Retour
Yesterday, FanSided released our annual NBA99, ranking the 99 best players in the NBA right now. In a minor upset, Nikola Jokić still landed in the top spot even though it is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who has won the last two MVPs, Victor Wembanyama who carried his team to the NBA Finals last season and Jalen Brunson who lifted the New York Knicks to their first title in 53 years.
Many of you will likely have an argument with our pick for No. 1 and — with nearly 500 players and just 99 spots — many of you will likely find plenty more to disagree with on our list. We value your opinion, what you think we got right and wrong, and want to know how you would order the top five.
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets: No adjective is hyperbolic when discussing Nikola Jokic. Psychic might be pushing the line… but barely. Denver’s rock plays like he knows the outcome of situations long before anyone else does, creating scoring opportunities for himself — and others — out of the thin Denver air. He’s mastered the main quest of basketball, posting efficiency numbers and on/off splits that stand alone in NBA history. A three-time MVP and one-time NBA champion and his numbers, incredulously, keep getting better. Jokic doesn’t just give you a chance to win at a high level, he gives you a cheat code to unlocking the game of basketball.
2. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs: There’s not a good way to attack Wembanyama. It's impossible to get a quality interior shot against him. Bump him off his spot, and he can still get a hand on the shot. Beat him with your first step, and he's still a looming threat to block it from behind. And his offense is catching up. He offers the widest catch radius in the NBA on lobs, and the agility and touch to evade contests, sidestep defenders and find an angle. He can shoot over the top at any time, is a deadly pick-and-pop threat and has so much untapped playmaking potential. Nobody alters the geometry on the court on both ends quite like Wemby.
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder: SGA is pure chaos for a defense. He has the size, IQ and touch to win every matchup. What he lacks in quickness or downhill explosion, SGA compensates with incredible control over tempo and direction. He can shift gears on a dime, accelerating and decelerating better than a high-octane sports car. His defenders are perpetually off-balance, never able to comfortably get into a stance and stick. It helps that SGA is also an all-world defender. He’s competitive, with a motor that never stops running. For all the hits he takes on the offensive end, drawing contact, he doesn’t let it detract from his efforts on defense.
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Miami Heat: Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the most dominant basketball players ever, thanks to an otherworldly blend of size, strength, athleticism, skill and sheer will. At 6-foot-11, he has physical traits to overpower defenders in the paint. He pairs this power with feline agility, end-to-end speed and ability to handle the ball becoming an unstoppable sledgehammer in transition. Defensively, he has the versatility to guard every position and a combo of elite instincts, plus freakishly long arms to thrive as a shot-blocker and rebounder. Yet, somehow, Antetokounmpo's most impressive quality may be a relentless work ethic.
5. Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers: Dončić is a one-man machine, but also a tide lifting all boats. He demands so much attention, he warps a defense so dramatically, that it’s virtually impossible to keep a Dončić-led offense in check. He has never relied on outlier quickness or burst. He’s mostly ground-bound, relying on unrivaled craft and creativity to exploit whatever coverage a defense throws his way. Sure, he’s not a great defender but that doesn’t really matter when Dončić's impact is so thorough and all-encompassing, though. He plays heavy minutes, creates endless easy looks for teammates, and is more capable than anyone in the NBA of carrying an entire team.