magic to back-to-back championships and signed an extremely team-friendly deal, making him among the most valuable players in the league.
8. Chet Holmgren
Chet’s pure stats are somewhat deflated given how strong the rest of the team around him is, but he’s proven his value throughout his career in all aspects of the game. He’s not the same caliber of scorer as the top bigs on this list but can still get his points at all 3 levels of the court. He can rebound and defend with the best of them, averaging over 4 stocks and 12 rebounds in each of the last 3 seasons and can also spread the ball around to his teammates, averaging nearly 4 assists per game throughout his career. His all-around game and ability to hold onto the ball makes him the top big of the second tier.
Retrospective: The Magic are unsurprisingly dominating this list. Chet’s scoring numbers were down this year but he elevated his defensive numbers to elite level, making his first All-Defensive Second team. Holmgren anchored the Magic defense and took home the Playoffs MVP. Chet is a top 10 player.
9. Scottie Barnes
I might be a little biased, but I love Scottie Barnes’ game. He’s an elite defender and rebounder at the SF position, gets his teammates involved without killing his team with turnovers, and has shown flashes of being a great secondary scorer. The offense has been inconsistent throughout his career, but he’s coming off a great season as Maxey’s running mate where he averaged nearly 24 PPG on great efficiency. His pre-season sims were inconsistent, flashing #1 option potential in sim 1 and shitting the bed in sim 2, but I’d expect him to land in the middle and give a similar showing to last year while he tries to earn a max contract.
Retrospective: He earned a max contract. Barnes had the most efficient season of his career with career-best shooting and turnovers but saw his rebounding numbers come down to earth. I hope to see his rebounding bounce back to above 8, but I feel good about Barnes in the top 10.
10. Nikola Jokic
Jokic is tough to rank after a poor TC and a rough pre-season. Based on last season, Jokic would likely be competing with Chet (and Embiid, who’s probably #11) for the third best big man in the league but he looks to have lost a step entering his age 35 season. I’d still expect Jokic to be among the league leaders in rebounding and should still give low-to mid-20s scoring on good efficiency and low turnovers. He’s never been a rim protector but his solid defense took a further hit this TC. I could see Jokic put up a normal Jokic season and be underrated at #10 but I could also see him show his age and put up 20 & 12 without much defense.
Retrospective: Jokic made All-League Second team in his age 35 season, proving he belongs in the Top 10, but did see his scoring totals decrease for a fourth straight season and a clear decline in his defense. While his scoring totals were down, the efficiency is still great, the turnovers are low, and the rebounding is elite. TC will be huge for Jokic and the Lakers.
I definitely missed Tyrese Haliburton, who took a huge leap this season. Monte Leyva is another clear miss, who jumped into elite status this year. Is there anyone else I missed? Who would be your top 10?
1. Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama has to be #1 in the league as he’s the reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year for a reason. Not only is he the best defender and rebounder in the league, but he can lead an offense and score efficiently from anywhere on the court. His only weakness might be his turnovers, but you can live with 2-3 turnovers when he’s the best in the league at every other aspect of the game.
Retrospective: No argument here. Wemby won both the MVP and DPOY for the second year straight and is easily the best player in the league. He has a chance to compete for his first championship next year with the Jazz adding Luka.
2. Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg is basically a mini-Wemby who can do it all on the court, albeit at a slightly lower level. At only 24, Flagg is already a consistent fixture in the All-League and All-Defense teams on a yearly basis and has had a ton of regular season success in Washington alongside Isaiah Collier and Bilal Coulibaly. Given the talent on his team, Flagg hasn’t had to shoulder as much of the offense as Wemby has throughout his career, which is what separates them at this point in their careers. Flagg is better at holding onto the ball while Wemby is more disruptive on defense and the boards. If Flagg gets full control of an offense, he could push for #1.
Retrospective: Flagg had another great year but didn’t take the leap I was hoping to see and arguably took a step back. He scored more but did so on worse shooting while the defensive numbers took a 0.5 stock dip. The Wizards as a whole also struggled, failing to make the playoffs for the first time in 5 years.
3. Tyrese Maxey
Tyrese Maxey has been the best player in the NBN dating back to the start of the league and is still in the top 3 despite a tough 2029 season in which he missed 21 games and suffered an early playoff exit. Maxey is among the best scorers in the league but sets himself apart by being an elite playmaker who takes care of the ball and also rebounds and plays defense at a high level for the PG position. In a stacked position, I still think it’s a two-man race for the best PG in the league.
Retrospective: Maxey is still consistently a top PG and I’m still confident putting him top 3 but he was probably the second best Tyrese this year, missing All-League First Team to Haliburton. Maxey finished 3rd in points and 2nd in assists with great shooting efficiency and low turnovers.
4. De’Aaron Fox
The other challenger for top PG is two-time MVP De’Aaron Fox. Fox has led the Kings to be a consistent title contender throughout his career while averaging over 30 PPG the past 6 seasons and contributing elite defensive production at the PG spot. Where Fox comes up a bit short is where Maxey shines, getting his teammates involved and taking care of the ball. Fox has averaged around 8 assists and 3 turnovers throughout his career, but I could see an argument between
the two depending on what you want out of your PG.
Retrospective: Fox was limited to half a season due to injury but likely would have challenged for the First Team spot if he stayed healthy. He was matching some of his best years and had the Kings competing for the league’s best record.
5. Anthony Edwards
Edwards weirdly gets overlooked in these types of lists but is easily one of the top players in the league. He's a great all-around player who can fill whatever role his team needs him to at a high level. He’s proven he can lead a team to a championship in both Orlando and Minnesota, has shown he can be one of the top scorers in the league, and has flashed signs of elite defense. He comes into this year off a strong TC where he somehow continues to get better and looks to lead the Magic to a repeat alongside a couple other top ten players.
Retrospective: Edwards had another great year playing out of position on his way to his second championship with Orlando and third overall. Edwards missed the All-League teams this year and his overall scoring is limited by being the second option on his team. I’d likely move him down for Haliburton.
6. LaMelo Ball
LaMelo Ball isn’t the type of PG I typically like and is definitely on a lower tier than Fox & Maxey, but he’s still among the best players in the league. Ball is a stat-sheet stuffer who has showcased elite-level scoring and playmaking while pitching in great rebounding and defense. His only issue is a major one, he ironically can’t take care of the ball and will turn it over 3-4 times per game.
Retrospective: The Hornets were creative with Ball this year, using him at different positions on a guard-heavy roster. His turnovers limit him as he’ll always be near 4 per game but we should see some more assists next year with the emergence of Raiest and his return to PG. I had him listed a little high, though he’s likely still competing for top 10.
7. Xavian Lee
Lee is a weird one who will likely struggle to get his in-game accolades but might actually be underrated even at #7 on my list. Lee is the best scorer in the league, averaging nearly 35 PPG last season on a stacked Magic team that secured their first championship. Outside of his scoring, he’s also a solid all-around contributor, throwing in 5 assists and 5 rebounds. Lee is in the perfect spot in Orlando, surrounded by other good playmakers in Lonzo Ball and Chet Holmgren, but he doesn’t have a real position. He’s not a great playmaker at PG and is undersized and a poor rebounder at SG. While he has his limitations, it’s hard to keep him off the list as the best scorer in the league.
Retrospective: Lee’s scoring was down this year though he was still second in the league behind Wembanyama. He lead the Magic to back-to-back championships and signed an extremely team-friendly deal, making him among the most valuable players in the league.
8. Chet Holmgren
Chet’s pure stats are somewhat deflated given how strong the rest of the team around him is, but he’s proven his value throughout his career in all aspects of the game. He’s not the same caliber of scorer as the top bigs on this list but can still get his points at all 3 levels of the court. He can rebound and defend with the best of them, averaging over 4 stocks and 12 rebounds in each of the last 3 seasons and can also spread the ball around to his teammates, averaging nearly 4 assists per game throughout his career. His all-around game and ability to hold onto the ball makes him the top big of the second tier.
Retrospective: The Magic are unsurprisingly dominating this list. Chet’s scoring numbers were down this year but he elevated his defensive numbers to elite level, making his first All-Defensive Second team. Holmgren anchored the Magic defense and took home the Playoffs MVP. Chet is a top 10 player.
9. Scottie Barnes
I might be a little biased, but I love Scottie Barnes’ game. He’s an elite defender and rebounder at the SF position, gets his teammates involved without killing his team with turnovers, and has shown flashes of being a great secondary scorer. The offense has been inconsistent throughout his career, but he’s coming off a great season as Maxey’s running mate where he averaged nearly 24 PPG on great efficiency. His pre-season sims were inconsistent, flashing #1 option potential in sim 1 and shitting the bed in sim 2, but I’d expect him to land in the middle and give a similar showing to last year while he tries to earn a max contract.
Retrospective: He earned a max contract. Barnes had the most efficient season of his career with career-best shooting and turnovers but saw his rebounding numbers come down to earth. I hope to see his rebounding bounce back to above 8, but I feel good about Barnes in the top 10.
10. Nikola Jokic
Jokic is tough to rank after a poor TC and a rough pre-season. Based on last season, Jokic would likely be competing with Chet (and Embiid, who’s probably #11) for the third best big man in the league but he looks to have lost a step entering his age 35 season. I’d still expect Jokic to be among the league leaders in rebounding and should still give low-to mid-20s scoring on good efficiency and low turnovers. He’s never been a rim protector but his solid defense took a further hit this TC. I could see Jokic put up a normal Jokic season and be underrated at #10 but I could also see him show his age and put up 20 & 12 without much defense.
Retrospective: Jokic made All-League Second team in his age 35 season, proving he belongs in the Top 10, but did see his scoring totals decrease for a fourth straight season and a clear decline in his defense. While his scoring totals were down, the efficiency is still great, the turnovers are low, and the rebounding is elite. TC will be huge for Jokic and the Lakers.
I definitely missed Tyrese Haliburton, who took a huge leap this season. Monte Leyva is another clear miss, who jumped into elite status this year. Is there anyone else I missed? Who would be your top 10?
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