With the Clippers trailing the Suns, 3-2 - but entirely unwilling to quit - and the Hawks going shot-for-shot with the heavily-favored Bucks at 2-2, it's definitely time for my spotlight on the NBA's absolute best players. The NBA Finals are almost here, and there's no time to wait.
I hate intros too, so I'll just give you the goods; here is my ranking system:
1. We're in the playoffs. Heading into a critical 4th quarter. Can this player put my team on his back by doing it all? Scoring, facilitating, making high-percentage plays, being an overall leader and contributing on the defensive end? At the end of the day, it's all about winning playoff games and championships. Can this guy lead me to victory - or help me to victory - when it really matters?
2. In terms of stats, the 2020-21 season obviously gets the most weight, but previous seasons will NOT be ignored. Overall context must be considered.
3. Stats I personally look to: Points Per Game, Assists Per Game and Hollinger's overall Efficiency Rating. I look at blocks, rebounds and steals, too.
4. We're in an era of both "rest" and "load management". On top of that, guys seems to get injured all the damn time. So... can I count on this player? Will he be out there? Is he always hurt or taking nights off? I like durable, reliable, dependable players.
5. Generally speaking, does this player contribute to a winning culture? Or, is he the type of player who jumps around, never really making much impact from one stop to the next?
Okay, that gives you a general idea. Let's jump right into it:
HONORABLE MENTION
Jusuf Nurkic, C, Blazers: Here's a 6-11 traditional center with a 4-year, $48 million contract, but he can never seem to stay on the court. He gets a lot of hype in fantasy circles, and in the analytical world, but the proof is in the pudding to me. Get out there, and stay out there. Nurkic was 43rd in Hollinger's Efficiency this season, but he only played in 37 games for Portland. Only 8 games the season before that. I need to see more before I buy the hype.
Jaren Jackson Jr., PF/C, Grizzlies: You'll see similarities in my Honorable Mentions, for sure. These are the guys that should probably be in the top 100, but they just can't seem to stay on the court. From what I've seen, Jackson is an even better all-around player than Nurkic, but he only played 11 games this season. Under young-and-hungry head coach Taylor Jenkins the Grizz are a youthful team on the rise, and Jackson is supposed to be a key piece for them going forward. I'm curious to see what this team can accomplish at full health.
Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre Jr., Warriors: I just got tired of putting these guys on my list. How much impact do they really have? Wiggins looks solid on paper almost every single year, but I don't see the translation in terms of impact on winning. Steph Curry led the NBA in scoring this season, and the Warriors couldn't even lock down an 8-seed? Where were Wiggins and Oubre in all this? They are good players, but maybe they are also easily replaced.
Lonzo Ball, PG, Pelicans: It's interesting to see that he actually cracked the top 100 in points per game. Obviously Lonzo is known for his unselfishness and playmaking ability, but he has been straightening out his shot to some extent. He's almost there. He very nearly cracked my top 100. My issues are these: the Pelicans can't seem to find ways to win, and even when they do, I personally give the credit to Zion Williamson and/or Brandon Ingram. So, like I said about Wiggins and Oubre, how much impact could Lonzo really be having out there on the court?
JOHN FRASCELLA'S TOP 100 NBA PLAYERS
100. Jarrett Allen, C, Cavs: Cleveland couldn't wait to part ways with veteran Andre Drummond, so they could make way for "The Fro" in the middle. Allen was 47th in Efficiency this season, and he's an athletic shotblocker who plays high-percentage overall basketball. I don't know how much damage traditional centers can really do these days, but Allen has a soft touch at the foul line and he's always been willing to work on his perimeter game. From a stats/fantasy perspective, once Drummond was out of the way, Allen was an extremely productive young center.
99. Kendrick Nunn, G, Heat: I think he's pretty much holding steady since my last list. Yup, he was 99th, now that I look at it. I like Nunn - I like his toughness, and I think Jimmy Butler has had a good overall impact on him. But, there does seem to be a ceiling here. I don't see a possible future where I am rocketing Kendrick into my top 50. He's a good, solid young player, but he resides comfortably outside of the elite.
98. Tim Hardaway, SG/SF, Mavs: Who am I kidding, here? If you wanna throw Wiggins or Oubre into this spot - or maybe Eric Gordon, Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro or T.J. Warren - I'm not gonna argue with ya. We are obviously splitting hairs with similar guys, here. On the bright side, Hardaway was 68th in points per game, and he made for a decent third man behind Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. Overall, the Mavs need to restructure to get better, but Hardaway was pretty decent and impactful this season.
97. Mikal Bridges, F, Suns: He's not gonna knock your socks off in any one particular stat, but the Suns are in the Final Four and Bridges has been a key contributor. Chris Paul and Devin Booker facilitate and create offense while Deandre Ayton does his thing in the paint, but Bridges is a strong defender and "glue" type of guy. He's been necessary to the improvement and development of this team. Bridges will not hesitate to take the assignment of the other team's best player.
96. Harrison Barnes, F, Kings: I was very temped to put Barnes into that mini-group with Wiggins and Oubre, but I just thought, I think Barnes is a slightly-better player than those two guys. Barnes is tougher, more physical, more of a brute when he gets inside. I think I'd rather have him as a teammate over both Wiggins and Oubre. He plays his game; he doesn't overextend himself and he doesn't try to make it all about himself. He's a solid basketball player to me, but the Kings never go anywhere. That's why he barely makes my top 100. I don't know what impact he is truly having at this point in his steady professional career.
95. Darius Garland, G, Cavs: Two young Cavs in the early going, here. Um, well, it gets kind of messy in Cleveland. Here's the thing with Garland: isolate the kid and he can score. He has some tricky moves and he's pretty crafty for a youngster (62nd in points per game). But the flip side is this: the Cavs couldn't close a game with the style they played. Garland and Collin Sexton did an awful lot of isolating. It's certainly not "pretty" basketball. It was bad enough for Kevin Love to literally walk off the court, mid-game. But, we're talking about my 95th ranked player here and he was 62nd in scoring. We can see the potential in his game. Can he and Sexton grow into some winning plays down the stretch?
94. Joe Harris, SG/SF, Nets: Joe Harris led all qualified players, shooting 47.5% from the three-point line during the regular season. I mean, that stat is just insane. He gets plenty of volume - he attempted 444 triples - and he knocks them down at a crazy-ass clip. But, as a lifetime Nets fan, I know about Joe when it matters the most. He simply isn't the same player in pressure spots. He overthinks "The Moment" - there's just no question about it. Harris dropped to 32% from the three-point arc in the Nets' season-ending series vs. the weaker Bucks. The opportunities were there. Harris missed some wide open threes in huge spots. If you asked me about a week ago, I probably would have dropped him outside of my top 100 altogether. But cooler heads have since prevailed. He was the best three-point shooter in the league this year - he at least has to make my list.
93. Seth Curry, SG, Sixers: This one is just a matter of preference. Seth Curry showed me a lot more than Joe Harris in these playoffs. Not only that - Curry contributed to some minor culture changes in Philadelphia. This was the team with talent that couldn't shoot from the perimeter. Curry came in with Danny Green and changed that. Unfortunately for GM Daryl Morey and the Sixers' faithful, Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons couldn't close out the weaker overall Hawks. Curry was not to blame in any way, here. In fact... maybe Doc Rivers should have drawn up more plays for him down the stretch?
92. Enes Kanter, C, Blazers: Now we're getting into some players that I personally like. I think Kanter is one of the top two or three offensive rebounders in the world. He can dominate the offensive glass the way Tyson Chandler did in his prime. Kanter gets good, low position and he knows how to play the angles. Yeah, he's not going to be shootin' threes for ya, but he is going to play high-efficiency basketball down on the block. He was 24th in Efficiency this season. He's just a good, solid NBA player. I'd take him as a useful bench player on my team, any day of the week.
91. Montrezl Harrell, C, Lakers: This was a tough one, because both Andre Drummond and Marc Gasol got in Trez's way this year. I think Harrell is a winning player if you use him the right way. The Clippers ran that beautiful pick-and-roll with Lou Williams. LeBron was good at finding ways to feed Harrell in the paint, as well. But, I guess the Lakers' brass wasn't happy, ultimately. They added Drummond to the fray. I think I've had Harrell in the 60s in the past, but he had to drop due to this season's circumstances. Yet and still, he was 22nd in the entire league in Efficiency. That remains significant.
90. Dillon Brooks, SG/SF, Grizzlies: Not much to say, here. When I think of Dillon Brooks, I think of the phrase "nice player". That's exactly what he is. He takes a backseat to Ja Morant and Jonas Valanciunas in Memphis, but he was also 64th in the NBA in scoring. He's most definitely a shooter, but he can give you a little bit more in his overall game than both Joe Harris and Seth Curry. Again, we are splitting hairs here, but I think Brooks is the slightly-better all-around player.
89. Devonte' Graham, G, Hornets: A "microwave" scorer off the bench. Not as polished as a Lou Williams nor as esteemed as a Jamal Crawford of the past, but Devonte' just comes in shootin'. Obviously, he starts on occasion as well. The Hornets had a number of players in and out of the lineup this season, so rotational shuffling was required. In the end, just press "X" on your Playstation remote and let Graham fire away. He's not afraid, but he's also not the most efficient young player in the game. 91st in scoring, of note.
88. Kelly Olynyk, PF/C, Rockets: He got lost in the shuffle in Miami, but he really took off in his stint with the Rockets. Houston had injuries up and down its roster, and Olynyk subsequently stepped into some big minutes. He did not disappoint. Olynyk can bang if you need him to, but he's also quite comfortable on the perimeter. He's a versatile, useful all-around player, and he made fantasy coaches very happy after transitioning to Houston. Stat rat.
87. Robert Williams, C, Celtics: With Jaylen Brown sidelined and Jayson Tatum leading the way, there were times when Big Rob looked like the second-best player on his team vs. my Nets. It was a big playoff matchup, and Williams was one of the most dominant individual players on the floor. He's big, he's long, he's tough and old school. Ninth overall in Efficiency - can you believe that? This is a young stud on the rise.
86. Norman Powell, SG/SF, Blazers: I thought... the Blazers are finally taking things more seriously for Damian Lillard. Seemingly every year I write that it's Dame and CJ McCollum vs. the world, but things got better with Powell, Robert Covington and even Carmelo Anthony. Powell is a pesky little player - he can shoot the three, but he's also willing to mix it up in the paint. I like his game, and he can be a really good contributor on a good team. Yet and still - and once again - the Blazers fell short. Powell wasn't the answer, but it was a step in the right direction for an organization that sometimes rests on its laurels.
85. Marcus Morris, PF, Clippers: Like Kanter, Harrell and Olynyk, here's another one of "my" guys. Marcus Morris is a pro's pro. You can put him anywhere. You can play him anywhere. You can move him around from city to city, team to team and nothing changes - he brings it every night and he knows his game. He plays with both confidence and toughness. I think he is consistently one of the elite all-around bench players in the NBA. He brings real value, everywhere he goes.
84. Chris Boucher, C, Raptors: Here's currently one of the most underrated players in the game. Boucher sneaks up on you - he scored more points per game than I realized, and he was 28th in Efficiency. He's a lean, lanky, long kinda kid, but he has the inside-outside game. When you think of the Raptors you probably think of Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet, but this here is a young man on the rise. Boucher is playing good, smart basketball for such a young player. There is more to come. I could see him in the top 70 by the end of next season.
83. Buddy Hield, SG/SF, Kings: I just don't know what it is about these Kings, man. They just don't do it for me. They seem to be permanently stuck in basketball purgatory. A lot of middling players. A lot off middling results. Hield is a very talented individual scorer, but he's just as inconsistent as the team he plays on. He's better and has a higher ceiling than preceding guys like Hardaway and Brooks, but he also never seems to capitalize on his potential to improve. He's a status quo kind of guy. Some big scoring nights, some shaky performances.
82. Danilo Gallinari, F, Hawks: You can't underestimate the value of a veteran like this. The Hawks are in the Final Four - and like Marcus Morris before him - "Gallo" knows his game. He's always been a very crafty fellow out there. He pump fakes and uses herky-jerky moves to draw fouls and make the opposing defense uncomfortable. He's been there, done that, and that helps with a young team like the Hawks. Gallo has value. Let's see if he contributes to a run to the Finals...
81. Bojan Bogdanovic, F, Jazz: I talked about "winning culture" in my opening, and these next two guys make me think of that. The Utah Jazz certainly aren't the most individually talented team in the league. There are a lot of "workmen" on this club. And Bojan, though a finesse player, is one of those workmen. He's crafty like Gallo before him on this list, and he's steady. Within the flow of Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and the next guy on my list, we know exactly what Bojan is going to do. He's going to space the floor, and he's going to knock 'em down. Just a steady vet you wanna have on your competitive playoff-level team.
80. Joe Ingles, G/F, Jazz: Just a slightly better all-around player than Bojan. I talked about Mikal Bridges as a glue player for the Suns earlier, and Ingles is the same for the Jazz. His Swiss army knife skillset is needed, and he's a rock out there. You don't get major fluctuation in what he does. He brings it every night and he loves to play. He's always unselfish and he makes his teammates better. You can blatantly see that the others love playing with him.
79. Brook Lopez, C, Bucks: Consistently one of the most overlooked players in the game. Brook is the Nets' all-time leader in scoring, and now in the latter stages of his career with the Bucks, he is the veteran stabilizer playing alongside Giannis, Middleton and Holiday. Those three get all the attention, but Brook brings consistency and calmness every night. As we know, he worked on his game to the point where he became a three-point specialist of sorts, but he remains one of the most polished shotblockers in the world if you challenge him at the cup. It's quiet, but it's inside-outside impact from Mr. Lopez.
78. Anthony Edwards, SG/SF, Wolves: Every year there is the "dunk guy". We remember when it was Vince Carter with the Raptors. We remember when it was Blake Griffin with the Clippers. This year, it was rookie Anthony Edwards with the Wolves. Yes, his dunks were absolutely electric, but he was also 49th in the league in points per game. That's a good start, indeed. But like the Kings, there is obviously something wrong with the culture in Minnesota. Nothing ever seems to work, in terms of the Win column. Again, this is a good start for Edwards' career, but they need to turn his explosiveness into winning basketball plays down the stretch of tight ballgames.
77. OG Anunoby, F, Raptors: I always connect the phrase "Player Development" with the Raptors' organization. I mean, look what they did with Pascal Siakam. I use the same old line, "Pascal Siakam was a 7th man, garbage man initially (offensive rebounding and focusing on hustle plays). In a couple years, they used him to replace Kawhi Leonard." The Raptors believe in drafting kids and spending the time necessary to maximize their games. Anunoby is another great example. He started in the corner taking a (very) occasional three-pointer; now, he can get you 25-29 points on a given night if you cut him loose. He can shoot it, he can play in transition and we all know he can defend. He's just a very good, high-energy young player.
76. Dejounte Murray, PG, Spurs: Here's a textbook example of an up-and-down kinda kid. When Dejounte is on, he can dominate a game on both sides of the floor. He can be an aggressive attacker of the rim, and we all know about his defense (like Anunoby before him). But... it really does come and go. He can look like the best player on the Spurs, and the next night he can look like the 8th best player, lost in the shuffle. Long story short: We need to see consistency in perimeter shooting and all-around performance. The potential is most certainly there.
75. Evan Fournier, SG/SF, Celtics: He's like a better version of those guys from before - Joe Harris, Seth Curry, Dillon Brooks, etc. Sure, Fournier is a "shooter," but he can also be a "scorer". His game can expand, if you let it. Joe Harris doesn't have that kind of potential. I like Fournier because he knows his game and he's calm. The time and score don't really matter to him, he just does what he does. Like, if Evan Fournier is your 7th man let's say, you probably have a championship-caliber team. Generally his teams use him as a 4th or 5th man, but you get the idea. He's a very helpful player, but not an elite player.
74. Lou Williams, G, Hawks: One of the most underrated players of all time, in my opinion. Reminds me of Allen Iverson in terms of his "bag of tricks". Lou-Will is a little guy, but he'll put ya on skates. He'll have you all confused out there. He weaves in and out of screens like Wayne Gretzky gliding on the rink. I think the Clippers really f'd up on this one. Lawrence Frank said they needed a different look - thus the acquisition of veteran facilitator Rajon Rondo - but Lou Will is a lifesaver when you have injuries. Now, Kawhi Leonard is down. The Clips trail 3-2 in their series. Lou-Will can do more for you individually in Games 6 and 7 than Rondo can. That's just the reality of the situation. Look at what just happened with the Hawks - Trae Young goes down, and Lou-Will steps in and has a simply fantastic game. That's what he does. One of my favorite players in the league, with good reason.
73. Myles Turner, C, Pacers: Led the NBA in shotblocking. A young, true center with a lot of potential. Here's one of those "it's all relative" things - if Turner was Deandre Ayton on the Suns right now, he'd be getting an awful lot more attention, right? (You can see some similarities in their respective games.) Alas, the Pacers weren't a story this year. It simply didn't work out. Turner has a chance to write a better story for his organization in the not-too-distant future.
72. Marcus Smart, G, Celtics: Yet and still, another one of "my" guys. Who wouldn't want Marcus Smart on their basketball team? This kid brings it every single freakin' night. On both ends of the floor (particularly the defensive end). He has no fear of a big shot, and no fear of an opposing "stud". He'll take on all comers. "Never Back Down" was a movie about MMA fighting, but it should be about the story of Marcus Smart's life.
71. Dennis Schroder, G, Lakers: Come on, this guy attacks! Tip your cap to this guy. It isn't always pretty - we see the turnovers and occasional air balls on wild shots - but it's always attack, attack, attack with Schroder. Ya gotta like that. You can see what I'm looking for on this list: Who has confidence? Who plays to win, as opposed to being scared to lose? Schroder goes after it, and no deterrents will disrupt his style of play. I put him with Lou-Will and Marcus Morris in terms of the best bench-type players.
70. RJ Barrett, SG/SF, Knicks: Major improvement this year, for both Barrett and his ballclub. There's no doubt this was a major step in the right direction. But, of course, there is still a lot to be desired - like, what the hell happened in the playoffs? Were the Hawks really that much better? I don't think so. I just think the Knicks choked. They softened up. They didn't play with the same reckless abandon that defined them throughout the regular season. And that goes for Barrett, too. He can shake this playoff loss off, but he needs to come back aggressive and more focal next season. Don't just defer to Julius Randle or Derrick Rose or whomever else is around. Barrett needs to try to become what guys like Trae Young, Devin Booker, Luka Doncic and Donovan Mitchell have become for their respective teams. Not that he is that caliber of individual player - I honestly believe he is not - but he was the 3rd overall selection in his draft class. He needs to come out and act like a boss. Play like a boss and big-timer.
69. Victor Oladipo, G, Rockets: He just isn't all the way back, yet. The efficiency isn't there, either. He was once a lock for the top 50 - not too long ago - but now he is trending in the wrong direction. Maybe he can be completely healthy and put it all together in his 2021-22 campaign.
68. John Wall, PG, Rockets: I put Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre together. I put Bojan Bogdanovic and Joe Ingles together. Now I do the same with Oladipo and Wall. And the story is simple: these guys have potential to be legit top-50 players. But... the league has changed. Players are smarter, front offices are more prepared and guards have become far more efficient. Can Oladipo and Wall show those smarts, and bring that efficiency? Or will "once top 50" become "once top 100"?
67. Bogdan Bogdanovic, SG/SF, Hawks: Here's one of the true surprises on my list. The Kings always had high hopes for him, but De'Aaron Fox seemed to be in the way of his usage. Now, Trae Young takes that usage in Atlanta, but John Collins and Clint Capela do NOT get in the way. This allows Bogdan to do what he wants to do - be a shooter, scorer and winning all-around player. Bogdan had a nice stat combination, here: 85th in Efficiency and 73rd in points per game. That's playing good basketball on a team that has reached the Final Four. He's a key piece in the rapid development of this franchise.
66. Richaun Holmes, C, Kings
65. Christian Wood, C, Rockets
Here's another duo that goes together, and I'll tell ya why - maybe 6-7 years ago I was watching a Philadelphia 76ers game on NBA TV. This game was smack in the middle of Hinkie's "Process". Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and whomever else weren't around that night. At the time, the lineup featured a bunch of no-names. Those no-names were Wood, Holmes and TJ McConnell (another guy who very nearly made my list). And man, lemme tell ya, I watched that whole damn game start-to-finish. I saw MAJOR potential from Wood, and good potential from both Holmes and McConnell. And, all three have delivered, though not with Philly (that just seems to be the way it goes for that franchise). Look at the similarities, here: Wood was 48th in Efficiency and 37th in PPG, while Holmes was 46th in Efficiency and 100th in PPG. Very few players outside of my top 50 were able to accomplish that coveted combination. Wood and Holmes can both finish at the cup. They don't make dumb plays, and they could potentially help better teams win. Too bad both the Rockets and Kings suck.
64. Andre Drummond, C, Lakers: Talk about No Man's Land. What do you do with a guy like Drummond at this point? He's still a stat machine. One of the best organizations in the league wanted to acquire him. He still played quite well. But in today's NBA... can your center be a poor free throw shooter who also doesn't make threes? I don't know if you can really win that way. In terms of stats - when you give him a standard diet of minutes - there's no question Drummond is a top-50 player. As a fantasy asset, he is gold at his position other than FT%. But the game has changed. The league has changed. Andre Drummond is a lost soul within the current landscape of the NBA.
63. Ben Simmons, G/F, Sixers: This guy should have an entire article to himself, right? I mean, I think a lot of us could go on-and-on for days about Simmons. He was once (fairly often) compared to LeBron James. He was The Next Coming to some, if not many. And you could see how that correlation could arise, right? Here we have a No. 1 overall selection, a long, athletic, versatile, gifted all-around kid. And like Bron, a very willing passer. But who knew it would devolve to this level? Not only is Simmons a "willing passer" these days - he's also a... "I never want to shoot" kind of player. He's lost all confidence in his individual offensive game. It is like watching a really bad car wreck. You don't wanna look, but you can't look away. Simmons' demise has been quite astonishing. Yet, I remain fair. 68th in Efficiency, 99th in scoring and his Sixers earned the No. 1 seed in the East. He's also arguably the best individual defensive player in the entire NBA. So, the "good" is still there. But the "great" seems long gone.
62. Draymond Green, PF/C, Warriors: It was a bounce-back year for the Warriors, but not all the way back. The same goes for Draymond. He was once a media darling - when Kevin Durant was carrying Golden State to championships - but that attention wears off when your team starts to suck. Draymond quickly became a run-of-the-mill player. But this year he was 5th in the NBA in assists per game; quite an accomplishment, putting him ahead of Luka Doncic, Damian Lillard, Ja Morant, Ricky Rubio and many other noteworthy passers. And we know, like Joe Ingles but in a different style, Draymond is a Swiss army knife. He can potentially help you in a lot of different ways. He's always one of the hardest-working defenders in the game. This was a bounce-back campaign, and Draymond's ranking can improve if the Warriors continue to rebuild, collectively.
61. Derrick Rose, PG, Knicks: One of the best acquisitions of this NBA season. D-Rose gave the Knicks a real jolt. Julius Randle and RJ Barrett were doing all they could, but something else was missing on the floor and in Tom Thibodeau's lineup. Rose brought leadership, stability, penetration and balls. His fresh legs harkened back to the days of yore. He looked like a younger, hungrier version of himself, and it showed. As a member of the Knicks, he was 41st in the league in Efficiency. That doesn't surprise me one bit. He was just playing "good ball" as the old saying goes. Making the right reads, making the right plays, making some big shots. D-Rose has still got it, if you just let him do his thing.
60. Jordan Clarkson, G, Jazz: One of my favorite players in the NBA. You can most certainly see the trend, here. Clarkson comes in firing, man. He does not hesitate for one second. He is an absolute nightmare for opposing defenses - he plays 100 miles per minute, and he constantly has you backing up on your heels. Drive, drive, drive. Shoot, shoot, shoot. Score, score, score. Clarkson is this generation's Jamal Crawford.
59. LaMelo Ball, PG, Hornets: Oh man, you can see the potential here. It just oozes off the screen at you. If LaMelo comes back fully healthy next season, the Hornets just need to cut him loose. They babied him at the outset, with guys like Terry Rozier and Devonte' Graham getting in his way. Those are good little players, but that also needs to stop. LaMelo looked like a potential triple-double machine out there. He's already clearly a better NBA player than his brother, Lonzo. There's just no question that he has the all-around potential to be a top-50 player next season.
58. Jerami Grant, F, Pistons: I had him much lower based on personal instinct, but this kid had an excellent season in Detroit. I've never really liked his game - and by the way, he was on the court with Christian Wood, Richaun Holmes and TJ McConnell that night 6-7 years ago (another Sixers loss) - but he was in the top 100 in Efficiency and was 29th in scoring. Some people would definitely make a case for him being inside the top 50. Not me, not yet. I still think his game is helter-skelter and all over the place, but Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby have improved over time, too. I see similarities in all three high-energy players. Grant is polishing up. His game is getting cleaner. I just need to be fair and rank him for who he is now, and not who he was.
57. Terry Rozier, G, Hornets. A good player. A tough, two-way player. I'm getting bored writing about too many Hornets. This is where "Scary Terry" belongs on my list. He was 39th in PPG.
56. John Collins, PF/C, Hawks: Like I mentioned earlier during the Gallo blurb, there is something to be said about players like John Collins. Collins is one of the best players on his team, and his team is currently in the Final Four. That's a good start, on its own. But also, Collins just plays his game now. He used to try to do too much - when he and Trae Young were expected to do everything - but now he just fits into the flow as Trae, Clint Capela, Bogdanovic, Gallo and Lou-Will do their thing. Another cog in the wheel, but a key cog. An explosive young player with improving efficiency and basketball IQ.
55. Michael Porter Jr., F, Nuggets: I feel like The Bubble was his coming out party. Porter was always touted as a "high ceiling" "huge potential" kid, but the injuries were frustrating early on. Now, he's done a better job with the training and medical staff. He's out there, and he's producing in a major way. 40th in Efficiency and 52nd in PPG - a strong combination. He did a nice job stepping in as a quasi go-to-guy in the absence of Jamal Murray. Obviously Nikola Jokic ran the show, but Porter was an admirable second in command.
54. Gordon Hayward, SG/SF, Hornets: Oh man, another Hornet? If you don't know who Gordon Hayward is by now, why the heck are you reading my list, anyway?
53. D'Angelo Russell, PG, Wolves: Hmm, hmm, hmm. Arguably one of the toughest players in the NBA to rank. I look at it this way... you could argue that D'Angelo Russell made the Nets. You could argue that D'Angelo Russell is the reason why Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden are on the same team in Brooklyn. Russell made the Nets cool, and in turn that made them relevant again. He was the best player on a team that he - almost singlehandedly - led to the playoffs. But, he's another. Can't stay healthy. Inconsistent performance. Wears out his welcome on a personal level, sometimes. He probably should be a top-50 player, but anyone with "Wolves" next to their name gives me the heebie-jeebies. That's where good basketball players go to die.
52. Collin Sexton, G, Cavs: Kid has balls. He's in the Dennis Schroder/Lou Williams/Jordan Clarkson category. Scorer, scorer, attack, attack. But, despite being younger, Sexton is doing it on a grander scale than those vets. Sexton was 22nd in the NBA in points per game, an argument to be in the top 50 by itself. But again, that Cavs culture is whack. These guys don't know how to win games, and isn't that really what it's all about? He's almost there, on individual talent alone. The top 50 ain't far away. The time isn't now, though.
51. Fred VanVleet, G, Raptors: Fred VanVleet couldn't shoot the ball into the ocean this season. He was one of the least efficient shooters and scorers in the game. But... he was still 46th in PPG. And... don't you remember that Finals run? We can't forget the past! VanVleet made championship-winning shots. That counts for an awful lot, to me. His shooting can simply improve next season. The point is that he has the balls to make big shots when it really, truly matters. That's my kind of teammate.
Part II - the thrilling conclusion! - is coming soon! So stay tuned.
John Frascella is a published sports author and senior writer for Aaron Torres Online. Follow him on Twitter @LegendSports7.
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