Category: NBPA

NBPA Top 100 Camp Top 30 Players: 10-1

June 7, 2024

Since ’94, hundreds of NBA players have come through the Top 100 Camp. This year’s event is set to take place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, FL, from June 8-13. But first, to celebrate 30 incredible years, we’re looking back at the top 30 NBPA members who have hit the court at the Top 100 Camp.

Check out the top 30-21 players here and 20-11 here.

10. Klay Thompson

“Buckets and Chill.” The cover line from SLAM 215—featured below an iconic photo of Klay Thompson rocking sunglasses and lounging in a beach chair—pretty much sums it up. Laid-back off the court, Thompson has always been an assassin on it. He’s won four championships, made five All-Star teams and scored over 15,500 points with the Golden State Warriors. When Klay (also known as “Game 6 Klay”) had the hot hand, it was a wrap for whoever was on the other side. In 2015, he set the NBA record for points in a quarter with 37.

9. Devin Booker

If we’re talking pure bucket-getters, Devin Booker’s name has to be mentioned. The dynamic guard from Grand Rapids, MI, has developed a complete offensive game. He can attack the basket and finish around the rim; his mid-range arsenal is elite; and he’s a serious threat from behind the arc. Just go watch the highlights from his 70-point masterpiece in 2017 or his 59-point gem in 2019 or his 62-point outburst this past season. At 27 years old, Book is a 4x All-Star with even more room to improve. Rest assured, there are a lot more buckets to come.

8. Derrick Rose

D-Rose graced the cover of SLAM while he was a freshman at Memphis in 2007-08. The cover line read: “Fresh to Death. Derrick Rose is the NBA’s next big star.” Truthfully, that prediction could have been made even earlier, when the explosive guard was lighting up the court at Simeon Career Academy (IL) and made his appearance at the Top 100 Camp. In 2011, at the age of 22, Rose became the youngest MVP in NBA history. His career has been filled with adversity due to numerous injuries, but the 3x All-Star has persevered through it all to leave a major imprint on the game. 

7. Anthony Davis

From Perspectives Charter (IL) to the University of Kentucky to the NBA, Anthony Davis has more than lived up to the hype. It all started when the kid from Chicago hit a major growth spurt in high school, maintaining his guard skills while adjusting to a new big-man frame. Davis went on to win the Naismith Award, Wooden Award and an NCAA championship in his sole season at Kentucky before getting drafted with the first overall pick by New Orleans. He’s been hampered by injuries throughout his 12 years in the League, but Davis has still accomplished basically everything there is to accomplish at the highest level, including getting a ring in 2020. 

6. Kyrie Irving

The man with arguably the greatest handles of all time attended the Top 100 Camp back when he was a high school sensation in New Jersey. Irving spent one year at Duke before entering the 2011 NBA Draft, where he was picked first by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’s been an All-Star eight times and sunk one of the biggest shots in NBA history in 2016, helping the Cavs complete their epic 3-1 comeback to win the title. With that shot and countless ankle breakers, mind-boggling layups and cold-blooded game-winners, Irving’s highlight reel is a must-watch. Really, it’s the work of a basketball genius.

5. Dwight Howard

Not too long ago, when the role of center was viewed very differently, Dwight Howard was perhaps the most powerful and unstoppable force in basketball. A young superstar at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy (GA), Howard won Gatorade National Player of the Year and then was selected with the first overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. He bounced around quite a bit after leaving Orlando in 2012, which led many to forget what he did during those early years in the League, including making five consecutive All-NBA First Team appearances and winning three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards. Consider this your reminder.

4. James Harden

From Artesia High School in Lakewood, CA, where he won two state championships and was a McDonald’s All-American in 2007, to now, James Harden has carved out an incredible career that frequently gets overlooked. This is a guy who averaged 31.7 points, 8.5 assists and 6.6 rebounds (!) over a five-season span from 2015-20—a stretch that included an MVP award in 2018. He was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team in 2021, and deservedly so. 

3. Kevin Durant

Coming out of the DMV, Kevin Durant was one of the most hyped prospects in the nation. And since then, well, he hasn’t disappointed one bit. The future Hall of Famer has said that he probably would have gone straight to the NBA from high school if the one-and-done rule didn’t exist. Instead, he starred at Texas for one season and then got scooped with the second overall pick by the Seattle SuperSonics in 2007. Durant is undoubtedly one of the greatest offensive talents in NBA history, winning the League’s scoring title four times. When he has it going—which, over the past 17 years, has been a very common occurrence—there’s literally nothing anyone can do to stop him.

2. Stephen Curry

A slept-on prospect from Charlotte Christian School named Stephen Curry attended the Top 100 Camp before going to Davidson, where he became a 2x consensus All-American and led the Wildcats to the 2008 Elite Eight. The skinny kid with a baby face from North Carolina was still somewhat slept on, falling to seventh in the 2009 NBA Draft. But even those who foresaw greatness in Curry could not have predicted this: 10x All-Star and All-NBA, 2x MVP, 4x Champion and the all-time leader in three-pointers made. Oh yeah, and he completely changed the way the game is played.

1. Kobe Bryant

It was clear when he was dominating at Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania that Kobe Bean Bryant was special. He was one of the first future stars to attend the Top 100 Camp, jumping straight to the NBA in 1996. It wasn’t long before he was dominating at that level, too. The résumé is undeniable—18x All-Star, 15x All-NBA, 12x All-Defense, 5x NBA Champion, 2x Finals MVP, 2008 MVP, the list goes on—but Bryant was most defined by his relentless work ethic, remarkable determination and absurd competitiveness. The Mamba Mentality, as his approach to the game and other endeavors came to be called, continues to inspire people everywhere.

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Former NBA Player Lazar Hayward is Channeling His Creativity Through His Clothing Brand Nobel

June 6, 2024

Growing up, Lazar Hayward remembers gravitating towards brands like Iceberg. Seeing Nas, Raekwon and Jay-Z rock tees and knit sweaters bearing Snoopy, Mickey Mouse and Popeye seemed so effortlessly hip-hop. He’d tag along with his dad on weekend trips into the city where they’d travel around NYC’s fashion district and fill upwards of five hockey bags with pieces and then flip them at his dad’s flea market booths. When he wanted to turn up the sophistication, he’d sneak into his dad’s closet and snag one of his many silk shirts. Red, brown, white, navy, black; a collection of perfect base colors lay at Hayward’s fingertips.

“I was taking all of them joints, sneaking ‘em right in my bookbag and he was getting pissed,” Hayward says with a laugh. 

Mixing his streetwear origins with an elevated grandeur has become the bedrock for the clothing brand Hayward founded in 2020, Nobel. Now, Hayward finds himself on the other side of the coin. Last year, Nobel’s exclusive shorts for the Las Vegas Summer League sold out. Since then, everyone from current NBA players to the NBPA has been hitting him up in hopes of getting their hands on the next drop. 

Following a four-year career at Marquette, the All-Big East selection was chosen in the first round of the 2010 NBA draft, carving out a seven-year career between the L and the G-League. After quietly stepping away from professional basketball, Hayward began looking for another outlet to channel his expression.

“And I was like, fashion. I don’t have to put my name on it, I don’t really care to put my face there,” Hayward tells SLAM. “Nobel, I chose that name for a reason because there was so much crap going on and I just thought that, being nobel even though there’s a bunch of shit happening to you in your life, you can still do right. I just needed a constant reminder, and that’s why Nobel came in.”

When Hayward launched the brand four years ago, he envisioned clothing pieces that told stories by gelling the energy of the street with an unspoken elegance. He references everything from Chanel to how we position photographs within our magazine as the visions for his inspiration.

Steeped in Hayward’s love for Roman numerals and vintage architecture, Nobel captures a graceful edge through distorted floral imagery and archaic detailing. From vibrant colors and pastel palettes to refined aesthetics and angles, Hawyard has crafted his own form of elegance through Nobel.

As Hayward tirelessly worked through the beginning stages of the brand’s development, the NBPA took notice, inviting the founder to join the union’s Players Accelerator Program. Throughout the pilot launch in 2020, Hayward took part in every workshop and panel he could be a part of. His persistent dedication has led to continued partnerships within the program.

For the past two years, Nobel has been working with the Players Association at the Las Vegas Summer League. In 2022, Hayward cooked up event-exclusive tees with Roman numerals depicting the founding year of the NBPA–1954. Alongside various NBPA member brands last year, Nobel returned to Las Vegas where the brand sold an updated crop of designs at the PA’s first-ever pop-up retail experience. 

“Everything is organic with me, everything. I really stand on that. No matter how long it takes, even with money, business, all that, I just want it to be organic,” Hayward tells SLAM.

The recent run of exposure continued into this past All-Star weekend when we teamed up with Hayward and Nobel for a collaborative series of heavy tees, merging our two brand’s unrelenting passion for the game and its intersection with fashion. Mirroring the success at the NBPA pop-up in Vegas, two of the three pieces within the capsule sold out by Saturday’s end. Don’t worry, we’ve still got sizes left in this crisp white tee.

SHOP SLAM x NOBEL COLLECTION

Since stepping away from the hardwood and into an outlet of his own imagination, Lazar Hayward has crafted a distinct lane for creative expression to roam free. His journey, like countless other players, has become a blueprint for the current generation of future entrepreneurs to analyze. He’s sending packages of threads to the League’s brightest stars, studying fabrics in the depths of LA factories, collaborating with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves (keep ya eyes peeled) and selling out pop-up venues. Even though he still hasn’t gotten his hands on the shorts that sold out at Summer League in 2023, he’ll be back in Vegas this summer with a new collection in tow.

“I’m gonna get me some this time though,” Hayward laughs.

Photos via Lazar Hayward.

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NBPA Top 100 Camp Top 30 Players: 20-11

June 5, 2024

Since ’94, hundreds of NBA players have come through the Top 100 Camp. This year’s event is set to take place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, FL, from June 8-13. But first, to celebrate 30 incredible years, we’re looking back at the top 30 NBPA members who have hit the court at the Top 100 Camp. Check out the top 30-11 players here.

20. Jason Richardson

Don’t let those epic dunk contests—and they were definitely epic—in the early 2000s distract you from the bigger picture: Jason Richardson was an all-around hooper who had an incredibly productive 13-year NBA career. The Michigan native was the fifth overall pick in the 2001 Draft and made an immediate impact for the Warriors, posting 14.4 ppg as a rookie. For the next nine seasons, his scoring average never dipped below 15 and rose as high as 23.2 in 2005-06. Perhaps the most telling stat about J-Rich? Of the 857 games he appeared in, he started 842 of them.

19. Richard Jefferson

Kids, listen up: Before Richard Jefferson was on TV talking about the game, the man could flat out ball. The versatile forward out of Arizona played for eight teams over a 17-year NBA career. He was a key piece of a notable New Jersey Nets squad that reached the Finals twice, falling short to the Lakers in 2002 and the Spurs in 2003. RJ would finally get his ring as a veteran in 2016, coming off the bench for the Cavaliers when they overcame a 3-1 deficit to topple the Warriors.

18. Lamar Odom

A 6-10 point forward from Queens, NY, Lamar Odom’s game was extremely unique and made him extremely difficult to contain. He could handle the ball, initiate fastbreaks and orchestrate the offense. He had outstanding court vision and knew how to make plays for his teammates. As he once told SLAM, “Since New York City basketball is mainly a guard’s game, I learned how to be a guard.” He could control the post, isolate on the wing and work off the ball. That versatile skill set led L.O. to become a 2x NBA Champion and the 2011 Sixth Man of the Year. From 1999-2011, he averaged 14.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4 assists. 

17. Rajon Rondo

Shortly after 4x All-Star and 2x Champion Rajon Rondo, who ranks 15th on the NBA’s all-time assist list, made his retirement official back in April, LeBron James said this about his former teammate: “One of the best players I ever played with. Obviously, his IQ was out of this world. I was very lucky to get to team up with him…’Do always talked about if he ever teamed up with me, he knew we could win a championship. And we did that.” When you earn praise like that from one of the greatest to ever do it, nothing else needs to be said. Rondo returned to camp as a participant in the Top 100 coaching program, paying it forward to the next generation of basketball greats. 

16. Joe Johnson

It didn’t matter what uniform he was wearing or what arena he was hooping in or who was guarding him, you could always count on Iso Joe to take over in crunch time. The man had ice in his veins. During his 18 years in the League, Johnson hit an absurd amount of clutch shots and game-winners. His best years were spent with the Hawks, but the talented guard also got buckets for the Suns and Nets. He scored over 20,000 points for his career, made seven All-Star teams and delivered countless unforgettable moments.

15. LaMarcus Aldridge 

He was one of the top high school prospects in the nation, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year while at Texas, the second overall pick in 2006 and a 7x NBA All-Star. And still, LaMarcus Aldridge’s career tends to be underrated. From 2008-20, the big man averaged 20.2 points and 8.6 rebounds. During that stretch, when LMA caught it on the low post, it was game over. He was a maestro in the mid-range, and his touch around the basket was always money. Just ask Trail Blazers’ and Spurs’ fans about Aldridge—they’ll have a lot of fond memories of watching this dude ball.

14. Jermaine O’Neal

A superstar at Eau Claire High School in Columbia, SC, O’Neal jumped straight to the NBA in 1996, drafted with the 17th overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers. It would take several years and a trade to the Indiana Pacers for J.O. to unlock his full potential in the League, but when he finally did, the big man was a serious problem. He won the Most Improved Player award in 2001-02 and appeared in six straight All-Star Games from 2002-07. Overall, he spent 18 seasons in the NBA with seven different franchises, but that run with the Pacers was definitely the most memorable. And in a full circle moment, his son, Jermaine O’Neal Jr., is attending this year’s camp. 

13. Trae Young

A lot of crazy crossovers and nutmegs and lobs and deep threes come to mind when you think of Trae Young, and rightfully so. But the image that stands out the most? The Atlanta Hawks guard at Madison Square Garden, holding a finger to his lips after silencing the crowd with a game-winning floater during a first-round playoff matchup against the Knicks in 2021. Shhhh. That moment perfectly captured Young: a fiery, fearless, trash-talking competitor with the ridiculous talent to back it up. There’s a reason they call him Ice Trae.

12. Jaylen Brown

Here’s how Kemba Walker described Jaylen Brown to SLAM back in 2020, when the two were teammates: “He’s a guy who’s worked extremely hard at his game. He can do it all. He can score, he can pass, he can rebound, he can shoot. He’s fearless. He’s a competitor.” Brown was Georgia’s Mr. Basketball in 2015 and played one season at the University of California, Berkeley, before being drafted third overall by the Boston Celtics in 2016. The athletic forward has blossomed into a star for the Cs, helping them contend in the Eastern Conference year after year after year. Since attending Top 100, Brown has stayed involved with the NBPA, becoming one of the youngest players elected to the NBPA Executive Committee in 2019.

11. DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan’s journey has brought him from the West Coast (Compton and Los Angeles) to the North (Toronto) to the South (San Antonio) to the Midwest (Chicago). Along the way, he’s been a McDonald’s All-American, a Pac-10 Tournament MVP, a lottery pick in 2009 and a 6x NBA All-Star. He spent the first nine years of his NBA career in The 6, where he became the Raptors’ all-time leading scorer and reached the playoffs five times. He’s had more standout moments since, including averaging a career-high 27.9 points with the Bulls in 2021-22. Salute to a real one.

Action photo via Getty Images.

The post NBPA Top 100 Camp Top 30 Players: 20-11 appeared first on SLAM.

NBPA Top 100 Camp Top 30 Players: 20-11

June 5, 2024

Since ’94, hundreds of NBA players have come through the Top 100 Camp. This year’s event is set to take place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, FL, from June 8-13. But first, to celebrate 30 incredible years, we’re looking back at the top 30 NBPA members who have hit the court at the Top 100 Camp. Check out the top 30-21 players here.

20. Jason Richardson

Don’t let those epic dunk contests—and they were definitely epic—in the early 2000s distract you from the bigger picture: Jason Richardson was an all-around hooper who had an incredibly productive 13-year NBA career. The Michigan native was the fifth overall pick in the 2001 Draft and made an immediate impact for the Warriors, posting 14.4 ppg as a rookie. For the next nine seasons, his scoring average never dipped below 15 and rose as high as 23.2 in 2005-06. Perhaps the most telling stat about J-Rich? Of the 857 games he appeared in, he started 842 of them.

19. Richard Jefferson

Kids, listen up: Before Richard Jefferson was on TV talking about the game, the man could flat out ball. The versatile forward out of Arizona played for eight teams over a 17-year NBA career. He was a key piece of a notable New Jersey Nets squad that reached the Finals twice, falling short to the Lakers in 2002 and the Spurs in 2003. RJ would finally get his ring as a veteran in 2016, coming off the bench for the Cavaliers when they overcame a 3-1 deficit to topple the Warriors.

18. Lamar Odom

A 6-10 point forward from Queens, NY, Lamar Odom’s game was extremely unique and made him extremely difficult to contain. He could handle the ball, initiate fastbreaks and orchestrate the offense. He had outstanding court vision and knew how to make plays for his teammates. As he once told SLAM, “Since New York City basketball is mainly a guard’s game, I learned how to be a guard.” He could control the post, isolate on the wing and work off the ball. That versatile skill set led L.O. to become a 2x NBA Champion and the 2011 Sixth Man of the Year. From 1999-2011, he averaged 14.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4 assists. 

17. Rajon Rondo

Shortly after 4x All-Star and 2x Champion Rajon Rondo, who ranks 15th on the NBA’s all-time assist list, made his retirement official back in April, LeBron James said this about his former teammate: “One of the best players I ever played with. Obviously, his IQ was out of this world. I was very lucky to get to team up with him…’Do always talked about if he ever teamed up with me, he knew we could win a championship. And we did that.” When you earn praise like that from one of the greatest to ever do it, nothing else needs to be said. Rondo returned to camp as a participant in the Top 100 coaching program, paying it forward to the next generation of basketball greats. 

16. Joe Johnson

It didn’t matter what uniform he was wearing or what arena he was hooping in or who was guarding him, you could always count on Iso Joe to take over in crunch time. The man had ice in his veins. During his 18 years in the League, Johnson hit an absurd amount of clutch shots and game-winners. His best years were spent with the Hawks, but the talented guard also got buckets for the Suns and Nets. He scored over 20,000 points for his career, made seven All-Star teams and delivered countless unforgettable moments.

15. LaMarcus Aldridge 

He was one of the top high school prospects in the nation, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year while at Texas, the second overall pick in 2006 and a 7x NBA All-Star. And still, LaMarcus Aldridge’s career tends to be underrated. From 2008-20, the big man averaged 20.2 points and 8.6 rebounds. During that stretch, when LMA caught it on the low post, it was game over. He was a maestro in the mid-range, and his touch around the basket was always money. Just ask Trail Blazers’ and Spurs’ fans about Aldridge—they’ll have a lot of fond memories of watching this dude ball.

14. Jermaine O’Neal

A superstar at Eau Claire High School in Columbia, SC, O’Neal jumped straight to the NBA in 1996, drafted with the 17th overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers. It would take several years and a trade to the Indiana Pacers for J.O. to unlock his full potential in the League, but when he finally did, the big man was a serious problem. He won the Most Improved Player award in 2001-02 and appeared in six straight All-Star Games from 2002-07. Overall, he spent 18 seasons in the NBA with seven different franchises, but that run with the Pacers was definitely the most memorable. And in a full circle moment, his son, Jermaine O’Neal Jr., is attending this year’s camp. 

13. Trae Young

A lot of crazy crossovers and nutmegs and lobs and deep threes come to mind when you think of Trae Young, and rightfully so. But the image that stands out the most? The Atlanta Hawks guard at Madison Square Garden, holding a finger to his lips after silencing the crowd with a game-winning floater during a first-round playoff matchup against the Knicks in 2021. Shhhh. That moment perfectly captured Young: a fiery, fearless, trash-talking competitor with the ridiculous talent to back it up. There’s a reason they call him Ice Trae.

12. Jaylen Brown

Here’s how Kemba Walker described Jaylen Brown to SLAM back in 2020, when the two were teammates: “He’s a guy who’s worked extremely hard at his game. He can do it all. He can score, he can pass, he can rebound, he can shoot. He’s fearless. He’s a competitor.” Brown was Georgia’s Mr. Basketball in 2015 and played one season at the University of California, Berkeley, before being drafted third overall by the Boston Celtics in 2016. The athletic forward has blossomed into a star for the Cs, helping them contend in the Eastern Conference year after year after year. Since attending Top 100, Brown has stayed involved with the NBPA, becoming one of the youngest players elected to the NBPA Executive Committee in 2019.

11. DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan’s journey has brought him from the West Coast (Compton and Los Angeles) to the North (Toronto) to the South (San Antonio) to the Midwest (Chicago). Along the way, he’s been a McDonald’s All-American, a Pac-10 Tournament MVP, a lottery pick in 2009 and a 6x NBA All-Star. He spent the first nine years of his NBA career in The 6, where he became the Raptors’ all-time leading scorer and reached the playoffs five times. He’s had more standout moments since, including averaging a career-high 27.9 points with the Bulls in 2021-22. Salute to a real one.

Action photo via Getty Images.

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NBPA Top 100 Camp Top 30 Players: 30-21

June 3, 2024

In 1994, the same year that SLAM was founded, another staple in the basketball world made its big debut: the National Basketball Players Association’s Top 100 Camp. For three decades, the NBPA has been involved in guiding many of your favorite players long before they reached the NBA. Through extensive programming, the Top 100 Camp prepares elite high school hoopers for whatever the future may hold, both on and off the court. The camp emphasizes three core principles necessary for players to maximize their potential: character, education and skill development. 

Campers receive mentorship from current and former NBA players and follow an advanced training regimen designed to prepare them for the next level. In addition, every camper participates in group discussions and classes centering on topics such as stress management, recruiting pressures and more. 

Since ’94, hundreds of NBA players have come through the Top 100 Camp. This year’s event is set to take place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, FL, from June 8-13.

But first, to celebrate 30 incredible years, we’re looking back at the top 30 NBPA members who have hit the court at the Top 100 Camp.

30. Zach LaVine 

Of all the high-flyers on this list, Zach LaVine might have the craziest hops. At 6-5, 200 pounds, he somehow makes zipping past defenders, soaring through the air and punching a nasty jam over a seven-footer look effortless. His jaw-dropping highlights and incredible performances in dunk contests—like his legendary duel with Aaron Gordon in 2016—alone make him a suitable candidate for this list, but LaVine is also a two-time All-Star and an elite all-around scorer who has averaged over 20 points per game for his career. 

29. Zion Williamson 

It’s rare for a high school player to land on the cover of SLAM. But then again, it’s rare for a high school player to be like Zion Williamson was in 2017. The kid from Spartanburg, SC, demanded our attention, regularly going viral on social media for his unfathomable dunks and blocks. The eventual cover line: “He’s 16. He’s 6-7. He’s explosive like Russ. He dunks like LeBron. Are you ready for Zion Williamson?” No lies told. In fact, at the Top 100 Camp in 2016, he was named MVP. Unfortunately, the Zion experience has been limited in the NBA due to injuries, but when the New Orleans Pelicans star has been healthy, he’s been an unstoppable force who still lights up social media.

28. Bam Adebayo

In an interview with SLAM in 2019, Jimmy Butler described his teammate Bam Adebayo—now a 3x All-Star—perfectly: “He works super hard and he’s everywhere on the floor. You need him to pass it, he can pass it. He rebounds, he handles the ball, he sets great screens. You can’t take him off the floor. He’s a key part to what we want to do and what we will continue to do. [Head coach Erik Spoelstra] knows—in order to win, you gotta have Bam out there on the floor.” That all still applies today.

27. De’Aaron Fox

Don’t blink—you might miss De’Aaron Fox do something spectacular. The lightning quick guard was a McDonald’s All-American in high school, ranked as one of the top recruits in the nation. He went to the University of Kentucky for one year, starring alongside Bam Adebayo and Malik Monk, before entering the 2017 NBA Draft, where he was picked fifth overall by the Sacramento Kings. Slowly but surely, Fox has developed into an All-Star and made the Kings exciting and relevant for the first time in a long time. 

26. Karl-Anthony Towns

We have seen very few big men in the history of the NBA with the versatility and skill set of Karl-Anthony Towns. That’s to say: We have seen very few big men in the history of the NBA who are just as comfortable behind the arc and in the mid-range as they are in the paint. KAT, now 28, stands seven feet tall, has averaged 10.8 rebounds per game over his nine seasons in the League and is a career 40 percent three-point shooter. And he just helped lead the best Timberwolves team in two decades all the way to the Western Conference Finals.

25. DeAndre Jordan

During those peak Lob City years, DeAndre Jordan owned the paint for the Los Angeles Clippers. He controlled the glass, averaging 13.1 rebounds per game from 2013-18. He protected the rim, averaging 1.8 blocks over that same span. And occasionally, he threw down a dunk so vicious, so powerful, so unbelievable, that teammates and fans were left wondering what the hell just happened (please go rewatch his poster on Brandon Knight). Jordan now brings veteran leadership to the Denver Nuggets, where he helped the franchise capture its first championship in 2023.

24. Donovan Mitchell

Twelve teams passed on Spida in the 2017 NBA Draft. Twelve. Mitchell, who hails from Elmsford, NY, and went to college at Louisville, made most of those teams regret that decision almost immediately. He averaged 20.5 points as a rookie and was an All-Star by his third season. He’s now made five straight All-Star Games, including in 2023 when he was named a starter. Very few players in the League possess Mitchell’s combination of athleticism and skill. To put it plainly: the explosive guard—currently on the NBPA Executive Committee—is impossible to stop. And at 27 years old, he’s just entering his prime.

23. Al Horford

For the past 16 years, Big Al has been a big presence in the NBA. The reliable center is still playing a pivotal role for a historically good Boston Celtics team that just tore its way through the Eastern Conference. Horford was a star at Grand Ledge High School in Michigan, won back-to-back national championships at the University of Florida (2006, 2007) and has been named an All-Star five times during his lengthy NBA career (four times with the Hawks, once with the Cs). And he ain’t done yet. 

22. Kyle Lowry

When he entered the League in 2006, Kyle Lowry didn’t take off right away. In fact, it wasn’t until his fifth season in the NBA that the 6-0 point guard, who had been traded by the Grizzlies to the Rockets in ’09, became a permanent starter. Lowry hasn’t looked back since, guiding teams in Houston, Toronto, Miami and Philly with his hard-nosed, aggressive, energetic style of play—a style that has made him a fan favorite and earned him six All-Star selections. In the North, where he won a championship in 2019, Lowry will always be known as Mr. Raptor.

21. Baron Davis 

Baron Davis was an artist with the basketball. Ridiculous dribble packages, flashy assists, monster posters—the 1997 Gatorade National Player of the Year and two-time NBA All-Star always put on a show. After starring at UCLA, Davis was the third overall pick in the 1999 Draft and helped lead a formidable Hornets team for the first stretch of his pro career. He later joined the iconic “We Believe” Warriors squad that advanced to the second round of the 2007 playoffs as a No. 8 seed. Injuries robbed us of more years watching him play, no question, but when the electrifying guard was at his best, that was some of the most entertaining ball to watch.

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