The NBA’s 75th season is coming to a close, which means a lot has changed over the past six months.
Still, we at The Game Day took the liberty of ranking the top 100 players in the NBA. This was no easy list to compile given the vast amount of talent across the league, and do note that it is entirely subjective.
Here’s the list of the best players in the NBA.
2021-2022 Top 100 NBA Players
100. P.J. Tucker, SF, Miami Heat
99. Grayson Allen, SF, Milwaukee Bucks
98. Terance Mann, SF, Los Angeles Clippers
97. Jae Crowder, PF, Phoenix Suns
96. Steven Adams, C, Memphis Grizzlies
95. Gary Trent, SG, Toronto Raptors
94. Keldon Johnson, SF, San Antonio Spurs
93. Bruce Brown, SF, Brooklyn Nets
92. Christian Wood, C, Houston Rockets
91. Wendell Carter, Jr., C, Orlando Magic
90. Evan Mobley, C, Cleveland Cavaliers
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89. Tobias Harris, SF, Philadelphia 76ers
88. Josh Giddey, SG, Oklahoma City Thunder
87. Bobby Portis, SF, Milwaukee Bucks
86. Lauri Markkanen, PF, Cleveland Cavaliers
85. Tyrese Maxey, SG, Philadelphia 76ers
84. Andrew Wiggins, SF, Golden State Warriors
83. Scottie Barnes, SG, Toronto Raptors
82. Aaron Gordon, PF, Denver Nuggets
81. Lonzo Ball, PG, Chicago Bulls
80. Kevin Porter, Jr., SG, Houston Rockets
79. Caris LeVert, SG, Cleveland Cavaliers
78. Draymond Green, PF, Golden State Warriors
77. Jakob Poeltl, C, San Antonio Spurs
76. Jusuf Nurkic, C, Portland Trail Blazers
75. Dillon Brooks, SF, Memphis Grizzlies
74. Kyle Kuzma, SF, Washington Wizards
73. Buddy Hield, SG, Indiana Pacers
72. Terry Rozier, SG, Charlotte Hornets
71. Nikola Vučević, C, Chicago Bulls
70. Gordon Hayward, SF, Charlotte Hornets
69. Desmond Bane, SF, Memphis Grizzlies
68. Bojan Bogdanovic, SF, Utah Jazz
67. Danilo Gallinari, PF, Atlanta Hawks
66. Jerami Grant, SF, Detroit Pistons
65. Jaren Jackson Jr., PF, Memphis Grizzlies
64. Jarrett Allen, C, Cleveland Cavaliers
63. D’Angelo Russell, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves
62. Julius Randle, PF, New York Knicks
61. Fred VanVleet, SG, Toronto Raptors
60. John Collins, PF, Atlanta Hawks
59. Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Indiana Pacers
58. Bogdan Bogdanovic, SG, Atlanta Hawks
57. Jordan Poole, SG, Golden State Warriors
With all due respect to Ja Morant, Poole was probably the most improved player in the NBA this season, going from role player (51 games, seven starts) in 2020-21 to a bona fide third scoring option behind Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Poole raised his scoring average by more than six points per game this season (18.5 per game) and led the NBA in free-throw percentage (.925) as well.
56. Kristaps Porzingis, C, Washington Wizards
55. Jonas Valanciunas, C, New Orleans Pelicans
54. Clint Capela, C, Atlanta Hawks
53. Myles Turner, C, Indiana Pacers
52. Reggie Jackson, SG, Los Angeles Clippers
51. Mike Conley, PG, Utah Jazz
50. Marcus Smart, SG, Boston Celtics
Smart had a dream season for the Boston Celtics, setting a career-high in assists per game (5.9) and games started (71) while also chipping in 12.1 points per game and claiming the NBA defensive player of the year award.
Players who win the DPOY award typically are considered again in the future, and Smart is just entering his age-28 season, which means keep a close eye on his odds to repeat as champion as those odds become available leading into 2022-23.
49. Bradley Beal, SG, Washington Wizards
48. OG Anunoby, SF, Toronto Raptors
47. Miles Bridges, SF, Charlotte Hornets
46. Cade Cunningham, SG, Detroit Pistons
45. Russell Westbrook, SG, Los Angeles Lakers
44. Deandre Ayton, C, Phoenix Suns
43. Mikal Bridges, SF, Phoenix Suns
42. Tyler Herro, SG, Miami Heat
41. Jrue Holiday, PG, Milwaukee Bucks
40. Pascal Siakam, PF, Toronto Raptors
39. LaMelo Ball, PG, Charlotte Hornets
38. Malcolm Brogdon, PG, Indiana Pacers
37. Anthony Edwards, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves
Karl-Anthony Towns may have been the Timberwolves’ team MVP, but Edwards is quickly becoming a bona fide 1A option for one of the best up-and-coming clubs in the NBA.
Edwards was second on Minnesota in scoring (21.3 points per game) and started 72 games for the Timberwolves, helping them make the postseason for the first time since 2017-18 despite long preseason odds (+610 on FanDuel before the season).
36. CJ McCollum, SG, New Orleans Pelicans
35. Domantas Sabonis, PF, Sacramento Kings
34. Klay Thompson, SG, Golden State Warriors
33. Kyle Lowry, PG, Miami Heat
32. RJ Barrett, SG, New York Knicks
Barrett took the reins and became the Knicks’ best player in his third season in the Big Apple. He duplicated his rebound and assist totals from 2020-21 but took off as a scorer, averaging 20 points per game including nine 30-plus point games.
Barrett has improved his nightly offensive output, going from 14.3 points per game to 20 in just three seasons. If he can do that again next year, the Knicks should be more competitive for a postseason spot.
31. De’Aaron Fox, PG, Sacramento Kings
30. Anthony Davis, PF, Los Angeles Lakers
29. Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Heat
28. Kyrie Irving, PG, Brooklyn Nets
27. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder
26. Zach LaVine, SG, Chicago Bulls
25. Paul George, SG, Los Angeles Clippers
24. Darius Garland, PG, Cleveland Cavaliers
23. DeMar DeRozan, SF, Chicago Bulls
22. Rudy Gobert, C, Utah Jazz
21. Donovan Mitchell, SG, Utah Jazz
20. Brandon Ingram, SF, New Orleans Pelicans
19. Dejounte Murray, PG, San Antonio Spurs
Murray made the proverbial leap this season, averaging nearly a triple-double per game (21.1 points, 9.2 assists, 8.3 rebounds) and leading the NBA in steals per game as well (2.0) while carrying San Antonio to the play-in tournament. Murray made his first All-Star team in the process and should be a sleeper MVP pick for bettors in 2022-23.
18. Khris Middleton, SF, Milwaukee Bucks
17. Jaylen Brown, SG, Boston Celtics
16. Damian Lillard, PG, Portland Trail Blazers
15. Jimmy Butler, SF, Miami Heat
14. Karl Anthony-Towns, C, Minnesota Timberwolves
13. Jayson Tatum, SF, Boston Celtics
12. Chris Paul, PG, Phoenix Suns
11. Trae Young, PG, Atlanta Hawks
Quick, without looking. Who led the NBA in points scored?
That would be Trae Young, the all-everything guard from Atlanta. Despite the fact the Hawks had a disappointing follow up to their Eastern Conference runner-up season in 2020-21, losing in the first round to the East No. 1 seeded Miami Heat, Young was awesome again, averaging the T5-most points per game (28.4) and ranking third in assists per game (9.7) as well.
10. Ja Morant, PG, Memphis Grizzlies
9. James Harden, PG, Philadelphia 76ers
8. Devin Booker, SG, Phoenix Suns
7. LeBron James, SF, Los Angeles Lakers
6. Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors
5. Luka Dončić, PG, Dallas Mavericks
Dončić was a veritable Swiss-army knife this season who somehow got even better after Dallas parted with center Kristaps Porzingis at the trade deadline in February. He averaged more than 30 points per game post-deadline, with five 40-plus-point performances including a 51-point game in Dallas’ win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 10, yet still finished in the top-5 in the league in assists per game (8.7) and top-25 in the league in rebounds per game (9.1) over the course of the season.
4. Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers
Embiid was a force, dominating interior opponents without much help for the much of the season. He led the NBA in points per game (30.6) and was sixth in rebounding (11.7) and was on his way to the MVP award until the Sixers acquired Harden from Brooklyn in February — giving him much-needed support but also taking away his perceived solo status.
Still, the 7-footer only appears to be getting better as he’s boosted his scoring average each of the past three seasons. He should be considered a perennial MVP candidate and could still make his way into the conversation for NBA Finals MVP this season if the Sixers can win the title.
3. Nikola Jokić, C, Denver Nuggets
The likely MVP of the league had a monster season where he had 66 double-doubles in 74 games and led the NBA with 19 triple-doubles. He led the team in minutes per game and was top-10 in the NBA in each major offensive category: points (27.1, 10th), rebounds (13.8, second) and assists (7.9, 8th) and dragged the Nuggets kicking and screaming into the postseason despite losing standout Michael Porter, Jr. for all but nine games.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Milwaukee Bucks
The Greek Freak had another incredible season where he averaged the third-most points per game (29.9) and seventh-most rebounds (11.7) per game while also averaging nearly six assists per game and leading the Bucks in minutes per game. Antetokounmpo is going to be an MVP candidate every year, barring injury, which means smart money will be on him again in 2022-23.
1. Kevin Durant, SF, Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets’ roller-coaster season featured drama with the Harden trade to Philadelphia, Irving’s part-time player status and a boatload of starting lineups that ultimately ended with a sweep at the hands of the Boston Celtics.
Yet, no off-court distraction could match Durant’s injury that cost him 21 games where the Nets went 5-16. His sprained MCL torpedoed Brooklyn’s season and led to the Harden trade and the team’s No. 7 seed, thus the inferior matchup against Boston. It also proved that he is both the NBA’s best player and its most valuable, even if he failed to carry the Nets beyond the second round for the second straight year.
