Final Report Card Grades for the Top 50 NBA Players

The abbreviated NBA season is over and, not surprisingly, some players had subpar years. For Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant, this season's final grade will be slightly lower compared to last year's. The same can be said for more of the league's top players, who looked sluggish at times during the season.

On the other hand, there were some players who looked surprisingly great.

That said, let's play teacher and dole out grades for the league's top 50 players, with a nod to our own Adam Fromal, whose top 100 served as the basis for this piece (with a couple of tweaks). Players' grades will be based on season performance, consistency, overall skills and impact on their team.

No. 50: Luol Deng

I like to think of Deng as a scoring version of Bruce Bowen. He shoots a decent three, plays great defense and drives to the basket well.

This year, however, Deng seemed to put defense over scoring on some occasions. His points dropped to 15.5 from 17.4, and his field-goal percentage took a hit, too—just 41 percent. Still, he was a beast from behind the three-point line and helped the Bulls clinch the top seed once again.

He regressed slightly, but it wasn't a bad year by any means.

Final Grade: B

No. 49: Kevin Martin

Martin is a talented scorer, but doesn't do much else. His stats decreased in all major offensive categories this year, and he missed a lot of time due to injury.

Doing well in this class means showing up consistently, and Martin didn't do that, despite putting up respectable numbers.

Final Grade: C+

No. 48: Brandon Jennings

Going into this season, I thought that Jennings was one of the most overrated guards in the league. Still, he improved incredibly.

The 22-year-old from Compton, Calif. finally broke the plateau and shot 42 percent from the floor and averaged a career-best 19.5 points per game. Compared to how he did last year, he improved in every single category.

Clearly, the man was determined to do well and help his team improve. Though the Bucks struggled, Jennings gave 110 percent day in and day out. 

Final Grade: A

No. 47: Carlos Boozer

If Bulls fans thought that Boozer was soft last year, he didn't do much to prove them wrong this season despite not missing any games with injuries. His scoring and rebounding dropped, though, to his credit, his field-goal percentage improved.

Still, he looks like little more than a bad contract at this point, unless, of course, the Bulls win a championship.

Final Grade: B-

No. 46: Kyle Lowry

For a time this season, Lowry looked like the best point guard in the league. His stats practically mirrored last year's, and he upped his intensity on defense.

The only real marks against him were that he only shot 40 percent from the floor and he missed time with a bacterial infection; we can't fault him for the latter. All in all, it was a good year for the former Villanova Wildcat.

Final Grade: B+

No. 45: Stephen Curry

Curry missed most of this season with a lingering ankle injury, appearing in just 26 games. He averaged a career low in scoring with just 14.7 points per game and his absence significantly hurt the Golden State Warriors.

His only real saving grace was his three-point percentage, which was a career-best 45 percent. Still, though not his fault at all, his injury downgrades him quite a bit.

Final Grade: B-

No. 44: Amar'e Stoudemire

It's no secret that this year was an off one for Stoudemire. After posting career numbers in 2011, drama in New York and injuries slowed him down this season.

Still, Stoudemire was back in true form once Mike Woodson took over as Knicks coach. He only averaged 17.8 points and 7.9 rebounds and also missed a month with a back injury, but his strong second half improves his grade as a whole.

Final Grade: B

No. 43: Roy Hibbert

There's only one way to describe Hibbert's season: great. He had career highs in all major statistics, and his play helped lead the Indiana Pacers on a charge that ended with them going from being last year's No. 8 seed to this year's No. 3.

All in all, this grade is a cinch.

Final Grade: A+

No. 42: Monta Ellis

I love Ellis, but he's overrated. He's an undersized shooting guard with a decent passing game and pesky defense, but isn't exactly what one would call a team player.

The fact that the Golden State Warriors, who picked him to lead them back into contention, traded him away this year says a lot. He's a fine player, but his priorities aren't exactly what I would call in order.

Final Grade: C

No. 41: Andre Iguodala

I understand that Iguodala is a point forward, but he plays on a Sixers team where someone needs to step up and be the star. Given how he's the biggest star on the team, he didn't answer the bell in this department during the season.

Philadelphia suffered a second-half collapse that had it just barely make the playoffs as the No. 8 seed, after leading the Atlantic Division for most of the year.

Iguodala looked like a good all-around player, but he didn't step up in situations when he clearly should have. In the future, averages of 12.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists just won't cut it.

Final Grade: C-

No. 40: Joe Johnson

I love watching Johnson, but he's nothing more than a scorer. On the defensive end, he does next to nothing. While his offense is welcome, it doesn't necessarily make him what most would call a great player.

Final Grade: C-

No. 39: Paul Millsap

The key to getting a good grade in this course is playing with determination, and Millsap has plenty of it.  His scoring dropped from 17.3 to 16.6 this year, but he made up for it in upping his rebounds from 7.7 to 8.8. Those numbers are pretty damn good for someone 6'8", 253 pounds.

Final Grade: A-

No. 38: Marc Gasol

As the Memphis Grizzlies get better, so does Marc Gasol. In a greater role with the offense this year, he averaged 14.5 points, an improvement from last year despite a lower field-goal percentage. His nine rebounds and 1.8 blocks made him one of the more dominant big men in the league.

Throw in the fact that he was in great shape throughout the year, and he's on his way to becoming one of the NBA's best centers.

Final Grade: B+

No. 37: Al Horford

It's hard to give Horford a grade for the season, as he played in just 11 games before having surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle. At the time, he was averaging 12.4 points and seven rebounds while shooting 55 percent from the floor—overall, a very good year.

I'd normally take points off for the time missed, but he was doing quite well beforehand, so he gets saved.

Final Grade: B

No. 36: Danny Granger

At the start of the year, Granger's grade would have been so low that I won't even mention it. But he's redeemed himself over the past month and has been instrumental in the Pacers' rise up the rankings ladder.

I don't care if his overall numbers are down from last year. The Pacers are in their playoff position largely because of Granger.

Final Grade: B

No. 35: Rudy Gay

At long last, Gay is starting to become the forward who can balance defense with scoring. After missing all of last year's second half with a shoulder injury, the former Connecticut Husky posted a career high in rebounds this season while also averaging 18.9 points.

Because of his consistency, the Grizzlies went from being the No. 8 seed last year to the No. 4 seed in 2012. No surprises here; he gets a good grade.

Final Grade: A-

No. 34: Serge Ibaka

Forget the fact that his offensive game is hit-or-miss; this guy's defensive effort is off the charts every night. His 3.6 blocks per contest are proof of how dangerous he is in the paint.

Final Grade: A

No. 33: Eric Gordon

Overall, Gordon had a great year, averaging 20.6 points on 45 percent shooting. Unfortunately, that was only over nine games, as the injury bug bothered the former Hoosier all season long.

Still, the guy was good when he was healthy. The only real mark against him is his three-point percentage, at 25 percent. His defensive effort more than made up for it.

Final Grade: B

No. 32: Kevin Garnett

For someone about to turn 36, KG's season was pretty good. He barely missed any time with injury and averaged 16 points and 8.3 boards.

Despite that, Garnett's age showed as he looked slow running up and down the court. Not to take away from his season, but it is a mark against him.

Final Grade: B-

No. 31: DeMarcus Cousins

In terms of attitude alone, Cousins' grade is an F. The man is a head case like no other and the fact that he is still in Sacramento is just plain shocking.

Still, underneath the bad attitude, there's a guy who can flat-out play the game. In his sophomore campaign, Cousins averaged 18 points and 10.9 rebounds per game.

Unfortunately, while the numbers are good, Cousins doesn't play nearly enough defense for someone his size. His stats are merely those of a scoring power forward and his 1.2 blocks are unacceptable for someone 6'11", 270 pounds.

Final Grade: C-

No. 30: Al Jefferson

Jefferson and Cousins are about the same size, except Jefferson is everything Cousins should be from a defensive standpoint. He is more aggressive on the inside and while his rebounding totals this year were slightly lower than those of the former Kentucky Wildcat, he made up for it by posting more blocks per game.

More importantly, his team made the playoffs while Cousins' Kings finished near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

Final Grade: B+

No. 29: Tim Duncan

In his old age, Duncan has gone from being a scoring power forward with fine defensive skills to a power forward who can score, but turns on the afterburners when it comes to defense.

After posting career lows in points and rebounding last year, Duncan slightly improved this season and was a beast on the inside as the Spurs once again clinched the top spot in the Western Conference.

More importantly, even after an embarrassing end to last season and his age staring him in the face, Duncan continued to be a leader on the Spurs and rallied his team to another great finish.

Final Grade: A

No. 28: Ty Lawson

I'm a firm believer that the shorter players in the league don't get nearly enough credit, and the 5'11" Lawson is no exception. The former Tar Heel did a fine job in his first full season as the Denver Nuggets' starting point guard, as he averaged career highs in scoring and passing. 

The Nuggets are a young team that may need to go through a short rebuilding period in the near future, but if Lawson continues running the point the way he did this season, they should weather it just fine.

Final Grade: B

No. 27: Kyrie Irving

If there's one point guard who could rival Lawson in terms of running the offense for the first time, it's Irving. Last year's No. 1 pick showed that he could be the Cleveland Cavaliers' saving grace by averaging 18.8 points and 5.5 assists this year. Shooting 40 percent from downtown didn't hurt him, either.

That said, it's hard to give Irving anything higher than the grade he's receiving. For a rookie campaign, one can't really expect more of him.

Final Grade: A

No. 26: Manu Ginobili

Ginobili was back on the bench where he belonged this season. While his scoring took a hit, he made up for it by being his usual pesky self on defense and shooting a career-best 41 percent from three-point land.

A wrist injury limited him to 34 games, but the man still came back at full strength to help lead the Spurs on another fantastic run to end the season.

Final Grade: A-

No. 25: Chris Bosh

Bosh is an integral member of the Miami Heat, but his season left a little something to be desired. His scoring was there, but was so at the expense of a small dip in his rebounding. His 7.9 boards per game were his lowest since his rookie season.

I understand that Bosh wants to have a big role in the team's offense, as he told ESPN last year, but that shouldn't be his first priority. As the team's big man in the middle, he should be working the inside and fighting for rebounds instead of trying to get open for a jump shot.

Final Grade: B-

No. 24: Zach Randolph

Randolph did a great job for the Grizzlies last year, averaging 20.1 points and 12.1 rebounds while being instrumental in the team's playoff success. Yet, there was a major drop-off this year.

Injuries limited him to 27 games this year and he averaged just 11.5 points and 7.9 rebounds before being benched in favor of Marreese Speights. I understand how his benching contributed to the massive drop-off, but I can't help but feel that there was a lack of effort on his part.

Final Grade: D

No. 23: Paul Pierce

For someone 34 years old, Pierce had one hell of a season. His 19.5 points per contest on 36 percent three-point shooting showed that age is nothing but a number and that, for now, the Pierce we know and love isn't going away for a long time.

Final Grade: A-

No. 22: Josh Smith

Simply put, Smith can do it all. He can score, rebound, dunk and play defense that makes life hellish for the other team.

His averaging career highs this year may have had more to do with the fact that he wants out of Atlanta according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and was auditioning for potential trade partners. Still, the facts are simple: The man is a beast and had a great year.

Final Grade: A+

No. 21: Tyson Chandler

I'm going to sound like a total homer when I say this, but Tyson Chandler's year was so good to the point where he should be seriously considered for Defensive Player of the Year. He proved to be just what the doctor ordered for the New York Knicks' needs at the center position and he was just plain phenomenal.

Even more impressive was that he shot a career-best 68 percent from the field. I don't care if 99 percent of the shots he took were layups or dunks; that's damn impressive.

Final Grade: A

No. 20: Steve Nash

For someone who's 38 years old, Nash played like someone no older than 28 this year. His 12.5 points and 10.8 assists per game kept the Suns in the playoff race until the very end, and he will now enter the world of free agency.

The crazy part here is that the man feels like he can play for another three years, as he told ESPN's Marc Stein.

That said, though his team underachieved down the stretch, Nash gets his grade because of his ability to still put up All-Star-caliber numbers despite being at an age where most athletes are on the decline. Hopefully, he can continue doing so on his next contract.

Final Grade: B+

No. 19: Pau Gasol

Every star scorer needs a big man who can help shoulder the load, and Gasol is just that for Kobe Bryant. He works the paint like a champ and has a jump shot that is absolutely magnificent when it's on, plus his passion and intensity are at a level other players of his caliber may never reach.

Given the Lakers' positive run to end the season, it's hard to believe how they would have fared without him.

Final Grade: A-

No. 18: James Harden

Scored 16.8 points per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor and 39 percent from long range—all while coming off the bench. Enough said.

Final Grade: A+

No. 17: Dirk Nowitzki

I don't know whether it was a championship-season hangover or freaking out over not having Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea on the team anymore, but something was off about Dirty Dirk this year. His scoring was there at 21.6 points per game, but his field-goal percentage dropped six points.

This proved to hurt the Mavs, as they ended up being the No. 7 seed in the highly competitive Western Conference. Their fearless leader couldn't do much to rally the troops.

Final Grade: C

No. 16: Blake Griffin

Griffin's scoring and rebounding dropped by a small margin this year, but his field-goal percentage increased by four points thanks to the arrival of Chris Paul and Lob City. Yet, as much as I love watching Griffin, I have no problem saying that he's overrated.

Sure, Griffin has talent, but most of his points come by way of a slam dunk. Despite decent rebounding totals, his defensive game is practically nonexistent. Still, without him, the Clippers would be missing a key piece of the puzzle.

Final Grade: B

No. 15: Tony Parker

Going into this year, I labeled Parker as a scoring point guard who was just more talented than the others. While he continued to score points this year, he also heavily improved his passing game.

Though his field-goal percentage dropped, Parker also dished out a career-high 7.7 assists as he was the floor general on a Spurs team that went on yet another great run. The way he has the team playing, there could be a fourth championship ring coming his way.

Final Grade: A-

No. 14: Rajon Rondo

Rondo is an absolute beast of a point guard who is a constant triple-double threat. In one game this season against the New York Knicks, his stat line was as follows: 18 points, 17 rebounds and 20 assists.

Throw in the fact that he's an absolute pest on defense, and all we can really hold against him is his horrific free-throw shooting.

Final Grade: B+

No. 13: LaMarcus Aldridge

Aldridge broke out last year, and his stats this season practically mirrored those of 2011. His Portland Trail Blazers stumbled down the stretch, but that was not his fault by any means.

Thus, his grade is a simple one.

Final Grade: A

No. 12: Andrew Bynum

Bynum entered this season with the reputation of an injury-prone head case, and subsequently silenced the haters. He averaged career highs in both points and rebounds and, most important of all, did not miss one game due to injury.

Still, the great numbers did not come without cost, as his attitude got the better of him on a few occasions which led to the team fining him (via ESPN). He's definitely going uphill in terms of progress, but it's going to be a bumpy road.

Final Grade: B-

No. 11: Deron Williams

Overall, Williams put up good numbers this season. However, it should be noted that he did so playing for the New Jersey Nets, so he was the big fish in a small pond.

On top of that, he shot a career-worst 40 percent from the field and, more importantly, why didn't he make a greater effort to get other teammates like MarShon Brooks and Kris Humphries involved? As a point guard, it is his job (as well as the head coach's) to get the best out of his teammates.

Call me crazy, but it seems as though he was just dogging it through this year before hitting the open market this summer.

Final Grade: C

No. 10: Carmelo Anthony

I understand that Anthony is one of the best scorers and finishers in the league, but that doesn't take away from the fact that his season was, as a whole, very disappointing. His refusal to adapt to Mike D'Antoni's offense in the first half of the season was one of the main reasons the New York Knicks struggled so mightily, so much to the point where D'Antoni resigned.

Anthony fared much better in interim coach Mike Woodson's system, but not even a stellar second half can make up for him practically sinking the team with bad shot after bad shot in the pre-Linsanity days. Sorry, 'Melo, but you're going to be heavily downgraded for that.

Final Grade: C-

No. 9: Russell Westbrook

Westbrook's scoring and field-goal percentage increased this season, but at a cost. His assist average dropped to 5.5 per game, down from 8.2 last year.

I understand he's a scoring point guard, but his job on the Thunder is simple: Look for an open teammate and only take a jump shot if there are no other options. Still not convinced? Well, look at his 3-of-22 shooting performance against the Lakers this past Sunday.

Is he talented? Yes. Is his basketball IQ what it should be? Absolutely not.

Final Grade: C+

No. 8: Kevin Love

He averaged 26 points and 13.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 37 percent from downtown. I don't care if his field-goal percentage, rebounding totals and three-point percentage dropped from last year; Love still had an incredible season that featured him being robbed of a possible playoff spot due to point guard Ricky Rubio's knee injury.

Final Grade: A-

No. 7: Dwight Howard

I get it—people like Dwight Howard, but his performance on the court this season has been overshadowed by off-court drama. From his trade demand at the start of the season to the trade deadline drama to his issues with coach Stan Van Gundy, his behavior this season has been reprehensible.

I don't care how good a player you are; you don't act like a petulant child all season long and then basically sink your team by suddenly having a back injury and needing surgery. I hate to be a hardass, but I have no choice when it comes to D12.

Final Grade: F

No. 6: Derrick Rose

Rose only played in 38 games this season due to a multitude of injuries, but he has been nothing but brilliant when healthy. His 22.2 points and 7.9 assists played a large role in the Bulls clinching the top spot in the Eastern Conference for the second consecutive year and this time, he may very well end the season as a champion.

Final Grade: A-

No. 5: Kobe Bryant

OK, so Bryant ended the season close to being the NBA's leading scorer. Still, as good as he is in that department, he isn't without his flaws.

First off, he takes way too many shots per game. Thus far, his 43 percent from the floor this year is his worst in that department since 2005. In terms of three-point shooting, he's only made 30 percent of his shots from beyond the arc, his worst since 2002.

On top of that, in the month of March, the five-time champion only shot 38 percent from the floor. Yes, he's good at what he does, but sometimes hurts his team in doing just that.

Final Grade: B-

No. 4: Chris Paul

Simply put, Chris Paul is the best point guard in the NBA. He shoots, is an amazing passer and his defense leaves nothing to be desired.

More importantly, he single-handedly turned the Los Angeles Clippers from pretenders into contenders. If anyone deserves the MVP award this year, it's him.

Final Grade: A+

No. 3: Dwyane Wade

Though some aches and pains limited him to 49 games, Wade still had a respectable season, averaging 22.1 points and 4.8 rebounds. Both stats were down from last year, but he was still a fine leader all season long and played hard night after night.

There's no telling how well his Miami Heat will do come playoff time, but he'll be there every step of the way, be it making a clutch shot or playing incredible defense.

Final Grade: A-

No. 2: LeBron James

There's no other way to say this: LeBron James is the best all-around player in the NBA. He can score, rebound, pass and do everything else expected of a high-caliber NBA player. This season, he posted MVP-like numbers with 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists.

James also shot a whopping 53 percent from the floor and 36 percent from three-point range, both career highs. Yet, time to point to the elephant in the room.

Going back to last year's NBA Finals, James just doesn't come through in the clutch the way he should. He's slightly improved in that department this year, demanding the ball more in the fourth quarter, but his reputation already precedes him.

He'll be downgraded, but not by that much.

Final Grade: A-

No. 1: Kevin Durant

This year, Kevin Durant was just an explosion of greatness. He averaged career highs in field-goal percentage, three-point shooting and rebounding, and he looked like a completely different player compared to years past.

As a result, the Oklahoma City Thunder finished as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Given their youth and overall depth, they have a legitimate shot to win a championship this year.

Final Grade: A+