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There is perhaps no better sign that the NBA is back than the sight of incessant online arguments over subjective lists of player rankings. With preseason in full swing, ESPN became the latest outlet to release its top-100 list of the NBA’s best players. Other outlets, such as The Athletic, put their own spin on player rankings earlier this offseason.
It’s important to note that the NBA list is based off predictions for the 2023-2024 season, and not recent production. That’s why you will find rookies like Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson in the list. Overall, the list does a good job of contextualizing where the league’s best talent resides for the upcoming season. Of course, there are still some minor quibbles to be had, as would be the case with any list this subjective.
Here are a few players both overrated and underrated on ESPN’s list of the NBA’s best heading into the new season.
Underrated
No. 95 Jalen Williams, G, Oklahoma City Thunder
Jalen Williams wasn’t your typical rookie last season. After a three-year career at mid-major Santa Clara, Williams soared up draft boards at the combine and eventually became a lottery pick to the Thunder. His first year in the league was a massive success in every way possible: he scored efficiently from all over the floor (60.1 percent true shooting), posted a 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio, showed the ability to play on- and off the ball, and became a full-time starter for a young Oklahoma City team that surpassed expectations by winning 40 games without Chet Holmgren.
As Holmgren returns to the lineup from injury this year, OKC feels poised to make a big leap up the standings. If it happens, it will require Williams to emerge as a key secondary creator who can also space the floor to rip three-pointers. It’s so hard to find wings with Williams’ length (7’2 wingspan) who can run offense in a pinch and splash spot-up threes. His game simply has very few holes in it. He should be much higher when this list runs next season.
No. 57 Zion Williamson, F, New Orleans Pelicans
It’s fair to consider Williamson the hardest player to rank on this list for the simple fact that he hasn’t played much basketball. As he enters his fifth year in the league, Williamson has played 114 games out of a possible 317. He’s really only played close to a full season once, when he logged 61 games for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2020-2021. That season, when combined with his dominant 29-game stretch last year that had the Pelicans at the top of the West, informs us of just how great Zion can be when he’s healthy.
Williamson is a complete force as a scorer at the rim when he’s available. His incredible combination of power and touch has helped him eclipse 60 percent shooting from the field for his career. He’s also making strides as a playmaker for his teammates, which means we should see more Point Zion than ever before this year. If Williamson is healthy, the Pelicans are going to be a factor in the West deep in the season, and Zion should see himself jump into the top-20 of this list next year no problem.
No. 35 Ja Morant, G, Memphis Grizzlies
If the greatest ability in pro sports is availability, then it makes sense why Morant would fall from the top-10 last year to No. 35 this season. The Grizzlies point guard will serve a 25-game suspension to begin the season after gun-related social media shenanigans caused a firestorm controversy last year. Fortunately for Morant, no one remembers the first 25 games of any given NBA season anyway. With his return scheduled for Dec. 19, Morant will have every opportunity to prove he’s an elite player in this league who is only getting better at 24 years old.
Morant is simply one of the most spectacular players in the league when available. He’s a fearless rim attacker, a gifted pick-and-roll playmaker, and an emotional catalyst for a Grizzlies team that has asserted itself as a Western Conference power recently. As long as he throws his smartphone into a lake, Morant should quickly remind everyone that he’s way, way better than the No. 35 player in the league.
Overrated
No. 50 Jarrett Allen, C, Cleveland Cavaliers
Allen had a nice season for a Cavs team that won 50+ games in the regular season last year. Then the playoffs happened. Allen was thoroughly outplayed in the middle as the New York Knicks embarrassed Cleveland in an easy first round victory. Allen’s numbers fell across the board in the postseason, as Mitchell Robinson (ranked No. 100 on the ESPN list) dominated him in every phase of the game. Allen is a solid big man no doubt, but he should be significantly lower coming off such a disappointing postseason run.
No. 19 Jaylen Brown, G/F, Boston Celtics
Jaylen Brown earned Second-Team All-NBA honors last season and was rewarded with a $304 million extension over the summer. A year earlier, Brown was arguably Boston’s best player in the 2022 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. So why is he on the overrated list? It’s hard to consider Brown a top-20 overall player after watching the way he struggled in last season’s Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat. His Game 7 was an eyesore: eight turnovers, 8-of-23 shooting from the field, 1-of-9 shooting from three. Brown has some serious limitations in his game, mostly that he struggles to dribble with his left hand. His playmaking and decision-making, as well as his off-ball defense, would have to significantly improve for him to be worthy of top-20 consideration. Brown is a good player, obviously, but this is too rich for me.
No. 41 Klay Thompson, G, Golden State Warriors
It feels harsh to call Thompson overrated after the way he battled back from a torn ACL and torn Achilles that cost him multiple years of his career. Thompson deserves a ton of credit for attacking his rehab and getting back on the court to be a valuable member of the Warriors’ 2022 championship team. As inspiring as his return has been, the injuries have taken a toll on Thompson’s overall potency. That was obvious in the 2023 playoffs, when he shot only 38.8 percent from the field and admitted that he looked “friend” upon rewatching himself. Everyone loves Klay, but we can be real about his impact as the calendar flips to 2024.
Just right
No. 17 Jamal Murray, G, Denver Nuggets
No. 16 Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Heat
Murray and Adebayo solidified their reputations with an incredible run through the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Murray earns top-20 honors on this list despite never making an All-Star team but he deserves it after once again raising his level of play to new heights at the most important time of the year — the postseason. Adebayo can be a difficult player to evaluate because he’s not a volume scorer, but his versatility in defending the pick-and-roll and ability to facilitate to his teammates offensively makes him such a unique piece. It’s hard to question these guys after what they did in the playoffs last year.
