Frascella's NBA Top 50 of All Time, Part III: How Far has Kevin Durant Fallen?

Photo Credit: New York Post

Part I of my NBA Top 50 Players of All Time series was headlined by Luka Doncic, "Half-Man, Half-Amazing" Vince Carter and "The Answer" Allen Iverson. 

In Part II, legends like "Dr J" Julius Erving, "The Iceman" George Gervin and "Sir" Charles Barkley took the reins. Now we pass the baton to some of the greatest to ever lace 'em up, my top 30 NBA players of all time... 

30. Scottie Pippen, SF

Resume: 6 championship rings, 7th all-time in steals, 7-time All-Star, 10-time All-Defense 

Like I said about Charles Barkley in my last installment of this list, Scottie was also ahead of his time in terms of all-around impact on the game. In most major athletics, the "old school way" meant specialization of positions and skillsets. But Barkley was a "Power Forward" who could handle the ball, push the rock and unselfishly set up teammates with some pretty dimes. Scottie, to an even greater degree, was a do-it-all Swiss army knife. One of the greatest and most versatile defenders in the history of the game. A "Small Forward" who played a lot of point guard for both Chicago and Portland. A right-hand man who could also be a Leading Man anytime you asked or needed him to. A fantastic two-way player who always contributed to a winning culture. 

29. Kevin Garnett, PF

Resume: 9th all-time in rebounds, 18th in points, 1 championship ring, 15-time All-Star, 12-time All-Defense 

You'll notice a trend as we work our way through "the best of the best" (as now-disgraced Will Smith said many times in Men In Black) - many of these superstars could control the game on both ends of the floor. I'm sure you already noticed that I left Steve Nash off my list, altogether. In my last installment, great defenders like Gary Payton and Jason Kidd were at the top of the list. And here we are now, with "KG" one of the most fearsome and athletic paint defenders in the history of the game. Garnett was passionate, multi-talented and he certainly wasn't afraid to talk trash. All of it added up to create a legendary figure, a superb two-way player who could talk shit and back it up with the best of 'em. 

28. John Stockton, PG

Resume: 1st all-time in assists, 1st in steals, 10-time All-Star

Check him out in more detail in my controversial Top 10 Point Guards of All Time article. I mean, don't those numbers really speak for themselves, anyway? FIRST all-time in both assists AND steals? John Stockton was just an absolute two-way monster. Consummate professional and teammate who only fell short of titles because of MJ and Scottie. 

27. Elgin Baylor, SF

Resume: 3rd all-time in PPG; 33rd in total points; 11-time All-Star 

Often considered the greatest player without an NBA championship ring. Elgin was the "OG" of pure scoring, averaging more points per game for his career than LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant, believe it or not. Get him some rings? Then he's probably top 20. 

26. Paul Pierce, SG/SF

Resume: 9th all-time in threes; 10th in FT made; 16th in points; 1 championship ring; 10-time All-Star

I think you get the idea in terms of "my" kinda guys now, huh? I like cocky players who can back it up. I like guys who attack under pressure, instead of sitting back and waiting for things to happen. I like players who put pressure on the opposing team, as opposed to feeling the pressure on their own shoulders - and that's Paul Pierce in a nutshell. An aggressive, attack player. Big-shot taker and maker. Has the counting stats and attitude I am looking for on this all-time list. 

25. Isiah Thomas, PG

Resume: 9th all-time in assists; 2 championship rings; 12-time All-Star (consecutively)

Once again... head on over to my Top 10 Point Guards of All Time list! Isiah was the bad boy of "The Bad Boys". Sure, there were meaner and tougher out there - Rick Mahorn and Dennis Rodman, to name a couple - but Isiah was the tone setter with his IDGAF attitude. He was clutch in the assist department, but even more so, scoring the rock when his team needed it the most. Check him out as NBA Finals MVP, right here. A lot of millennials and Gen-Z NBA fans simply don't realize how incredible Isiah Thomas was. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson got all the hype before "his" time. Michael Jordan got all the hype after. I think Isiah's (somewhat) negative reputation hinders the way he is perceived as a player by the public at large. He's one of the greatest point guards and floor generals of all time, hands down. 

24. Dirk Nowitzki, PF

Resume: 6th all-time in points, 7th in FT made, 1 championship ring, 14-time All-Star 

See, if Dirk could or would defend, he would have made my top 20 players of all time. But I have to be totally fair and consistent, here. Sixth all-time in scoring is certainly nothing to roll your eyes at. Dirk was a virtually flawless all-around scoring machine, using his endless array of pump and ball fakes to keep defenders on skates, and himself at the charity stripe. He was a master manipulator who played at his own pace - and that's really a compliment in itself. It's incredibly difficult to dictate the pace of an NBA basketball game entirely on your own; Dirk's offensive skillset was so good that he could always do exactly that. 

23. Dwyane Wade, G

Resume: 3 championship rings; 32nd in points; 13-time All-Star, 8-time All-NBA

How can you think about Dwyane Wade without immediately thinking of the word "cool"? Everything he did out there was cool, smooth. He never seemed to be in too much of a hurry with the rock, but then he'd just explode and hammer one down on your head. He was the total package - driving, dishing, finishing, defending, swiping - with the only exception being perhaps his three-point shooting. Even that... he shot a career best 33% in his final season on the way out the door. "The Flash" was constantly working on his game, always evolving and improving and striving to dominate on both ends of the floor. 

22. Elvin Hayes, PF

Resume: 4th all-time in rebounds; 11th in points; 1 championship ring; 12-time All-Star (consecutively)

Is Elvin Hayes possibly the most underrated player in the history of basketball? Fourth all-time in rebounds and 11th in points? How many players can say they have a combination like that (top 11 in both points and rebounds)? I have the answer for you, only four: Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl and Moses Malone. Those guys are pretty good. 

Hayes wasn't overly flashy or brash, so maybe that explains his status under the radar. Still, now, we simply can't ignore those stats and accolades. This is a man who could probably make a case as a top-15 player of all time. Everything is pretty subjective from roughly 35 down to 15. 

21. Jerry West, G

Resume: 6th all-time in PPG; 8th in FT made; 23rd in total points; 1 championship ring; 14-time All-Star (all 14 seasons of his NBA career)

I mean... this guy IS the NBA's logo! That says an awful lot about his style of play, and the overall impact he had on a league that - at the time - was really quite impressionable. "The Logo" was a purely dominant offensive player, and he definitely would have cracked my top 20 had he not lost six consecutive NBA Finals to those bulletproof Boston Celtics. When you lose that many times in a row, at some point, you have to look inward! 

20. John Havlicek, SG/SF

Resume: 8 championship rings; 17th all-time in points; 13-time All-Star

"Havlicek stole the ball! Havlicek stole the ball!" One of the NBA's truly iconic moments. Click on that link and watch that video; it'll give you the chills. In terms of resume, well... eight championship rings ain't bad, huh? To give it more contemporary context, perhaps we can think of Havlicek as Kobe to Bill Russell's Shaq. Russell was the undisputed GOAT at the time, but he couldn't have won time and time again without Havlicek's shooting, passing, quick defensive hands and overall on-court leadership. 

19. David Robinson, C

Resume: 6th all-time in blocks; 6th in Efficiency; 2 championship rings; 42nd in points; 10-time All-Star; MVP and Defensive Player of the Year 

"The Admiral" has quite an admirable resume. The one that really jumps out at me there is the Efficiency, believe it or not. Maybe it's just me, but I think of Efficiency as part of "the young man's game" so to speak. Owners have gotten smarter. Executives and coaches get sharper, year after year. So today's players are taught Efficiency and talked to about it. Don't just play basketball; play smart, don't turn the ball over, take high-percentage shots and contribute on both ends of the floor. And David was doing all of those things and more, well ahead of his time. 

And perhaps most importantly, he began building that championship culture alongside Gregg Popovich. And what about the trickle-down effect, helping Tim Duncan down the path to becoming one of the greatest two-way basketball players of all time? 

18. Bob Pettit, PF

Resume: 8th all-time in PPG; 8th in Efficiency; 2 MVPs; 1 championship ring, 41st in total points, 11-time All-Star (every single season of his career)

Upon making this list and intensely studying statistics, five players immediately struck me as underrated for their careers: 

Gary Payton, Elvin Hayes, David Robinson, Moses Malone and this man, Mr. Bob (Stat Machine) Pettit. 

That resume above speaks for itself. Had Pettit played longer - his 11 seasons compared to say Wilt Chamberlain (16 seasons), Tim Duncan (19 seasons) or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (20 whopping seasons) - he would have been a legend in every single counting stat for the power forward position. Still, nothing is missing from this man's career achievements. He has it all, and he deserves to be considered with more respect by today's younger generation of basketball fans. 

17. Karl Malone, PF

Resume: 3rd all-time in points; 1st in FT made; 7th in rebounds; 2 MVPs; 14-time All-Star

"The Mailman" was one of The Unfortunate - as I like to call them - including of course John Stockton, Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo and Dominique Wilkins; these guys didn't get rings because Michael Jordan's prime was unlike the prime of any other. And I think Karl was at the very top of that list (yes, others might say Charles Barkley, Elgin Baylor or maybe even Chris Paul, but not me). I view "The Mailman" as THE greatest player to never win an NBA title. A dubious distinction? Sure. But Malone was the master in the pick-and-pop, and what I remember most is that he was automatic in the midrange. Quick release... and do not leave this man open for a millisecond! 

16. Kevin Durant, SF

Resume: 4th all-time in PPG; 2 championship rings; 9th in Efficiency; 21st in total points; 12-time All-Star

After that second Warriors' title, I think - fairly often - I was ranking "KD" as the fifth or sixth greatest player in the history of the NBA. But hey, this list is an ever-changing tapestry! These were particularly rough playoffs for both Durant and Chris Paul; legacies take hits during collapses like these. Durant got physically dominated by Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and their Celtics, but don't let that distract from the reality that KD is 4th all-time in points per game. Long, quick, shifty and smooth, Durant's ceiling-high release has made him (mostly) unguardable throughout his impressive professional career. 

Don't forget to tune in next time for the dramatic conclusion of my (self-proclaimed) epic list! 

John Frascella is a published sports author who has been covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for more than half his life. Follow him on Twitter @LegendSports7 for all things basketball, football and baseball!

Frascella's NBA Top 50 of All Time, Part II: "The Joker" Jokic Continues his Incredible Climb

Photo Credit: Sky Sports

In Part I of my NBA Top 50 Players of All Time series, big names like James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Steve Nash didn't make the final cut, while Luka Doncic - despite playing only four seasons - did. 

This time the controversy continues, as we make our way into my top 40 players in the history of the game... 

40. Julius Erving, SF

Resume: 1 championship ring, 1 MVP, 11-Time NBA All-Star (3-time ABA MVP, 5-time ABA All-Star)

This is an NBA-only list, so I can't go any higher than this for "Dr J". On the bright side? He was an All-Star for all 11 of his NBA seasons and he had a profound impact on the next generation of high flyers, including Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Clyde Drexler and more of the like. On the down side? He had five incredible seasons in the ABA (including three MVPs) and I simply cannot give them weight on this particular list. Still, any way you slice it, Dr. J had a major impact on NBA culture and its overall "cool" factor. Just a beautiful player to watch; a natural talent who proved to be aspirational for future generations of basketball stars. 

39. Bob Cousy, PG

Resume: 6 championship rings; 13-time All-Star (consecutively, at that) 

I've already discussed Cousy in my recent Top 10 Point Guards of All Time article, so I won't go into much further detail here. The easiest summary is this: He doesn't show up much in the counting stats, but he shows up where it matters the most... in the Win column. Like George Mikan, mentioned in Part 1 of this series, Cousy was a true pioneer and developer of his position. For Mikan it was center; for Cousy, point guard and floor general. 

38. Chris Paul, PG

Resume: 3rd all time in assists, 4th in steals, 39th in points, 12-time All-Star 

At this point he might be the most difficult player to rank of all time, right? Again, check out my Top 10 Point Guards of All Time for more detail and a deeper analysis. The long and short of it is this: Are CP3's individual stats so impressive that we can ignore the absence of a championship ring? Depends on who you ask, really. I used to have CP3 as one of the top-five point guards of all time, but his epic collapse vs. Luka and the Mavs really put a bad taste in my mouth. 

37. Reggie Miller, SG

Resume: 4th all time in threes; 22nd in points; 5-time All-Star 

You know, there are some guys who don't have rings - like say, Westbrook, Harden, Patrick Ewing and more of the like - where we might think hey, maybe THEY were the problem in the clutch spots. Maybe they are to blame for their own lack of bling bling. 

But we know that's not the case with Reggie Miller, the man who turned Spike Lee's hopeful dreams to nightmares for many years. Reggie was a stone-cold killer in the clutch, scoring in bunches within timeframes that seemed physically impossible. 

And of course - to me, at least - Reggie is one of "The Godfathers" of the three-point arc. It's totally commonplace nowadays, but back in Reggie's day he was a true pioneer of prolific trey totals. He's the fourth "pioneer" I've mentioned thus far: Bob Cousy for the point guard position, George Mikan for the center position, Dr. J for high-flying acrobatics and Reggie for deadly three-point shooting. Being a pioneer is a persuasive distinction within an all-time top 50 list. 

36. Ray Allen, SG

Resume: 2nd all-time in threes; 2 championship rings; 25th in points; 10-time All-Star; beat Denzel Washington in one-on-one 

To me, he's the other "Godfather" of the three-point arc. Reggie and Ray-Ray really set the tone for future generations of perimeter-oriented players. And quite simply, he has the championship rings that Reggie lacks. He was also an elite perimeter defender in his prime, while Reggie would certainly Ole! from time to time. It's close, but I'm taking Ray Allen as the better and more successful all-around NBA legend. 

35. Nikola Jokic, C

Resume: 2 MVPs, 3rd all-time in Efficiency; 4-time All-Star (consecutively) 

"The Joker" is doing things we've never seen before in the NBA. He completely dominates the game for 48 minutes, and he does it without missing shots AND without turning the ball over. He's a perfect offensive machine at the center position, and he probably just posted the greatest statistical season of all time. Jokic became the first player in the history of the game to amass over 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in the same season. Like I said, perfect. 

We have to assume the championships will come if (A) Denver can get Jamal Murray 100% healthy and back to "Bubble" form or (B) Denver's management makes a serious attempt to improve Jokic's surrounding talent, on the whole. 

34. George Gervin, SF

Resume: 9th all-time in PPG; 43rd in total points, 14-time All-Star (in a row, too!)

"The Iceman" is simply one of those legendary figures. Like Dr. J, Gervin was known for being smooth, silky, slick and an unstoppable scoring machine. Once you get into the top 10 all time in points per game? Now we're talkin' about the real "big boys" in the history of the game. Fourteen all-star appearances in a row? Bonkers. 

33. Charles Barkley, PF

Resume: 27th all time in points; 11-time All-Star, 1 MVP; at time of retirement, one of only 4 players to have 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds & 3,500 assists 

You can see some similarities to Jokic in that resume, there. Chuck was a bizarre "power forward" on the whole - listed at 6'6", he actually admitted to being 6'4" and change - he always played bigger and tougher than his actual stature, but he could also handle the ball and keep his teammates fed and happy. In a way, "Sir Charles" was a very sabermetric or Analytics-type player, ahead of his time in terms of efficiency and overall impact. Just a terrific all-around basketball player and all-time great personality. 

32. Gary Payton, PG

Resume: 5th all time in steals; 10th in assists; 35th in points; 1 championship ring; 1st PG to win Defensive Player of the Year 

"The Glove" was also featured in my Top 10 Point Guards of All Time article; check him out. I think one of his resume bullet points (above) tells you everything you need to know: First point guard to win Defensive Player of the Year. Here's a super underrated all-around player who could drive, dish, score and defend with the best of 'em, across the board. Great physical and mental leader, as well. 

31. Jason Kidd, PG

Resume: 2nd all time in assists; 2nd in steals; 1 championship ring; 12-time All-Star 

If you've heard this once, you've heard it a thousand times... check him out in my Top 10 Point Guards of All Time article. You'll get some further detail, there. In a nutshell? Jason Kidd was the IDEAL teammate. Never played for himself. Always was pushing and striving to make his teammates better, and ultimately, his team better. Such a rare thing to find at the game's highest level. 

Please be sure to tune in next time when we burst through the door of my Top 30!! 

John Frascella is a published sports author who has been covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for more than half his life. Follow him on Twitter @LegendSports7 for all things basketball, football and baseball!

Frascella's NBA Top 50 of All Time, Part I: Did Luka Doncic Make the Cut...Already?

Photo credit: Sports Illustrated

You've already gotten a bit of a sneak peek if you read my controversial Top 10 Point Guards of All Time article. But now we open it up to ALL positions, and that's when things get really tricky. Ya'll know how I feel about intros - let's just get right into this... 

Honorable Mention

Steve Nash, PG

Resume: Officially named as one of the top 75 players of all time; 4th all time in assists, 2 MVP awards

Yeah, I know... Nash would be in pretty much everybody's top 50. But not mine. Of the "greatest of all time," Nash is probably the worst defender and - by far - the most detrimental defensive liability to his team. Anybody in the league could post him up. Anybody in the league could take him to town, forcing his teammates to double and consequently opening up shooters for the opposing team. 

He's also NEVER been to an NBA Finals. Forget about winning one... he's never even been there! I think - all things considered - Nash might actually be one of the most overrated players in league history. We all know Kobe deserved that second MVP award, anyway. 

Russell Westbrook, PG

Resume: Officially named as one of the top 75 players of all time; 11th all time in assists, 30th in points 

Come on, I think you know where this one is going... everywhere Russ goes, things seem to fall apart somehow. To me - like the guy coming next on this list - Westbrook is one of the greatest statistical players in the history of basketball. But like, what does that really even mean? He's never won a championship, and he just went to a team that won a title just two seasons ago... and they didn't even make the playoffs this year! 

It's simple, when the going gets tough in clutch spots, Russell Westbrook turns the ball over, takes bad shots and makes boneheaded plays. 

James Harden, G

Resume: Officially named as one of the top 75 players of all time; 3rd all time in threes made, 9th in FT made, 28th in points 

"The Beard" can be summarized rather easily: In the playoffs, in the most important spots, he doesn't even WANT the ball. Forget about having the ball and making key plays... he doesn't even want it. If you compare his playoff percentages to the regular season, it's just laughable. I'd rank Westbrook over him just out of principle - at least Russ will take the ball and TRY to make something good happen for his team when it really matters. Harden simply wants to run away and hide. 

Dwight Howard, C

Resume: 10th all time in rebounds, 13th in blocks, 1 ring, 3x Defensive Player of the Year 

If Steve Nash is overrated - which he most certainly is - then I'd say Howard is criminally underrated for his career. Somehow, he was NOT named one of the NBA's top 75 players of all time. In the top 13 all time in both rebounds and blocks, and he has a ring - that's not good enough for the top 75? How does that make any logical sense? 

Howard is easily one of the best "true" big men of his generation. He ended up getting his ring in The Bubble with LeBron and the Lakers, which was cosmic karma for getting that weak Orlando Magic team into the Finals in the past. All's well that ends well, I suppose. 

George Mikan, C

Resume: Officially named as one of the top 75 players of all time; 5 championship rings 

On my middle school team, we always used to practice "The Mikan Drill" - righty one-hand layup, catch it, quickly switch to left and do the same with your "weak" hand (if applicable). Mikan is the OG of the center position; he paved the way for fellow legends Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and more of the like. 

And 5 rings ain't half bad, either! 

John Frascella's Top 50 NBA Players of All Time

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Virtually everyone on here was named to the "Top 75 of all time" so I won't be listing that as a redundant accolade from here on out.) 

50. Luka Doncic, PG

Resume: 3-time All-Star (out of only 4 seasons); 3-time All-NBA Team (most through age 22 along with only Kobe and LeBron); Rookie of the Year; 2nd all time in playoff PPG behind Jordan 

Yeah, yeah, I know... the kid is only 23 years young. But it's really as simple as this for me: I've been watching basketball intently for roughly 31 years now, and I need to use my knowledge to answer this simple question: Who is a better NBA player, Luka Doncic or Steve Nash? 

And that's really all it came down to, for me. Nash and Luka are in the same boat for now - Nash never reached an NBA Finals and Luka's not going to yet, down 3-0 to the scorching-hot Warriors - but I think we can assume that last part is only temporary. Look, I appreciate the effort that Jason Kidd coaxes out of his squad, but let's be real - this is one of the weakest all-around teams to reach a Conference Final in many years, now. And it's truly all because of Luka's singular dominance. The Ringer gives us some really good context on this, overall. Plain and simple, I need to win a big game and someone is gonna have the rock in his hands throughout, I want Luka to be that guy over Nash, all day everyday and twice on Sunday. 

Admittedly, neither are good defenders, but at least Luka's pure size gives him more flexibility and potential impact as a space clogger. 

49. Robert Parish, C

Resume: 8th all time in rebounds; 10th in blocks; 4 championship rings; 29th in points 

On resume alone, Parish is a lot better than 49th all time. But he's what Patrick Beverley would refer to as "a compiler" (his words on Chris Paul). On teams led by Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, Parish was more of a defensive anchor and overall glue player. But still, he's a pure winner. He's the type of two-way unselfish teammate who allows for four championship rings in totality. Quite possibly one of the most underrated players the game has ever seen, because others always seem to get the credit before he does. 

48. Vince Carter, SG/SF

Resume: 19th in points, 10-time All-Star, greatest dunk champion of all time 

He feels right at home here, because the following two legends were precursors to Vince's style and showmanship. All three were pure scorers who could fly and play well above the rim. Vince is a weird one to gauge - he made only one Conference Final, but he's also up there amongst the all-time leaders in game-winning shots. As a Nets fan, when he played for us, he was consistently clutch in tight spots, making incredibly difficult, well-defended shots down the stretch. Should have kept the band together with T-Mac in Toronto; perhaps VC would have a conference title or championship ring to his name, in that event. 

47. Dominique Wilkins, F

Resume: 14th all-time in scoring; 11-time All-Star (consecutively, as well) 

It's really pick your poison with a handful of these guys, here - Wilkins, Carter and Nos. 45 and 46 were all prolific individual scorers who didn't win championships in their primes (one got one right as his career was winding to a close). I'm not gonna argue with ya in any one direction; I can be sold on all four of these all-time offensive greats. 

Wilkins, like Carter, is a Slam Dunk legend, which is fun and contributes to the tapestry and history of the NBA. He remains a great ambassador for the game, currently. Now, that doesn't have much to do with on-court stuff in his prime, but I do believe we have to consider the overall context of the player and personality when splitting hairs between very close competitors. Wilkins presents a very nice overall package, with the one exception being that ring missing from his championship finger. 

46. Clyde Drexler, SG/SF

Resume: 34th in points, 1 championship ring, 10-time All-Star 

"Clyde the Glide" was one of The Unfortunate: Nobody else was winning when Michael Jordan was in his prime. MJ took down Drexler, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Patrick Ewing and more of the like. Still, Clyde was skilled, smooth and prolific. A beautiful player to watch who eventually got his title when he teamed with the great Hakeem Olajuwon (who was drafted two spots ahead of Jordan, actually). 

45. James Worthy, PF

Resume: 3 championship rings, 7-time All-Star 

A "winning player" like the aforementioned Robert Parish. Teaming with legends Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - also like Parish - Worthy could often get lost in the shuffle in terms of accolades and recognition, but the true "basketball people" wholly understand and appreciate his value on the court. Here's a power forward who played both ends of the floor tenaciously, and ran the court beautifully, a skill that worked wonders within Magic's "Showtime" run-and-gun offense. 

44. Patrick Ewing, C

Resume: 7th all time in blocks; 24th in points; 25th in rebounds; 11-time All-Star 

One of the greatest to never win a title, for sure. Ewing was a star in New York, yet he was always branded with the "Choker" label by the very same fans who adored him for his productivity and consistency. Ewing was most certainly a reliable two-way big man in the paint for the Knickerbockers from The Big City. 

And ya know, it was just a freakin' brutal time for centers. You had Hakeem Olajuwon, doing his beautiful "Dream Shake" and essentially dominating the league on both ends of the floor. You had young Shaq, who was legitimately physically unstoppable. No one had EVER seen anything like young Shaq before, tearing down rims and eating opposing centers for voracious three-course meals. Then there was "The Admiral" David Robinson, a two-way monster and quietly effective leader for a franchise on the verge of a similarly quiet dynasty. And don't forget about Dikembe Mutombo, wagging his finger and blocking bigs as well - or better than - anyone to ever play the game of basketball. 

So yeah, it was hard out there for a pimp! (To quote Hustle & Flow, an excellent movie, check it out.) And Ewing really held his own; just could never get that ring, ultimately. I mean, Michael Jordan was makin' it hurt on him, too. 

43. Allen Iverson, G

Resume: 7th all time in PPG, 26th in total points, 1 MVP, 11-time All-Star 

A tough one for me, because I couldn't stand "AI" aka "The Answer" when he was an active player. Maybe because I was always on that Kobe Bandwagon; or maybe because he crossed up my main man MJ. Most notably, I didn't like him because of his low-percentage "chucker" style of individual offense. 

Yet and still, Iverson did some incredible things with very weak supporting casts. Yes, there was immense volume, but AI made an awful lot happen with that volume. His scoring accolades speak for themselves, ultimately. The key to making these lists honestly is to remove personal biases; so yeah, I may not have liked Iverson - and I really still don't now - but I do believe this is a completely fair ranking in relativity to his career statistics and overall impact. 

42. Walt Frazier, PG

Resume: 2 championship rings, 7-time All-Star 

We had "Clyde the Glide" Drexler at No. 46, and now we have the legendary Walt "Clyde" Frazier at 42. This guy really is just a freakin' legend in New York. He's still the Mac Daddy as the lead analyst for the Knicks' televised games on MSG. On the court, he was The Leader who could do it all - how about the greatest Game 7 performance in NBA Finals history? "Clyde" was the total package - cool, calm, smooth, marketable and most importantly... clutch. 

41. Tony Parker, PG 

Resume: 4 championship rings, 6-time All-Star, top 10 in playoff points AND assists 

One of my favorite players of all time - I once wrote that he was the most underrated player in the entire NBA. Hell, he might be the most underrated player in the history of the game. Sure, he had great company in Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard over time, but there were plenty of playoff instances where Parker was the stone-cold killer and closer in the clutch. He always played with confidence and never waivered, mentally. He was a deadly midrange shooter in the pick-and-roll and his pullup was lightning quick. He was a sneaky, effective finisher at the rim, too. Just a fantastic player and all-around winner I would take on my team 100% of the time, or more than 100 if possible. 

Please be sure to tune in next time for all-time greats Nos. 31 through 40!

John Frascella is a published sports author who has been covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for more than half his life. Follow him on Twitter @LegendSports7 for all things basketball, football and baseball!

Frascella's Top 10 Point Guards of All Time: Has Chris Paul Forced Himself Off the List?

 

Photo Credit: AZCentral.com and The Arizona Republic

My text messages have been blowing up. This debate has been raging on throughout these wild NBA Playoffs. Is Chris Paul overrated? Underrated? How does he compare to Stockton and Kidd? How about Magic Johnson? 

Well, I think we got some answers in that Game 7 debacle vs. Luka and the boys. With some of the new information that has come to light, let's take a look at my top 10 point guards in the history of the NBA: 

10. Bob Cousy, Boston Celtics

Resume: Voted as one of the top 75 players in NBA history; 6 championship rings 

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Everyone in my top 10 was voted as one of the top 75 of all time. I will not mention this as an accolade again.)

It's tough to quantify Cousy, really. He's not in the top 50 all time in points. He's not in the top 10 in total assists nor assists per game. He's not top 10 in steals nor steals per game. He doesn't really show up on the all-time stat sheets, essentially. 

But we know - from general knowledge - that he's always been considered one of the greatest point guards of all time. One of the true pioneers of the position that makes all its teammates better (when handled correctly). And how can we ignore SIX championship rings? 

Cousy was a leader and a winner. That's more than enough information for me to make room for him in my top 10 of all time. 

9. Chris Paul

Resume: 3rd all time in Assists, 4th in Steals, 39th in Points 

I've always been a Chris Paul defender. I love the all-around control of his game. He works the pick-and-roll as well as anyone in the history of the game. His lob passes to Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan were unparalleled. His midrange jumper off a high screen is automatic. He dictates the pace. He has the ball on a string, along with opposing defenders. 

But come on, enough is enough already. The guy simply can't win The Big Game. 

It's such a shame, because look at those incredible stats - top 4 in both assists and steals! And as you will see going forward, most point guards don't get into the top 50 in scoring, let alone the top 40. CP3, because of his high-percentage shooting, has the all-around offensive game that many of the others on this list simply lack. 

But this is a championship-driven league. This was Paul's 17th season in his long NBA career... still no titles. The facts just are what they are. 

8. Gary Payton 

Resume: 5th all time in Steals, 10th in Assists, 35th in Points, 1 championship ring 

"The Glove" is the forgotten one, if you ask me. Probably the best defender out of all of these guys, yet he was also extremely productive on the offensive end. You love the pure toughness that GP brings. He simply sets a tone for your team, like a Patrick Beverley with a much better all-around skillset. Gary Payton is one of the most underrated two-way players in the history of the game. 

7. Jason Kidd

Resume: 2nd all time in Assists, 2nd in Steals, 1 championship ring 

6. John Stockton, Utah Jazz

Resume: 1st all time in Assists, 1st in Steals

5. Isiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons

Resume: 9th all time in Assists, 2 championship rings 

I'm lumping these three floor generals together because direct comparisons must be made. Kidd and Stockton are pretty self explanatory - they are the best statistical "pure" point guards and Stockton is one slot above in both assists and steals (overall top dog on both). He's the GOAT on the stat sheet. Plus, he was a higher percentage shooter and deadlier individual scorer than Kidd. 

But Isiah is sort of the opposite. He's 9th in assists, as opposed to the other two being 1 and 2. He's 22nd in steals, as opposed to CP3, Kidd and Stockton all being in the top four. But the difference is this: Isiah Thomas was "The Guy" when the NBA bridged the gap between the Magic/Bird Era and the Jordan Era. The "Bad Boys" took over the NBA for a couple seasons, and Isiah was unquestionably their leader and absolute best player. 

Stockton wasn't The Guy in Utah - of course that was "The Mailman" Karl Malone - and they never won a championship, anyway. Jason Kidd wasn't The Guy for Dallas in his championship season - of course that was the great Dirk Nowitzki. In fact, I would argue Kidd is more valuable to the Mavs as a coach now than he was as a player during his title year. He quickly retired after that. 

Plus, I personally prefer a point guard who can assist, defend and score. Isiah was far and away a more versatile and effective scorer than both Kidd and Stockton. And I like Isiah's IDGAF attitude - who says you have to play friendly with your opponents? 

4. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Resume: 1st all time in Threes made, 3 championship rings, 2 MVPs, 15th in PPG

Obviously, there are different definitions of point guards. The aforementioned Payton and Beverley are defensive-minded point guards. Stockton and Kidd are pass-first point guards, and Steph is undoubtedly a shoot-first point guard... and ain't nothin' wrong with that! 

Steph is one of the most difficult players to rank in the history of the NBA - he's never won a Finals MVP, but the rest of his resume is extremely impressive. Right here, I feel very comfortable with him as my No. 4 point guard in the history of the game. Not enough "making his teammates better" to ultimately crack my top three. 

3. Oscar Robertson

Resume: 5th all time in FT made, 8th in assists, 10th in PPG, 13th in total points, 1 championship ring 

"The Big O" always draws a comparison to Babe Ruth, in my mind. My stock line is, "Babe Ruth hit more home runs than entire TEAMS when he played!" And well, when Oscar Robertson played in the NBA, there was really no such thing as a triple-double. Virtually no one had all-around impact like that, and Robertson was far and away the best in that extremely valuable category. 

Other than the guy at my No. 1 spot, The Big O is the best of the all-around point guards in the history of the game. And in the end, that's what it's really about, right? Impacting the game in as many positive ways as possible. Robertson was far ahead of his time in that regard, and he remains one of the greatest players to ever lace 'em up. 

2. Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers

Resume: 5 championship rings, 3 MVPs, 6th all time in assists 

I'm not gonna lie... like two weeks ago I was telling my buddy Steve Summer that I would take Chris Paul over Magic Johnson as an all-around player. And while I suppose that remains true on the stat sheet, Magic's resume of WINNING ultimately blew me away. 

Magic Johnson is the true essence of the point guard position, when you really think about it. Three MVP awards without really being able to shoot from the perimeter? (Of course, that's always the obvious knock on Magic.) That's because Magic controlled the entire game by manipulating opposing defenses with his second-to-none passing. He was the best conservative passer, the best fastbreak passer, the best no-look passer and best showman at his position. The "Showtime" Lakers were always headlined by Earvin "Magic" Johnson. 

Five championship rings. The face of the league. Magic Johnson was a transcendent NBA superstar. 

1. LeBron James

Resume: 4 MVPs, 4 championship rings, 2nd in points, 7th in assists, 4th in FT made, 10th in steals

Yup...surprise! 

Come on, how can you be 7th in the history of the NBA in assists and NOT be considered a point guard?

On the court, LeBron James has always been The Unselfish Superstar. It started all the way back in high school, when ESPN would air LeBron's games and he would shock people with his world-class passing ability. He drew some comparisons to Magic Johnson back then, because people weren't exactly sure about the development of his perimeter shooting. 

In the end, LeBron became the greatest statistical player in the history of the NBA. (Does that make him the No. 1 player of all time? Find out in my NBA Top 50 Players of All Time list, coming soon.) As a point guard and floor general, he can absolutely do it all. Pass, score, defend, you name it - all at the highest possible levels.

It may be considered controversial, but... LeBron James is the greatest point guard in the history of basketball. 

John Frascella is a published sports author and Senior Writer for Aaron Torres Online. Follow him on Twitter @LegendSports7 for all things basketball, football and baseball. 

NBA Media Twitter Accounts to Follow: The Best in the Biz, Right Here!

 

Photo Credit: The Drum

Just a public service for fanatical NBA fans, like me!

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Let me know if there are any you'd like me to add! 

Frascella's Top 100 NBA Players: Luka, Giannis, Steph & Ja Battle in Playoffs

 

Photo Credit: NBC Sports

Last time around, I only ranked the top 10 players in the world. This time, however, we're in the heat of playoff action and I'm pumped up! Let's go all the way. Top 100 it is. 

NOTE: For the first time in 30 years of making this list, I am NOT looking up a single stat. Simply going off personal scouting, analysis and watching WAY too much NBA basketball. Synopses will be short and sweet to save time. 

Okay, let's do this. 

100. Zion Williamson, PF, Pelicans: Honestly, he's lucky to even make this list. How do you bail on your teammates when you have a real opportunity to knock off a 1-seed? You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't get out on the court and play hard for your teammates, you're simply not getting a high ranking from me. 

99. Michael Porter Jr., SF, Nuggets: He's the third guy Denver needs behind Jokic and Jamal Murray, but they can't keep the latter on the court either. "MPJ" is a super talented young player, but he needs to get and stay healthy if he's ever going to climb my list. 

98. Lauri Markkanen, PF, Cavs: I never really liked him in Chicago, but I think his all-around game improved in Cleveland. I can see him getting into my top 90 the next time around. 

97. Bogdan Bogdanovic, SG, Hawks: "He's not just a shooter!" As I believe Reggie Miller exclaimed during a playoff broadcast. Like Zion and MPJ, here's another guy who always seems to have some sort of injury. Bogdan is a very confident perimeter player, but we haven't seen enough consistency from him to rank better than this. 

96. Al Horford, PF/C, Celtics: The textbook definition of a "glue player". Tatum, Brown and Smart tend to get the media attention, but a veteran leader - and coach on the court, really - like Horford does wonders for a serious contender like the Celtics. 

95. Bruce Brown, SF, Nets: Really emerged as the Nets' third-best player behind KD and Kyrie. "BB" improves drastically on a yearly basis. 

94. Terry Rozier, G, Hornets: Puts up pretty good stats. Plays pretty solid D when he wants to. Good all-around player, not great. 

93. Will Barton, SG/SF, Nuggets: Up and down kinda guy, always. But there's no question Barton is a "spark" player for Denver. Without both Murray and Porter, he's the Nuggets' second-best player a good portion of the time. 

92. Gordon Hayward, SG/SF, Hornets: Just doesn't do it for me, anymore. He's supposedly a very good all-around player, but I simply don't see the direct impact on winning. He's probably wildly overpaid for his career. Used to rank in my top 60 consistently. 

91. Russell Westbrook, PG, Lakers: Like Zion before him, Russ is probably lucky to make this list, too. Sure, he's got the stats. Who cares? Everywhere he goes, things seem to fall apart for that team. Lakers should hypothetically make the playoffs with LeBron, AD and Russ. I guess hypotheticals don't mean much in the NBA. 

90. Herbert Jones, F, Pelicans: There's only about 10 defensive players in the NBA who stand out to me. Herbert Jones is undoubtedly one of those 10. Just a rookie, he was a real "move the needle" player for the young Pelicans this season. Could have a Marcus Smart-like impact in the future. 

89. OG Anunoby, F, Raptors: A good all-around player. Plays hard thanks (in part) to outstanding coaching from day 1 from Nick Nurse. Would like to see more consistent health and game-to-game performance from OG. 

88. Royce O'Neale, SF, Jazz: Another guy on that defensive list with Herbert Jones. Royce is also a very important "glue player" like the aforementioned Al Horford. 

87. Gary Trent Jr., SG, Raptors: Continues to evolve as an offensive machine. Was a good pickup from the jump for Toronto. 

86. Bojan Bogdanovic, F, Jazz: A steady veteran you can count on. Should have knocked down that 3 at the end against Dallas, though. Wide open. Makes that with his eyes closed, normally. 

85. Harrison Barnes, F, Kings: You become a forgotten man when you play for the Sacramento Kings nowadays. Regardless, like Bojan, Barnes is a real solid, consistent vet. Stabilizing player who could have more impact on a better team. 

84. Brandon Clarke, PF/C, Grizzlies: Making a name for himself this postseason, and well-deserved. Clarke has always been bouncy, athletic and active on the glass. Explosive leaper with good hands and nice touch around the rim. 

83. Tyrese Haliburton, G, Pacers: Something seemed to click after the trade to Indiana. This is a kid who was sought after heading into his draft, and he displays a real veteran presence despite his youth. Haliburton is one of those natural leaders as a floor general. Will continue to improve production at this level. 

82. Aaron Gordon, PF, Nuggets: Like Barton before him, "AG" often plays second fiddle to the great Nikola Jokic. Gordon is at his best when he stays in the paint and relentlessly attacks the rim. As we know from his off-the-chains dunk contest performances, the kid has outstanding body control in the air. 

81. Lonzo Ball, PG, Bulls: He was sorely missed by Chicago this postseason. The Bulls have a nice foursome when Lonzo-LaVine-DeRozan-Vucevic are out there together. Too bad we didn't get to see it against the defending-champion Bucks. 

80. Victor Oladipo, G, Heat: Definitely one of the most difficult players to rank in the entire league. Damn, Jimmy Butler has a lot of control in Miami. He doesn't like Oladipo, and didn't want to take the court with him, so Spo and Riley actually obliged for the first two games of the playoffs? That's wild, to me. When 'Dipo did play, he controlled the entire game on the offensive end. Great driver, surprisingly great passer, good finisher. Good tempo. 

79. Bobby Portis, PF/C, Bucks: Definitely one of the most underrated players in the game. I told my Knicks' fan friends that New York really botched things with Portis. He's a winning player on one of the absolute best teams in the game. Without Middleton in the playoffs, Portis has stepped up in a major way, unsurprisingly. Confident player with an aggressive attack mindset. 

78. Kristaps Porzingis, PF/C, Wizards: Kinda feels like Gordon Hayward in a way, right? Has all the skills, in theory. But where do you get with him, in terms of the Win column? Mavs seemed to play better almost immediately without him. Has top-50 talent, but not results. 

77. Myles Turner, C, Pacers: One of the more talented, young two-ways centers in the game right now. Would benefit from better surroundings, like the aforementioned Harrison Barnes in that sense. Turner is a defensive eraser. 

76. Andrew Wiggins, F, Warriors: I kinda like the way he's settled into his role with the Warriors, now. He looks smooth and calm, and he finally seems to know who he is. Good roster fit. 

75. Spencer Dinwiddie, G, Mavs: He's a low percentage shooter, but an impact player at the very same time. Dinwiddie was one of the players who turned the Nets from a last-place team to a playoff team. Now, he goes to Dallas and plays a nice third fiddle to Luka and Brunson. When those three are on the floor to close the game, it's very difficult to match up because of the dribble-drive attacks from three spots. Tricky and solid trade by the Mavs. 

74. Dorian Finney-Smith, F, Mavs: One of the most improved players I've seen this season, if not the most improved. I credit both "DFS" and head coach Jason Kidd. You can see that J-Kidd has given these young Mavs confidence. "DFS" couldn't shoot much in the past, now he's virtually automatic when open from three. He could always defend, but now he added clutch shots on top of that. 

73. De'Andre Hunter, F, Hawks: You can get lost in the crowd on this team. Cam Reddish disappeared into oblivion far quicker than anticipated. But De'Andre made his name this postseason. He's on the "all breakout" team with Brandon Clarke, Finney-Smith, Brunson, etc. No question Hunter was Atlanta's best player vs. the extremely tough Miami D. Hunter was MUCH better than star Trae Young. 

72. Scottie Barnes, F, Raptors: Was consistently a top three rookie in the game this year, from what I saw. And he can actually be kind of a "point forward" when VanVleet is down with injury. Scottie is a versatile youngster who plays aggressively. 

71. Jaren Jackson Jr., PF, Grizzlies: Absolutely has the potential to be a top-50 player in this league. Just had a monster game against the Warriors in Game 1 of their hotly-contested playoff series. He's big, he's long, he can shoot it and pretty much do it all. Just disappears for long stretches of time, unfortunately. Finished in the top five for Defensive Player of the Year. 

70. Tyler Herro, G, Heat: One of the best bench players in the league. Quick off the bounce and can score in bunches before you can even blink. 

69. Jordan Clarkson, G, Jazz: See synopsis for Tyler Herro. Same idea. 

68. Reggie Jackson, PG, Clippers: I've always found it interesting that Paul George views Reggie Jackson as an extremely strong player. That's "his guy," so to speak. Reggie does have some toughness and moxie. Can create a lot offensively against the right defender. Let's just say Pat Bev isn't the "right defender". 

67. Fred VanVleet, PG, Raptors: Generally a clutch player and pretty good leader for Toronto. 

66. Patrick Beverley, G, Wolves: Speak of the Devil... this guy still creates havoc on a basketball court. He's with Herbert Jones and Royce O'Neale on my standout defender list, thus far. Wherever Pat Bev goes, that team gets tougher and performs better in the Win column. 

65. De'Aaron Fox, PG, Kings: Feels kinda like a new age Russell Westbrook. That's a good and bad thing, of course. Probably a top-50 talent, but there's been no correlation or translation to victories. 

64. Robert Williams III, C, Celtics: The best, most dynamic and most skilled shotblocker in the league... according to John Frascella. You simply can't go into this guy's paint. He's like a bouncier Mutombo, just needs to stay healthy and maintain and steady diet of minutes. 

63. RJ Barrett, SG/SF, Knicks: Showed a significant amount of improvement this year. Right now, it's simply a two-man show with RJB and Julius Randle. The lowly Knicks don't have much to offer these days. 

62. Dillon Brooks, SG/SF, Grizzlies: Ja Morant is the unquestioned leader and motor for the young and hungry Grizzlies, but Brooks and Desmond Bane are his trusted "wingmen". Brooks has some truly awful shooting nights, but this kid always seems to bounce back hard and fast. He's a tough kid who doesn't back down from any competition. Very resilient athletic disposition. 

61. Malcolm Brogdon, PG, Pacers: A good, steady floor general. Not spectacular but can do a lot for you out there on the hardwood. 

60. Collin Sexton, G, Cavs: Maybe we used to think he was better than backcourt mate Darius Garland, but you have to remain on the court to argue your case. Garland has clearly surpassed him, for now. 

59. Kyle Lowry, PG, Heat: A fearless veteran leader. Brings a winning culture and the right attitude. "Little Engine" that's easy to root for. 

58. Cade Cunningham, G, Pistons: A rising superstar in fantasy basketball circles. Kid has it all; too bad the Pistons really suck. Wish we could see more of "CC" on national TV. 

57. Evan Mobley, PF/C, Cavs: Very hard to knock this kid in any way, shape or form. Just 20 years old, he's long, athletic and doesn't seem to second guess his own game. Was very productive right from the get-go. 

56. Tyrese Maxey, PG, Sixers: The guy who lets James Harden breathe a sigh of relief. (Well, not now, with Embiid sidelined.) Harden doesn't wanna be The Guy. He doesn't even wanna be The Next Guy. He just wants to be One of the Top Four Guys. And that's what Maxey allows him to do with his speed, quickness and aggressiveness. Harden can be in The Core Four with Maxey, Embiid and Tobias Harris for Doc Rivers. 

55. Miles Bridges, F, Hornets: Formed a promising 1-2 punch with LaMelo Ball all season. Bridges is versatile and fierce. 

54. Clint Capela, C, Hawks: The Hawks certainly missed him at less than 100% in their ugly playoff loss to the Heat. An old school, close-to-rim center who can rebound and block shots with the best of 'em. 

53. D'Angelo Russell, PG, Wolves: Wasn't expecting him to get completely outshined by Anthony Edwards so quickly into the latter's career. Still, D-Lo creates a nice trio with Edwards and KAT. 

52. Kawhi Leonard, F, Clippers: Just a joke at this point. He forced his way out of San Antonio on bad terms, the organization that drafted and developed him through multiple championship runs. He one-and-doned the unfortunate Raptors. Then he goes to the Clippers as a "savior" and basically never plays. Is this guy still in the NBA at this point? 

51. Jamal Murray, PG, Nuggets: Is one of the "Legends of the Bubble" along with T.J. Warren, but that was quite a bit of time ago now. Denver desperately needs Jamal back at 100% next season. You could see how thin on talent they were against the Warriors this postseason. 

50. Tobias Harris, PF, Sixers: Just is who he is at this point. A good all-around player. Pretty consistent, I'd say. 

49. Rudy Gobert, C, Jazz: I've been thinking a lot... has the most important defensive position in basketball changed? Like, how valuable is a standstill shotblocker in the paint these days? Marcus Smart won Defensive Player of the Year and Mikal Bridges came in second. These are wings, guards we are talkin' about, here. I still like Gobert, Robert Williams III, Myles Turner etc. but the correlation to wins and losses probably isn't what it used to be. You have to be able to stretch the floor on the offensive end, and you have to be able to switch everybody defensively. Gobert, by nature, is pretty stuck in the paint. 

48. Draymond Green, PF/C, Warriors: Add another to my Top Defenders' list. So far we have: Herbert Jones, Royce O'Neale, Patrick Beverley, Robert Williams III, Rudy Gobert and now Draymond. Dray tends to be one of the most polarizing players in the league - is he one of the greatest and most important defenders and glue players of all time? Or is he merely swimming in the career wakes of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and even Kevin Durant? I think 48 is about right for Dray. I split the middle. 

47. Mikal Bridges, SG/SF, Suns: The Better Draymond, right now. We look at elite teams, then we look at their top defenders - Bridges essentially ended the season for the Pelicans. He can swipe the ball from you mid-dribble. His arms are so long in passing lanes. He sneaks up on you and just glides as he picks your pocket. He's also been shooting the lights out in the playoffs. Doin' it all, for sure. 

46. Pascal Siakam, PF/C, Raptors: "The best player on the Raptors" is sort of a dubious distinction. I guess sometimes it is VanVleet. Sometimes Barnes. Sometimes Trent or OG. But most of the time it is Pascal Siakam, a good two-way basketball player. 

45. Julius Randle, PF/C, Knicks: Was "a story" last year during a surprisingly good season for the Knicks. This year? A total afterthought. Went from top 30 to barely making my top 50. I can see arguments for him outside the top 50, honestly. 

44. Jordan Poole, SG, Warriors: Love this kid. Talk about looking at your surroundings and totally understanding how to exploit a situation. Poole knows how to play with the floor spacing provided by Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Wiggins. He slips into driving lanes and attacks the rim with reckless abandon. He can also hit near-halfcourt threes with seeming ease. Poole is a dangerous all-around offensive weapon on a steady incline. 

43. Zach LaVine, G, Bulls: Feels kinda "blah" when both DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic are out there for the Bulls. Not the same "wow" factor when he's getting decidedly less usage. 

42. Jarrett Allen, C, Cavs: Quietly developing into one of the most efficient basketball players in the entire world. No one seemed to mention it, but... the Cavs would have made the playoffs with "The Fro". They could have beaten the Nets in that playin game, or could have beaten the Hawks in the following. Jarrett Allen was sorely missed on both ends of the floor. A monster in fantasy basketball, too. 

41. Dejounte Murray, PG, Spurs: Here's another one of those elite defenders, for me. Dejounte, on both ends of the floor, singlehandedly carried the Spurs to the playin game against the Pelicans. He sucked in that particular game, but was pretty great all season long. 

40. Anthony Davis, PF/C, Lakers: Like Zion Williamson and Kawhi Leonard, I'm sorry but, enough is enough. It's always something with this guy. I feel like he won his championship and now he's pretty much checked out, both mentally and physically. 

39. Jalen Brunson, G, Mavs: The best player in the playoffs, possibly? Look, people are too quick to write teams off when stars get hurt. Luka goes down? Oh, the Mavs have no shot against the Jazz now. Middleton goes down? Oh, the Celtics are gonna take the Bucks down now. Like... chill. These are professional basketball players at the game's highest level. Guys like Brunson come out of nowhere and step up. Boy is about to get PAID next time around! He's just been an absolute joy to watch. Big balls in the clutch. 

38. Desmond Bane, SG/SF, Grizzlies: Quietly one of the best wings in the game. No. 2 man to Ja Morant, as the Grizzlies won a ton of games and finished as the No. 2 seed this season. 

37. Klay Thompson, SG, Warriors: Not all the way back yet, but he's certainly getting there. When he's all the way back he'll be very close to my top 25, where he normally belongs. 

36. Jrue Holiday, PG, Bucks: Didn't flinch when Middleton went down. He's a solid, steady right-hand man for the great Giannis. Jrue's a pro's pro. 

35. Marcus Smart, G, Celtics: Defensive Player of the Year, and completely well-deserved. Can be a big shot maker when you ask him to be, too. He's like a younger, more athletic, more impactful Patrick Beverley. It's nearly impossible to find an impact defender like Marcus. Sets the tone for his entire team. 

34. Jonas Valanciunas, C, Pelicans: Consistently one of the most underrated basketball players in the world... even by his own team! Willie Green did a horrendous job managing Big V's minutes in the opening round series against the Suns. Jonas should have been playing way, way more, especially at crunch time. He's huge, he's fierce and he has incredibly soft hands akin to Nikola Jokic at the rim. 

33. Bradley Beal, SG, Wizards: He sort of feels like Westbrook and De'Aaron Fox, but better. Is Beal really ever going to make an impact on this league? He's one of the most deadly individual scorers in the world. Let's see some Wins. 

32. Nikola Vucevic, C, Bulls: Ho hum. As solid and steady as they come. Just goes about his business quietly. 

31. Domantas Sabonis, PF/C, Kings: Oh no, not No Man's Land! I feel bad for Sabonis that he landed in Sacramento. In my heart, I feel Sabonis is a winning player. Would love to see him on a legitimate contender. I know my Nets tried to acquire him, to no avail. 

30. James Harden, G, Sixers: Like the aforementioned Draymond Green, here is one of the most polarizing players in the game. It's clear he doesn't want the ball when the game is on the line in the playoffs. He has consistently fallen in the rankings due to this. But... he's still one of the best passers and playmakers in the world. That's good enough for (just barely) the top 30 for me. 

29. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Thunder: There are some good players on bad teams who might be part of the problem - Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward, Westbrook, Porzingis, Fox to name some - and there are others who are potentially winning players elsewhere, like Harrison Barnes, Myles Turner, Cunningham and Sabonis. That said, "SGA" is unquestionably in that second group. He is a fantastic all-around point guard with a superb mind for the game. Great control and tempo as a floor general. 

28. Bam Adebayo, C, Heat: Second-best player on the No. 1 seed in the East. Elite defender and explosive two-way big man. 

27. CJ McCollum, G, Pelicans: On the bright side? He singlehandedly turned the Pelicans' season around and led them to the playoffs. On the downside? He probably played them out of the postseason due to horribly selfish play. No one passes less than this guy in the NBA right now. 

26. Deandre Ayton, C, Suns: I love this kid. Still just 23 years of age, he plays with such poise and control. Smart player. High-percentage player. Would take this kid on my team any day of the week and twice on Sunday. 

25. Darius Garland, PG, Cavs: To me? He was one of the best and most dominant players in the NBA this season. Outside of maybe Ja Morant, he was both the fastest and quickest with the rock in his hands. Garland had defenders on skates the entire season, from start to finish. You simply can't teach the kind of explosiveness that Garland has. He just needs to take control more down the stretch and learn how to close big games when the pressure is really on. 

24. LaMelo Ball, PG, Hornets: It's just so hard to find all-around offensive performers. I'm talkin' real triple double threats. When I think "triple double" right now, I think Giannis, Luka, Jokic, LeBron and then LaMelo. That's a helluva honor within itself. 

23. Donovan Mitchell, SG, Jazz: The Jazz may dismantle what they've accumulated, but "Spida" consistently gets them to the postseason and is a versatile offensive performer. Utah can't get over the hump, so he finally drops outside of my top 20. 

22. Khris Middleton, SG/SF, Bucks: Always very Scottie Pippen-esque in my mind. One of the most sneakily valuable players in the entire league. 

21. Jaylen Brown, SG/SF, Celtics: A premier right-hand man for Jayson Tatum. Yes, the Celtics have two of the best individual defensive players in the game - Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III - but Brown and Tatum also set the tone as star players who refuse to play only one side of the ball. Jaylen and Jayson get down into the trenches and lock down, defensively. 

20. Kyrie Irving, G, Nets: Still one of the top 10 individual offensive players in the game. But he misses too many games. Creates far too much controversy. And... gets swept by the Celtics after all that, anyway!

19. Brandon Ingram, SG/SF, Pelicans: Always one of the most improved basketball players on the planet. Kid just gets better and better, year after year after year. If you watched the playoffs closely, you can see how an offense can run effectively through Ingram. It didn't always work against the Suns - because they are a 1-seed and one of the top three or four defensive squads in the game - but Ingram can control the game by driving, kicking, shooting midrange or threes. He showcases a real all-around arsenal. 

18. Anthony Edwards, SG/SF, Wolves: Here's the thing with Edwards: He can get to any spot he wants on the floor. He's big, he's strong, he's long, he's fast and utterly explosive. And the kid has NO fear. He does certainly appear to be a superstar in the making. He's the type of rare player who dictates whatever he wants on an NBA floor. He's just too talented to be stopped. He can only stop himself right now. 

17. Paul George, SF, Clippers: Starting to feel like one of those "enough is enough" guys. Should probably be a top 10 player based on two-way talent and productivity, but something always seems to go wrong. 17 is about right, basically. 

16. Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Wolves: Loving his improvement in the postseason this time around. Can't go much higher than 16 though, because... is he really the best player on Minnesota? A lot of times it truly did appear to be Edwards. 

15. DeMar DeRozan, SF, Bulls: A steady, consistent veteran who had an outstanding all-around season start to finish. Great to watch. 

14. Trae Young, PG, Hawks: Had basically the worst series I've ever seen in the postseason. The Heat made him seem like a player who belonged below the G-League. Still, he got the Hawks into the playoffs with some clutch performances preceding the Heat debacle. 

13. Damian Lillard, PG, Blazers: Since when do we have a season where Damian Lillard is a forgotten man? One of the best and most reliable players of his generation. Hope to see him back stronger and better than ever next year. 

12. LeBron James, G/F/C, Lakers: As the minutes and games dial back, we finally have to drop him outside of the top 10. He just isn't going to play as much as he used to, and his Lakers missed the playoffs altogether. 

11. Chris Paul, PG, Suns: Did he just go 14-for-14 in a playoff closeout game? Like, what is that? One of the top five point guards of all time in my opinion, and he's still goin' damn strong. I hope he finally gets That Ring this year. 

10. Devin Booker, SG, Suns: If my memory serves, he'll be the first player all time to average 25, 5 and 5 on a 1-seed to NOT win league MVP. One of the game's great young players, particularly on the offensive end. Just an endless barrage of offensive maneuvers. 

9. Kevin Durant, F, Nets: Got manhandled by the Celtics, plain and simple. I used to think he was the best basketball player in the world. Now he's BARELY top 10. 

8. Jimmy Butler, SG/SF, Heat: Yeah, it's pretty clear... Jimmy Butler is the most underrated player in the NBA. No. 1 seed? Nobody cares. Best player on the team? Nobody cares because Jimmy "isn't a nice guy." Who gives a shit? Butler is a winning player who sets the tone on both ends of the floor. No Jimmy Butler team is ever going to play soft. That's saying an awful lot, nowadays. 

7. Ja Morant, PG, Grizzlies: THE story of the season, to me. Does it all - scores, assists, steals and racks up all of the most awesome highlights. Did you have the Grizz as a 2-seed before the season? GTFO. Ja Morant has singlehandedly accelerated the progression of a franchise that was supposed to be "a few seasons away." What an absolutely electric young player. Great for the league. 

6. Jayson Tatum, F, Celtics: A fantastic two-way player with quiet toughness. Never gets rattled. Just 24 years old... and hands down, one of the best leaders in the game. 

5. Joel Embiid, C, Sixers: What a disaster with that Siakam cheapshot. I feel so bad for Embiid, Doc Rivers and the Philly faithful. For once, I'll be rooting for them. I hope they can withstand the injury. Bad timing, bad luck, just awful. Embiid has been an absolute f'n monster this year. A true superstar. 

4. Stephen Curry, G, Warriors: Impacts absolutely everything on the floor. The threat that opens everything up for everybody else. I CANNOT BELIEVE that Steph Curry is 34 years old, now. He's moving around and playing like he's 25 right now, for real. 

3. Nikola Jokic, C, Nuggets: Maybe the most efficient player in the history of the game? The big fella is just astonishing. We just need to get him Jamal Murray, Michael Porter, Aaron Gordon, Will Barton, Monte Morris and others at exactly the same time in the postseason. Maybe one more big gun, too. 

2. Luka Doncic, G, Mavs: Killer instinct in the clutch. Killer instinct when his team is ahead on the scoreboard (goes for the jugular). Cocky, brash, doesn't back down from anybody. Luka Doncic is my kinda basketball player. 

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, G/F/C, Bucks: The Celtics just learned who they are f'n with. Don't mess with The Greek Freak. Remember when the Mavs passed on Giannis to trade down and get Shane Larkin? Just... yikes. All-time yikes. Giannis is the best player in the world right now, hands down. 

I hope you enjoyed these rankings... or didn't! If you didn't, I'm certainly always open for a friendly debate @LegendSports7 on Twitter. 

Bonus Lists Based on Teasers in This Piece

My Top 10 Defensive Players in the NBA

10. Royce O'Neale

9. Dejounte Murray 

8. Patrick Beverley

7. Rudy Gobert 

6. Robert Williams III

5. Herbert Jones

4. Bam Adebayo

3. Draymond Green

2. Mikal Bridges

1. Marcus Smart

My "I've Had Enough" Fed Up Players

10. Bradley Beal

9. James Harden 

8. Kristaps Porzingis 

7. Gordon Hayward

6. Paul George 

5. Anthony Davis

4. Russell Westbrook

3. Zion Williamson 

2. Kawhi Leonard

1. Ben Simmons

My "I'd Love to Have That Guy on My Team" List

10. Jarrett Allen 

9. Patrick Beverley

8. Jordan Poole 

7. Jalen Brunson

6. Domantas Sabonis

5. Jonas Valanciunas

4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

3. Marcus Smart

2. Chris Paul

1. Deandre Ayton 

John Frascella is a published sports author and Senior Writer for Aaron Torres Online. Follow him on Twitter @LegendSports7 for all things basketball, football and baseball.