The most overrated NBA players on ESPN’s top 100 list

ESPN revealed their checklist of the NBA’s top 100 players on Wednesday, with little shock that three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is No. 1 and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is No. 2. However additional down the checklist, there are some gamers listed greater than their accomplishments, abilities and well being may benefit. Listed here are essentially the most overrated gamers on the checklist.

There is not any denying Victor Wembanyama’s huge, huge potential. The 21-year-old led the NBA in blocks final season in simply 46 video games, after lacking the second half of the season with deep vein thrombosis. He made his first All-Star crew and averaged 11 rebounds and three.1 three-pointers.

Nonetheless, it does not really feel just like the 7-foot-3 Wembanyama has completed sufficient to rank forward of gamers like Anthony Edwards (No. 6), Stephen Curry (No. 7) and LeBron James (No. 8) but. Would you actually take Wembanyama over these three gamers in a must-win sport?

Wemby has unimaginable upside and had an action-packed summer coaching for his third NBA season. However for his first two NBA seasons, his crew has been outright unhealthy. It is untimely to place Wemby within the high 5 earlier than we have ever seen him within the playoffs.

Anthony Davis is a unbelievable defensive participant and inside scorer when he is on the courtroom, averaging 24.7 factors and 11.6 rebounds final yr. However the important thing phrase is “when he is on the courtroom.”

The Forehead missed 31 video games final season. He sat out 26 video games in 2022-23, 42 in 2021-22 and 35 in 2020-21. The results of the accidents are displaying in his sport. Davis is taking extra three-point photographs, but hasn’t shot higher than 30% from deep in 5 seasons. He prefers to play energy ahead as an alternative of middle, making his lack of spacing a much bigger downside.

AD continues to be a drive. However like No. 20 Kawhi Leonard, ESPN is overrating former superstars by assuming they will be wholesome, at the same time as each gamers enter their mid-30s.

Scottie Barnes averaged 19.3 factors final season and shot a dreadful 27.1% from three-point vary final season, contributing to his career-low capturing effectivity numbers. He does have ball dealing with abilities and passing means (5.8 assists per sport, 2.8 turnovers) that allowed the Raptors to run the offense by way of him, however that offense was one of many worst within the NBA final season (and in 2023-24).

Final yr Barnes took extra photographs, used extra possessions, however delivered fewer factors and assists. It is not a optimistic development. Barnes is a talented defender, however he is not so good as No. 31 Jaren Jackson, Jr., an All-Defensive large man who anchored a greater protection whereas capturing 37.5% on threes. Placing Barnes forward of him is solely wishful, and Franz Wagner (No. 32) is an identical, higher model of Barnes.

One normal for a top-100 NBA participant ought to be whether or not he sees the courtroom in a playoff collection. For Jonathan Kuminga within the first spherical final season, the reply was no, as he performed simply 50 minutes in seven video games. He did get enjoying time within the second spherical after Curry’s harm, the place he averaged 24.3 factors per sport — in 4 video games the Warriors misplaced by a median of 12.3 factors.

Kuminga is not an important match on the Warriors alongside Jimmy Butler (No. 18) and Draymond Inexperienced (No. 51), since he shot 30.5% on three-pointers. He isn’t excellent at something besides scoring inside. Whereas he is excellent at that — and may thrive on a brand new crew — Kuminga’s inconsistent protection, capturing, passing and rebounding (4.6 per sport) make it robust to name him a top-five participant on his personal crew, not to mention the 83rd-best participant within the NBA.