NBA Predictions: Ranking the Top 50 Players in the League, 5 Seasons from Now
Right now, I don't think there's much of an argument as to who the best player in the NBA is. Even haters (like myself) have to admit that the most talented player on the planet is LeBron James. Will he still be able to claim that five years from now?
Or will someone like Kevin Durant or Blake Griffin be able to take over as the game's best all-around player?
No need to wait and see. Here's who the top 50 players in the NBA will be, five years from now...
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50: Kemba Walker
1 of 51Age in Five Years: 26
I don't see Kemba Walker ever developing into an elite true point guard, but I do think he has a lot of potential to be a Jason Terry-type scorer.
49: Joe Johnson
2 of 51Age in Five Years: 35
Joe Johnson will obviously never be worth the massive contract Atlanta gave him, but his style seems like the kind that could translate into old age. I think he could be at least relatively effective until he's 40.
48: Anthony Davis
3 of 51Age in Five Years: 23
Davis is one of the most hyped prospects in the 2012 draft class. He's a 6'10", versatile forward heading to Kentucky who some think may be the next Kevin Garnett, while others believe he may be the next Brandan Wright.
47: Kevin Martin
4 of 51Age in Five Years: 33
Kevin Martin's greatest attribute is his ability to shoot. That's a skill that generally gets better with age.
46: Tyler Hansbrough
5 of 51Age in Five Years: 30
He's already one of the most underrated forwards in the NBA. He's averaged 18 points and nine rebounds per 36 minutes in his first two years. If he gets a chance, Hansbrough will prove that he can be a starting-caliber four at this level.
Because of his hard-nose style, I actually think his peak years are two or three seasons down the road and he'll be on the decline by this time.
45: Jimmer Fredette
6 of 51Age in Five Years: 27
I'm sure throngs of Jimmer haters have just hurled their computers across the room on this one. Most think that he won't develop because he's a 6'3" white American point guard. The simple fact of the matter is, he has just as much potential as anyone selected this year.
He proved countless times throughout his college career that he has the ability to score on bigger, longer and supposedly more athletic defenders. Even still, people questioned him heading into the draft. He proved more doubters wrong in the pre-draft camp and workouts. Still, people doubt him.
I'm sure Jimmer understands the only way to silence these people is to perform well at this level. That will be his motivation and that's why this ranking may actually be too low.
44: Dirk Nowitzki
7 of 51Age in Five Years: 38
This is a pretty bold claim, because who knows if Dirk will even be in the league anymore? If he does play to the ripe old age of 38 (or beyond), his unstoppable mid-range jump shot will make him a factor.
43: Kobe Bryant
8 of 51Age in Five Years: 37
At the age of 32, Kobe Bryant has already played 1,311 games (playoffs included) over 15 seasons. And that's not counting international competition or preseason. He's also participated in countless hours of practice and individual workouts.
If he hasn't worn down by 37, we may have to start questioning what planet he's from.
42: Wesley Matthews
9 of 51Age in Five Years: 29
By this time, I think Wesley Matthews may develop into the kind of player that Joe Johnson is now. He has a very solid, smooth all-around offensive game.
41: Chris Bosh
10 of 51Age in Five Years: 32
Bosh is a borderline top-25 player right now and will be right on the precipice of an athletic decline in five years. He'll still be a great drive, draw and kick option for Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.
40: Danny Granger
11 of 51Age in Five Years: 33
Much like Paul Pierce, Granger's game will carry him well into his 30s. I could see him averaging 20 points a game until he's 34 or 35.
39: Andrea Bargnani
12 of 51Age in Five Years: 30
Bargnani has taken a lot of heat for not living up to his status as a No. 1 overall pick. The negativity has taken away from what would otherwise be considered a promising young career.
At 25, the seven-footer averaged over 21 points a game while showing off a solid perimeter game (37 percent career three-point shooter).
Yes, he needs to improve as a rebounder, but that kind of versatility from a player that size is extremely valuable.
If he significantly improves his rebounding and defense, he could eventually be considered the next Dirk Nowitzki. No. 39 is actually a safe pick for me on this player.
38: Ryan Anderson
13 of 51Age in Five Years: 28
OK, time for me to get bold. Sixth Man of the Year Lamar Odom is the only bench player in the league with a higher Player Efficiency Rating than Ryan Anderson (and Odom started 30 games).
As a member of the Magic, Anderson has averaged 18 points and nine rebounds per 36 minutes while hitting nearly 40 percent of his three-point attempts.
He's a very versatile 6'10" player who could be a star if he simply gets the opportunity.
37: Tony Parker
14 of 51Age in Five Years: 34
A couple of the most important aspects of Tony Parker's game are his speed and quickness. By the time he hits 34, he will definitely be slowing down.
36: Rodrigue Beaubois
15 of 51Age in Five Years: 28
When Rodrigue Beaubois finally emerges from Jason Kidd's shadow, it could be reminiscent of the way Aaron Rodgers came up after Brett Favre in Green Bay.
This guy has a ton of talent and, if he learns how to play point guard from one of the NBA's all-time greats (Jason Kidd), he could be elite.
In two seasons in Dallas, Beaubois has averaged 19 points, four rebounds and four assists per 36 minutes while shooting 48 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point range. And the 23-year-old already has one 40-point game under his belt.
35: Jrue Holiday
16 of 51Age in Five Years: 26
Jrue Holiday is just 21 years old and has already shown a great deal of promise in two years in the NBA. He averaged 14 points, 6.5 assists and four rebounds a game for Philadelphia last year.
34: Andre Iguodala
17 of 51Age in Five Years: 32
Iguodala is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. Either the Clippers or Warriors could be playoff locks if they landed Iguodala.
In the past, he's shown he can score (20 points a game during the '07-08 season). This year, he showed he's perhaps the league's second-best point forward by averaging 6.3 assists a game. He's also averaged nearly six boards a game for his career. And I haven't even mentioned his stellar defense.
He may lose some athleticism by the time he's 32, but his basketball IQ, court vision and all-around play will keep him very effective for at least five more years.
33: James Harden
18 of 51Age in Five Years: 26
I hope James Harden starts getting some real playing time soon. I'd love to see how effective this player could be in the role he deserves (does Thabo Sefolosha really start over Harden?).
Playing alongside two of the game's biggest volume shooters in Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, Harden has averaged 16 points per 36 minutes over two seasons.
32: Tyreke Evans
19 of 51Age in Five Years: 26
I think Evans will eventually be pegged as a shooting guard. If he develops an outside shot (he's hit 27 percent of his career three-point attempts), he could be a lot higher on this list.
31: Ty Lawson
20 of 51Age in Five Years: 28
Lawson's speed and quickness are truly elite. He's under six feet tall and is still one of the game's fastest from end to end.
He averaged nearly 15 points and seven assists a game as a starter last year while sharing time with Raymond Felton.
30: Harrison Barnes
21 of 51Age in Five Years: 24
Here's another bold prediction for me. I think Harrison Barnes is the next player in a long list of great North Carolina alums.
The 6'8" Barnes came on strong toward the end of his freshman season, averaging 17 points and six rebounds over 19 ACC games.
This summer, he's been working on his guard skills at Chris Paul's basketball camp.
29: LaMarcus Aldridge
22 of 51Age in Five Years: 31
Widely regarded as one of the league's most underrated players (was that an oxymoron?), Aldridge has stepped into an important leadership role in Portland as injuries have decimated the rest of the roster.
His extremely effective mid-range jumper will help him be effective well into his 30s.
28: Danilo Gallinari
23 of 51Age in Five Years: 27
Nuggets fans are hoping Danilo Gallinari can help them quickly forget about Carmelo Anthony. The 22-year-old has a ton of offensive versatility as a 6'10" player who can shoot outside and score in a wide variety of ways.
27: Gordon Hayward
24 of 51Age in Five Years: 26
This extremely bold prediction is based largely on gut feeling. He may have averaged just 11.5 points and four rebounds per 36 minutes as a rookie, but his field goal percentage of 49 and three-point percentage of 47 are both impressive.
In games in which he played at least 30 minutes, he averaged 15 points a game. In three games in which he topped 40 minutes, he averaged 23 points, four rebounds and four assists. And lastly, Hayward dropped 34 points on 12-17 shooting in Utah's last game of the season.
26: O.J. Mayo
25 of 51Age in Five Years: 28
O.J. Mayo is similar to Beasley in a lot of ways. He has a ton of talent, but he might just be in the wrong situation (as Beasley was in Miami).
In his first two seasons, Mayo averaged 18 points on 45 percent from the field and 38 percent from three-point range without missing a single game (he started all 164 as well).
This year, he was demoted to the bench and found himself constantly the subject of trade rumors. If he ends up on the right team, he has the potential to be an elite shooting guard (and possibly even point guard).
25: Rajon Rondo
26 of 51Age in Five Years: 30
If Rondo significantly improves his shooting ability, he could be a top-15-20 player. He's an elite passer and a very good defender as well.
Last year, he averaged 10.6 points and 11.2 assists a game. It will be very interesting to see if he can keep up that production once he's no longer with Boston's "big three."
24: Andrew Bogut
27 of 51Age in Five Years: 31
If he can stay healthy, Bogut will be one of the NBA's top centers for years. Over the last two seasons, he's averaged nearly 15 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks a game for the Bucks. He's also one of the league's best passing big men.
23: Al Horford
28 of 51Age in Five Years: 30
After his fourth year in the league, it looks like Al Horford is really starting to come into his own as a basketball player.
He's been an All-Star the last two years while averaging nearly 15 points and 10 rebounds a game.
22: Josh Smith
29 of 51Age in Five Years: 30
Josh Smith is a unique talent and one of the only players in the world who can compare to LeBron James athletically.
Over the last two years in Atlanta, he's averaged nearly 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists a game.
21: Brandon Jennings
30 of 51Age in Five Years: 26
Brandon Jennings may have taken a slight step back during his second season in the league, but I still feel he's one of the most promising point guards in the NBA.
This almost certainly won't happen, but I think Milwaukee should start Shaun Livingston with Jennings in the backcourt. Alongside a distributor, Jennings' natural scoring ability will show through.
20: Michael Beasley
31 of 51Age in Five Years: 27
Michael Beasley has the raw talent to be the next Carmelo Anthony. The question, of course, is whether or not he can keep it together off the court.
In his only season in college, he averaged 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds a game in the Big 12. This past year, he finally showed flashes of what we thought he could become as we watched him at Kansas State.
In his first full year as the starting small forward in Minnesota, Beasley averaged 19.2 points and 5.6 rebounds a game.
I still feel he has more overall promise than recent draft pick Derrick Williams. The T'Wolves should look into what they can get for 2011's No. 2 pick.
19: Amar'e Stoudemire
32 of 51Age in Five Years: 33
Considering the style of Amar'e and his history of injuries, this ranking may be a bit lofty in five years. But I have a feeling he and 'Melo (and possibly Chris Paul) will be competing with Miami for Eastern Conference dominance for at least the next five seasons.
18: Dwyane Wade
33 of 51Age in Five Years: 34
Age 34 is pretty old for a slashing shooting guard with a history of injuries, but Dwyane Wade is one of the greatest players of all time and he won't ride quietly off into the sunset.
He and his cohorts may have put their collective foot in their collective mouth when they promised upwards of six titles, but no one can argue that they won't at least be in contention for that long.
17: Russell Westbrook
34 of 51Age in Five Years: 27
If Westbrook was converted to shooting guard, he could be a very effective Dwyane Wade-type slasher. If he's going to stay at point guard, he has a lot of work to do.
He has the natural ability to dominate at either position, but he may have to adjust his attitude and style.
16: Monta Ellis
35 of 51Age in Five Years: 30
If Monta Ellis hones his shot selection and improves his defense and point guard skills, he has the natural talent to dominate the game in a fashion similar to a young Allen Iverson.
15: Rudy Gay
36 of 51Age in Five Years: 29
Even though he's 6'9", Rudy Gay has enough talent and versatility to play both wing positions. Last year, he averaged 19.8 points a game while hitting a career-high 40 percent from three-point range.
14: Eric Gordon
37 of 51Age in Five Years: 27
The combination of Eric Gordon and Blake Griffin could be one of the top two or three duos in the league in five years.
Gordon had a great third season, but he was overshadowed by the immensely talented and exciting Griffin's rookie year. He averaged 22.3 points and 4.4 assists a game. For his career, he's a 38 percent three-point shooter.
13: Stephen Curry
38 of 51Age in Five Years: 28
OK, here I go again. This is another prediction that may seem a little crazy, but I see a very impressive amount of talent and grasp of the game for a 23-year-old in Curry.
In just two seasons, Curry has averaged 18 points and six assists while shooting 47 percent from the field, 44 percent from three-point range and 91 percent from the free throw line.
His creativity with the ball and his numbers lead me to believe he could be the next Steve Nash.
12: Brook Lopez
39 of 51Age in Five Years: 28
Lopez was a very weak rebounder for a starting center last year, but he does still average nearly eight a game for his three-year career. If he improves in that area, he could very well be one of the top two or three centers in the NBA five years from now.
11: Andrew Bynum
40 of 51Age in Five Years: 28
This one's obviously contingent upon whether or not Bynum can stay healthy, but Bynum has shown flashes of an ability to dominate the game as a center.
If he stays in Los Angeles, he could start to take on a more significant role as Kobe Bryant starts to fade.
10: Kevin Love
41 of 51Age in Five Years: 27
Everyone knows about Kevin Love being the game's best rebounder in just his third season in the NBA. What doesn't get enough play is his ability to hit threes.
I can't think of another elite rebounder in the game's history who was also an elite outside shooter. He attempted 2.9 threes a game and hit 42 percent from downtown last year.
Love versus Blake Griffin could develop into one of the game's best rivalries in a few years.
9: Deron Williams
42 of 51Age in Five Years: 32
He's arguably the best point guard in the world right now and I expect him to be influencing games well into his 30s the way Jason Kidd has.
8: Chris Paul
43 of 51Age in Five Years: 31
As many have them currently ranked, I have Chris Paul just barely ahead of Deron Williams five years from now.
Paul's overall game is slightly better than Williams' because of his superior rebounding and defense.
7: Carmelo Anthony
44 of 51Age in Five Years: 32
The Knicks gave up a lot to get Carmelo Anthony, but I believe that trade will pay dividends for them (especially if they land an elite point guard).
He's already one of the game's best closers (believe me, I hate that term as much as you) and last year he showed he can be a big-time rebounder as well.
If someone can motivate 'Melo and Amar'e Stoudemire to play defense, this team could have a legitimate shot at being the best team in the Eastern Conference.
6: Derrick Rose
45 of 51Age in Five Years: 27
After winning the league MVP award at just 22 years old, it's hard to imagine Derrick Rose not being a top-10 player five years from now (especially when you consider the improvements he's already made as a player).
Rose is an elite scorer and a solid passer when he wants to be as well. Last year, he averaged 25 points and 7.7 assists a game while leading the Bulls to the NBA's best record.
5: John Wall
46 of 51Age in Five Years: 25
Because of the stellar play of fellow rookie Blake Griffin, John Wall's fantastic first season didn't get as much press as it deserved.
To average 16.4 points and 8.3 assists a game as a rookie is very impressive (especially when you consider the supporting cast Wall had to pass to).
He caught a lot of flak for averaging 3.8 turnovers a game, but that number was actually better than Russell Westbrook and not that much worse than Derrick Rose's 3.4 a game.
4: Blake Griffin
47 of 51Age in Five Years: 27
Blake Griffin averaged 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and an under-the-radar 3.8 assists a game during his Rookie of the Year campaign in Los Angeles.
He's well on his way to becoming the NBA's best power forward and that bodes well for the Clippers. Look how many title teams over the last decade were built around power forwards (Spurs, Celtics and Mavericks).
3: Kevin Durant
48 of 51Age in Five Years: 27
Durant could very well be the best overall player in the world five years from now. Obviously, I think a couple guys will be better.
No. 3 isn't bad though. Durant is already the best pure scorer in the world and I expect him to improve as a defender, rebounder and passer between now and 2016.
2: Dwight Howard
49 of 51Age in Five Years: 30
Dwight Howard will still be the best center in the NBA five years from now, and I expect him to be winning titles by this point in his career (especially if he goes to the Lakers or Knicks).
He's an elite rebounder and post defender, and his offensive game is starting to come around as well. He had the best season of his career last year, averaging 22.9 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks a game.
1: LeBron James
50 of 51Age in Five Years: 31
It pains me to say it, but LeBron James is already the best individual player in the world and he's only going to get better over the next five years.
No one else in the league has the combination of size, speed, athleticism and all-around skill that LeBron has. In fact, no one's close.
If he can ever figure out the mental aspect of the game, he will win a couple titles.
