Earlier this summer, 10 SB Nation writers decided to predict the 101 best NBA players in 2021. Yes, that’s four years from now. No, none of us are remotely qualified to see basketball’s future. No, that’s not stopping us from trying.
We predicted the top 101 players in the NBA ... in 2021
Four years from now, who will be the NBA’s 101 best players? We unveiled our projections that will surely be wrong.
We compiled the list via a single 101-player draft among 10 writers, not with an aggregate formula of any kind. That means there is far from unanimous agreement on any of these 101 selections. Click the links below each batch to read us arguing those picks out with each other.
To learn more about how and why we did this, click the link below.
What is this list?
Why we’re predicting the 101 best players of 2021
#101of2021
SB Nation is predicting which NBA players will be the 101 best ... in four years.
101-91: A cult hero sticks around
90-81: The game is changing
80-71: How do you rank two over-30 PGs?
70-61: The “Why Not” section
60-51: The overachiever and the underachiever
50-41: Here come all the Celtics
40-31: Draymond Green and a bunch of young guys
30-21: Welcome to the Luka Doncic Era
20-11: Ben Simmons and Lonzo Ball check in
10-1: The 10 best players in the NBA in 2021.
Who’s No. 1? The case for 5 superstars as the best in the league
The list
(Age in 2021 in parenthesis)
101. Dion Waiters (29)
100. Bol Bol (21)
99. Caris LeVert (26)
98. Victor Oladipo (29)
97. JaMychal Green (31)
96. Serge Ibaka (31)
95. Taurean Prince (27)
94. Tristan Thompson (30)
93. Stanley Johnson (25)
92. Jae Crowder (30)
91. Evan Fournier (28)
90. Dario Saric (27)
89. Dennis Schroder (27)
88. Hassan Whiteside (32)
87. Donovan Mitchell (24)
86. Julius Randle (26)
85. Harrison Barnes (29)
84. Robert Covington (30)
83. Jonathan Isaac (23)
82. Avery Bradley (30)
81. DeAndre Jordan (32)
80. Willy Hernangomez (27)
79. Buddy Hield (27)
78. Kyle Lowry (35)
77. Chris Paul (36)
76. Steven Adams (27)
75. Rodney Hood (28)
74. DeJounte Murray (24)
73. Marcus Smart (27)
72. Ricky Rubio (30)
71. Malcolm Brogdon (28)
70. Jahlil Okafor (25)
69. Frank Ntilikina (22)
68. Jusuf Nurkic (26)
67. Jrue Holiday (31)
66. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (28)
65. R.J. Barrett (21)
64. Clint Capela (27)
63. Jamal Murray (24)
62. John Collins (23)
61. Aaron Gordon (25)
60. Andre Drummond (27)
59. Tim Hardaway Jr. (29)
58. Mike Conley (33)
57. Nerlens Noel (27)
56. Eric Bledsoe (31)
55. Thon Maker (24)
54. Kevin Love (32)
53. Khris Middleton (29)
52. Justise Winslow (25)
51. Isaiah Thomas (32)
50. DeMar DeRozan (31)
49. Jayson Tatum (23)
48. Kyle Kuzma (25)
47. Gordon Hayward (31)
46. Kemba Walker (31)
45. Jaylen Brown (24)
44. D’Angelo Russell (25)
43. DeAndre Ayton (23)
42. Brandon Ingram (23)
41. Blake Griffin (32)
40. Otto Porter (27)
39. Zach LaVine (26)
38. Gary Harris (26)
37. Skal Labissiere (25)
36. De’Aaron Fox (23)
35. Michael Porter Jr. (23)
34. Josh Jackson (24)
33. Draymond Green (31)
32. C.J. McCollum (29)
31. Jabari Parker (26)
30. Jimmy Butler (31)
29. Rudy Gobert (29)
28. Andrew Wiggins (26)
27. Bradley Beal (27)
26. Dennis Smith, Jr. (23)
25. Klay Thompson (31)
24. DeMarcus Cousins (30)
23. Luka Doncic (22)
22. Miles Turner (25)
21. Markelle Fultz (23)
20. Ben Simmons (24)
19. Lonzo Ball (23)
18. Paul George (31)
17. John Wall (30)
16. Devin Booker (24)
15. Marvin Bagley (22)
14. Nikola Jokic (26)
13. Stephen Curry (33)
12. Damian Lillard (30)
11. James Harden (31)
10. Russell Westbrook (32)
9. Joel Embiid (27)
8. Kyrie Irving (29)
7. LeBron James (36)
6. Kawhi Leonard (29)
5. Kevin Durant (32)
4. Kristaps Porzingis (25)
3. Karl-Anthony Towns (25)
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo (26)
1. Anthony Davis (28)
Our reactions
Your reactions
We also want to hear your answers to these questions!
INTRO | FULL LIST | TOP 100 OF 2017 | HOW WE DID IN 2013 | SNUBS | 101-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1 | THE CASES FOR NO. 1
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