Kenny Smith's Top 50 Players Heading into 2024-25 NBA Season
The 2024-25 NBA season tips off this week, and outlets all over the internet are publishing their individual player rankings.
At Bleacher Report, we have the ultimate trump card: The official ranking from the legendary Inside the NBA crew.
Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith all made their own top 50s (you can see the aggregate version that combines all three here), and we're looking at Smith's below.
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"They can affect the game in six categories," the Jet said of superstars and his personal criteria for this exercise. "Scoring, rebounding, assists, everybody knows. But leadership, defense and also, pace of the game. They can change the pace of the game because of their greatness."
That criteria not only helped Kenny shape the top of his list, but it also informed his thinking throughout the rest of the exercise.
Ideally, he'd want players who can check all six of his boxes in the top five to 10. But someone like Stephen Curry, for example, may have four or five in such abundance that a lack of rebounding doesn't matter quite as much.
Later in his list, having all six traits wasn't quite as important, but it clearly still influenced his thinking.
With those factors and plenty of subjectivity as his guides, here are all the names on Kenny's list.
Kenny Smith's Top 50 NBA Player Rankings
50. Russell Westbrook, Guard (Nuggets)
49. Bradley Beal, Guard (Suns)
48. Aaron Gordon, Forward (Nuggets)
47. Michael Porter Jr., Forward (Nuggets)
46. Cade Cunningham, Guard (Pistons)
45. Darius Garland, Point Guard (Cavaliers)
44. Brandon Ingram, Wing (Pelicans)
43. Pascal Siakam, Forward (Pacers)
42. DeMar DeRozan, Wing (Kings)
41. Zion Williamson, Forward (Pelicans)
40. Jaren Jackson Jr., Big (Grizzlies)
39. Lauri Markkanen, Big (Jazz)
38. Evan Mobley, Big (Cavaliers)
37. Jamal Murray, Guard (Nuggets)
36. Chet Holmgren, Big (Thunder)
35. Julius Randle, Forward (Timberwolves)
34. Scottie Barnes, Forward (Raptors)
33. Tyrese Haliburton, Point Guard (Pacers)
32. LaMelo Ball, Point Guard (Hornets)
31. Trae Young, Point Guard (Hawks)
30. Kyrie Irving, Guard (Mavericks)
29. Bam Adebayo, Center (Heat)
28. Karl-Anthony Towns, Big (Knicks)
27. Jimmy Butler, Wing (Heat)
26. Domantas Sabonis, Center (Kings)
25. De'Aaron Fox, Point Guard (Kings)
24. Tyrese Maxey, Guard (76ers)
23. Paul George, Wing (76ers)
22. Jrue Holiday, Guard (Celtics)
21. Paolo Banchero, Forward (Magic)
20. Damian Lillard, Point Guard (Bucks)
19. Anthony Davis, Forward/Center (Lakers)
18. Jalen Brunson, Point Guard (Knicks)
17. Devin Booker, Guard (Suns)
16. Donovan Mitchell, Guard (Cavaliers)
15. Kawhi Leonard, Forward (Clippers)
14. James Harden, Guard (Clippers)
13. Victor Wembanyama, Big (Spurs)
12. Ja Morant, Point Guard (Grizzlies)
11. Anthony Edwards, Guard (Timberwolves)
10. Stephen Curry, Guard (Warriors)
9. Kevin Durant, Forward (Suns)
8. Jaylen Brown, Wing (Celtics)
7. Jayson Tatum, Forward (Celtics)
6. Luka Dončić, Guard (Mavericks)
5. Joel Embiid, Center (76ers)
4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Guard (Thunder)
3. Nikola Jokić, Center (Nuggets)
2. LeBron James, Forward (Lakers)
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Forward (Bucks)
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