Erick Blasco's Top 30 Small Forwards

3. Shane Battier—Houston Rockets

Battier is far and away the best wing defender in the NBA. His quick hands have always been able to poach lazy dribbles, he muscles weaker opponents off their game, and he spends so much time scouting opponent’s moves and practicing his footwork, that he often knows what his opponents will do before they do.

What separates Battier’s defense from that of other specialists is not only his quickness, but also his sheer physicality off the ball. Not only will he lock players up on the outside, but he’ll blow up off-ball cuts before they can happen.

On offense, Battier is a reliable three-point shooter, a willing passer, and a strong finisher along the baseline. If asked why a more dynamic player like Carmelo Anthony is ranked below Battier, ask yourself which is better, Battier’s offense or Carmelo’s defense?

4. Carmelo Anthony—Denver Nuggets

Anthony has dynamic athleticism, great strength, and a myriad of ways to score the ball. He’s also the best non-center/power forward post player in the league, because of his explosive athleticism, and his gifted passing skills from the post.

However, not once in Anthony’s career has he dedicated himself to the defensive end of the court, nor has he shown the mental toughness to succeed in the playoffs. Carmelo is just as immature as he is talented—one of the many reasons Denver has gone nowhere under his leadership.

5. Brandon Roy—Portland Trail Blazers

A future superstar, Roy’s game is as mature as it is smooth. More cerebral than athletic, Roy is blessed with a high basketball IQ, a clever handle, a reliable mid-range game, long strides which allow him to get to the rim a beat quicker than defenders expect, and quick hands and feet on defense.

The only thing holding Roy back is a relative lack of explosion, though with more experience he’ll be so sharp he’ll easily be able to compensate.

6. Caron Butler—Washington Wizards

Butler probably has the quickest pair of hands in the NBA, which allows him to menace opposing dribblers along the perimeter. His range has improved, but his jumper is still questionable, and he doesn’t have a first-class handle which prevents him from being an elite superstar.

7. Bruce Bowen—San Antonio Spurs

An elite perimeter defender, Bowen is also a reliable three-point shooter and entry passer on offense. Unlike other wing defenders like Shane Battier and Ron Artest, Bowen can be had off the ball by sharp physical cuts and post ups.

8. Hedo Turkoglu—Orlando Magic

Orlando’s Paul Pierce, Turkoglu was asked to be Orlando’s primary scorer, shooter, and facilitator last season, and he performed each task exceptionally well. Throw in the fact that he’s always been a good defender, a good rebounder, and big in the clutch, and Turkoglu was Orlando’s MVP last season.

However, he isn’t as defensively prolific as Bowen and Butler and he is turnover prone—the two traits holding him at eight on the list.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?