Daniel Waddleton
Dec 20, 2024
ONE OF MY favorite NBA gimmicks throughout the year is ranking the top 100 players in the league.
This exercise is always interesting for me because it requires balancing two key ideas: evaluating how effective a player is as the primary engine for a team while assessing how well that player and his skillset could fit alongside other great players in different roles.
Take my 19th and 20th ranked players for example: Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Williams. Mitchell is the far more dynamic offensive player—if you're a team like Cleveland, his elite scoring ability is something they need him to provide based on their roster construction. However, for a team like the Thunder, which already has an elite offensive engine in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they may prefer Williams over Mitchell for their team. His versatility and ability to provide value in areas where Mitchell may fall short make him an ideal complementary piece, while still providing a scoring punch.
As the list progresses, the challenge of prioritizing offense versus defense becomes more difficult. Are you taking a defensive ace at guard like Kris Dunn, whose offensive impact might be limited? Or do you lean toward a highly skilled offensive guard, who can contribute both as a primary creator and as a floor spacer off the ball with elite catch-and-shoot ability like Anfernee Simons?
This balancing act makes the exercise both fun and challenging. Striking the right harmony is nearly impossible, and that's why I'm acknowledging the list will not be perfect. Maybe I'm misreading the adaptability of a star. Maybe I'm overrating a players defense. Maybe your favorite player is ranked lower than you'd like. I'm sure there will be disagreements, but I promise you one thing, I put real time into crafting this list, and I take pride in the finished product.
To view the full rankings, click the button below. This article is just to introduce the new list and highlight some of the biggest risers and fallers from the most recent rankings below.
Biggest Risers
Franz Wagner: +41 (from Rank 57 to Rank 16)
Dyson Daniels: +34 (from off the list to Rank 67)
Cameron Johnson: +31 (from off the list to Rank 70)
Darius Garland: +30 (from Rank 73 to Rank 43)
Evan Mobley: +29 (from Rank 61 to Rank 32)
Ivica Zubac: +29 (from off the list to Rank 72)
Jalen Johnson: +28 (from Rank 63 to Rank 35)
Tyler Herro: +28 (from Rank 93 to Rank 65)
Biggest Droppers
Jaden McDaniels: -42 (from Rank 59 to off the list)
Mikal Bridges: -34 (from Rank 37 to Rank 71)
Jamal Murray: -28 (from Rank 32 to Rank 60)
Jermani Grant: -26 (from Rank 60 to Rank 86)
Anfernee Simons: -25 (from Rank 62 to Rank 87)
Zion Williamson: -24 (from Rank 17 to Rank 41)
Malcom Brogdan: -20 (from Rank 81 to off the list)
Dejounte Murray: -19 (from Rank 72 to Rank 91)
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