Top 50 NBA Players

[namlook]

SN asked 76 NBA types, including Elgin Baylor, Bob Cousy, Mike D’Antoni, Mike Fratello, Daryl Morey, Lenny Wilkens, Doc Rivers and Stan Van Gundy, to list the top 50 players in the league. Bryant received 49 of their first-place votes to maintain his spot atop the list, while James had 22 first-place votes and Magic center Dwight Howard received one.

Read more: http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/feed/2010-12/nba-top-50-players/story/kobe-bryant-tops-lebron-james-in-sns-list-of-top-50-nba-players#ixzz171AVby6m

SN’s Top 50 NBA players

(last year’s ranking in parentheses)
1. Kobe Bryant, SG, Lakers (1)
2. LeBron James, SF, Heat (2)
3. Dwyane Wade, SG, Heat (3)
4. Kevin Durant, SF, Thunder (21)
5. Dwight Howard, C, Magic (4)
6. Carmelo Anthony, SF, Nuggets (9)
7. Dirk Nowitzki, SF, Mavericks (8)
8. Deron Williams, PG, Jazz (12)
9. Steve Nash, PG, Suns (11)
10. Pau Gasol, PF, Lakers (17)
11. Tim Duncan, PF, Spurs (5)
12. Amare Stoudemire, PF, Knicks (19)
13. Chris Paul, PG, Hornets (6)
14. Paul Pierce, SF, Celtics (10)
15. Chris Bosh, PF, Heat (18)
16. Rajon Rondo, PG, Celtics (38)
17. Brandon Roy, SG, Trail Blazers (14)
18. Joe Johnson, SG, Hawks (25)
19. Derrick Rose, PG, Bulls (26)
20. Kevin Garnett, PF, Celtics (7)
21. Manu Ginobili, SG, Spurs (22)
22. Andrew Bogut, C, Bucks (NR)
23. Chauncey Billups, PG, Nuggets (20)
24. Tony Parker, PG, Spurs (13)
25. Ray Allen, SG, Celtics (27)
26. Rudy Gay, SF, Grizzlies (41)
27. Danny Granger, SF, Pacers (31)
28. Jason Kidd, PG, Mavericks (23)
29. Zach Randolph, PF, Grizzlies (NR)
30. Russell Westbrook, PG, Thunder (NR)
31. David Lee, PF, Warriors (NR)
32. Joakim Noah, C, Bulls (NR)
33. Al Horford, C, Hawks (35)
34. Stephen Curry, PG, Warriors (NR)
35. Shaquille O’Neal, C, Celtics (16)
36. Carlos Boozer, PF, Bulls (36)
37. Al Jefferson, PF, Jazz (NR)
38. Vince Carter, SG, Magic (30)
39. LaMarcus Aldridge, PF, Trail Blazers (NR)
40. Brook Lopez, C, Nets (NR)
41. Andrew Bynum, C, Lakers (50)
42. Josh Smith, PF, Hawks (40)
43. Gilbert Arenas, PG, Wizards (28)
44. David West, PF, Hornets (NR)
45. Kevin Martin, SG, Rockets (NR)
46. Hedo Turkoglu, SF, Suns (42)
47. Antawn Jamison, SF, Cavaliers (NR)
48. Yao Ming, C, Rockets (15)
49. Gerald Wallace, SF, Bobcats (Nr)
50. John Wall, PG, Wizards (NR)

[HarlemHeat37]

That's a horrible list, starting at #1..

[HarlemHeat37]

:lol I just noticed Turkoglu made the list, what the fuck?:lol..man, it's funny to see how out of touch "NBA people" are, not including scouts..

[ezau]

Stupid list. Why is Mr. 6/24 even there?

[TDMVPDPOY]

lmao joe johnson ahead of ginoboli and parker

dude gets paid like franchise player money but posts up shitty stats and the hawks are going nowhere anyway

[kamikazi_player]

lol any1 notice that Dirk's listed at SF?

[Quit Hatin']

1-4 is perfect. good call by the people working in the nba and not some random noobs on this board.

[rayjayjohnson]

how the fuck is bynum on that list?????

[Flo-Rida]

Slim Dunkin is right where he needs to be good list

[Rummpd]

3 out of top 24 for SAS not bad but at least half ranked above Manu don't deserve to be and right now one can argue that Bryant, is number one, and should even currently rank above Manu is in itself questionable. Manu is outperforming Bryant in shooting percentage and has been the MVP on the league's hottest team.

The honest fact, is Kobe being still number one is extremely questionable - he is shooting about 42% - picking right up from his bricks in game 7 when his poor play nearly cost the LAL a championship (yet that ring wrongly put him in the eyes of the adoring media and these pundits in the conversation for GOAT), unless he picks that shooting rate he simply does not deserve to be there. Why the over the top love for Bryant? He also failed miserably for several years to lead the Lakers as the sole superstar - until they were gifted Gasol by J. West - West's biggest assist ever to the LAL and while he has won 2 consecutive titles and has at times been very brilliant; he has NOT been on a consistent basis in the finals (remember how Pierce and various players on Detroit outplayed Bryant badly in two finals) - how and why he gets this over the top revisionist love from the media and the NBA gurus is a mystery.

He is currently 18th in player efficiency ranking by nba.com (22.32).

Furthermore, even by Hollinger's PER he is 6th in the league and TRAILS Manu in the SG position. Right now he may not even be the best SG in the league. Fact is Manu is not only outplaying Bryant this year but did for a signficant part of the 2nd part of the season last year. Manu is 3rd in Hollginer's PER and that is fairly accurately showing that Westbrooke and Howard are dominating as well holding down the top two spots.

If one examines his career playoff stats he DOES NOT pick up either his shooting percentage or ppg in the playoffs. http://www.nba.com/playerfile/kobe_bryant/career_stats.html

Bryant is currently a top 5- 10 player right now in the NBA at best. He may pick it up but right now #1 is flat wrong He also has NOT been the most clutch player in the NBA over the greater part of the last 6 seaons - that also has been Manu: http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/11/13/who-is-mr-clutch-in-the-nba/

Howard/Paul/Williams/Westbrooke and others are outplaying Kobe night in an night out right now and James is starting to surge again.


Right now I would take Hibbert and Love over many on the list and they both were pre-season pick for a fantasy team I have that is working out pretty darn well.

Scola not on the list is inane as is ANY LIST that puts Bryant up there 2 years in a row without questioning actual performance, proven leadership in the abscence of having another top 5-10 sidekick or leader etc.

[MavFan6488]

LOL @ Pau gasol nr. 10..

[Rummpd]

LOL @ Pau gasol nr. 10..

Dirk deserves top ranking consideration as much as anyone right now - he is improved on defense, is the best shooting big in the league.

[buttsR4rebounding]

No fucking way should Bill Duncan be on that list.

...and Bynum. Shouldn't you have to actually play to be ranked?

[ChrisRichards]

How on earth is Amare ahead of Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo?



And im not trying to be redundant, but in what universe is Kobe Bryant #1? Granted both Wade and Lebron are not playing well right now, but that doesnt make Kobe's 10/24 shooting games ahead of anyone right now. I feel these players are going by credentials and is also giving Kobe his due respect by being a veteran but if that's the case, why is Duncan at # 11? I'd sill pick Duncan over Nash, MELO & Nowitzer right now.


Horrible list.

[BlackSwordsMan]

If dirk played for the lakers or bostons he would have been #1

[j.dizzle]

Drew Chamberlain should be top 5 IMO......on the list of players that take their sweet ass time to get back from an injury lmao hurry up sonnnnnn, Pau is tired from playing an extra 5 minutes a game hahahaha

[LnGrrrR]

Celtics have four in the top 25, and Shaq is 35. (Not too sure about that one.)

[Technique]

How the fuck does Kobe keep showing up at top 5 period? Most overrated player in NBA history.

[namlook]

one can argue that Bryant, is number one, and should even currently rank above Manu is in itself questionable.

Manu > Kobe? That's flat out delusional.


How the fuck does Kobe keep showing up at top 5 period? Most overrated player in NBA history.

Yeah on a Spurs message board he is. In the real world he is right where he deserves to be. Newbs on a Spurs board think Kobe is overrated while NBA players and coaches do not. I wonder who is right? :lol

[Technique]

Manu > Kobe? That's flat out delusional.



Yeah on a Spurs message board he is. In the real world he is right where he deserves to be. Newbs on a Spurs board think Kobe is overrated while NBA players and coaches do not. I wonder who is right? :lol

The box score is right. Unprejudiced, unbiased.

And Manu > Kobe at this point, he actually helps his team win when he shoots and runs the offense. Not brick up shots and single-handedly destroy his team's momentum.

[hitmanyr2k]

This list was clearly made before the NBA season started and somehow John Wall still made it before playing one fuckin NBA game. Christ :lol

[namlook]

The box score is right. Unprejudiced, unbiased.

And Manu > Kobe at this point, he actually helps his team win when he shoots and runs the offense. Not brick up shots and single-handedly destroy his team's momentum.

The box score that matters the most is the W from the final game of the season.

[Technique]

The box score that matters the most is the W from the final game of the season.

:rolleyes

6-24

[quentin_compson]

It's not that bad a list, in my opinion. Kobe, LeBron and Wade should be a lock for the top three in pretty much anyone's list, although you certainly can discuss at length the order in which they should appear.
Anthony shouldn't be ahead of Nowitzki, as well as Nash shouldn't be ahead of Duncan. Stoudemire is ranked several places too high. Chris Paul, on the other hand, is easily a top 10 player in this league. Funny how a lot of people seem to have forgotten that because he was injured for a while.
Yeah, and Gerald Wallace should be ranked higher also, I think.

[frodo]

How on earth is Amare ahead of Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo?
crofl cHeat fan harping on that but not mentioning Christina Bosh is ranked ahead of Rondo.

[mexpurs21]

What the fuck!!! Worst list ever!!! How come you have a couple of players that haven't played a minute yet up in the list :lol

[Cry Havoc]

1. Kobe Bryant, SG, Lakers (1)

6. Carmelo Anthony, SF, Nuggets (9)

15. Chris Bosh, PF, Heat (18)

22. Andrew Bogut, C, Bucks (NR)

23. Chauncey Billups, PG, Nuggets (20)

25. Ray Allen, SG, Celtics (27)

26. Rudy Gay, SF, Grizzlies (41)

35. Shaquille O’Neal, C, Celtics (16)

38. Vince Carter, SG, Magic (30)

41. Andrew Bynum, C, Lakers (50)

43. Gilbert Arenas, PG, Wizards (28)

46. Hedo Turkoglu, SF, Suns (42)

47. Antawn Jamison, SF, Cavaliers (NR)

wat