Ranking NBA's Top 33 Players Entering 2018

TrueFan Ranking NBA's Best Players For 2018-19 Season

Written By Kyle Crabbe

Twitter: @KthetruestKnick

With Many different sports fans and sports writers ranking the best players in the NBA, for the TrueFan Blog and as a ode to Knicks All-Time Great Patrick Ewing and his famous Knicks Number #33, we will rank the Top 33 Players in the NBA for the upcoming 2018-19 Campaign. Enjoy

33) Draymond Green

Current Team: Golden State Warriors

Position: Power Forward

Why This Ranking: Draymond Green is the ultimate intangible player in today's NBA. Green is a virtual swish army knife as he does a bit of everything on the court at a good level. Green is one of the top 10 defenders in all the NBA and gives the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors a toughness and interior presence that makes them a top tier defense every year.

32) Kemba Walker

Current Team: Charlotte Hornets

Position: PG

Why This Ranking: Kemba Walker is finding his way in the NBA as one of the top Point Guards in the league. Walker is the Charlotte Hornets best player and is coming off of back to back All-Star Selections. Walker is a tough cover for any defender in the NBA and is one of the best scoring guards in the league averaging over 20 points per game in each of the last three seasons.

31) Carmelo Anthony

Current Team: Houston Rockets

Position: SF

Why This Ranking: Carmelo Anthony has become a polarizing NBA Player as sports fans and Sports Media Pundits have questioned whether he still is an elite player. Anthony is not the top 5 player and Best Scoring Option in the NBA he once was for the better half of the last decade but he is still one of the best players in today's NBA. Carmelo Anthony is coming off his worst statistical season of his career but given his skills and talents and Melo being one year removed from being an All-Star and Franchise Caliber Player, Carmelo is unquestionably still one of the most dangerous scoring options in the NBA and in terms of putting the ball in the basket is still top 15 talent in all of the NBA

30) Ben Simmons

Current Team: Philadelphia 76ers

Position: SF/PG

Why This Ranking: Ben Simmons has already established himself as one of the best basketball talents in the world as the 2016 Mr. Basketball USA, winning two medals playing with Australia team in the 2012 and 2013 FIBA Games, 2016 NBA Draft's 1^st Overall Pick and becoming the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year. Simmons is only 22 Years Old and is one of the best playmakers in the NBA from both the offensive side and the defensive end of the basketball court.

29) DeMar DeRozan

Current Team: San Antonio Spurs

Position: SG

Why This Ranking: DeMar DeRozan is one of the better shooting guards in the entire NBA. Coming off 3 consecutive All-Star Appearances and back-to-back All-NBA Team Selections. DeRozan is an elite scoring option that can create his own shot at will and deliver havoc on any individual defender.

28) Mike Conley

Current Team: Memphis Grizzlies

Position: PG

Why This Ranking: After signing a lucrative 5-Year Contract at the being of the 2016-17 NBA Season, Conley went on to have his best career season that year. Unfortunately for Conley and the Memphis Grizzlies last season due to a left heel injury, Conley had season ending surgery and only played in 12 games. Conley when healthy however is one of best two-way Point Guards in the entire NBA. Conley is a great defensive guard that can handle all the offensive responsibilities of the modern Point Guard in today's NBA.

27) Blake Griffin

Current Team: Detroit Pistons

Position: PF

Why This Ranking: The former 2009 NBA Draft 1^st Overall Pick and 2011 NBA Rookie of the Year, Griffin is a Franchise changing level of talent. One of the rarer uber-athletic big men in the NBA, Griffin's physical gifts allows him to play above the rim forcefully and gracefully. The 2011 NBA Dunk Champion winner can force his will on any defense and is a handful to stop ever night.

26) Bradley Beal

Current Team: Washington Wizards

Position: SG

Why This Ranking: In the 2017-2018 NBA Season, Bradley Beal proved he was one of the best Shooting Guards in all of the NBA. Beal a renowned shooter, established himself last season as not only a great offensive talent by leading the Wizards while Star Point Guard John Wall was out, Beal showcased he can also be a solid playmaker averaging a career high 4.5 assists per game. With that addition in his game and showcasing great leadership qualities, Beal solidified himself as one of the NBA's current best shooting guards.

25) LaMarcus Aldridge

Current Team: San Antonio Spurs

Position: PF

Why This Ranking: LaMarcus Aldridge is one of the better offensive big men in the NBA and has been for quite some time. A 12-Year NBA Veteran and 6x All-Star, Aldridge is coming off his best season in his 3 years with the San Antonio Spurs. Aldridge returned to the great numbers he experienced at his best in Portland this past year in San Antonio, posting numbers of 23 Points Per Game and 9 Rebounds Per Game.

24) Marc Gasol

Current Team: Memphis Grizzlies

Position: C

Why This Ranking: Marc Gasol is one of the best international basketball players in all of the NBA. Gasol is a Spanish National Basketball Team Veteran who has competed in many international tournaments and has won several FIBA EuroBasket World Cup Titles. Gasol is a very talented and well skilled big man, whose a 3x NBA All-Star and 2013 Defense Player of the Year. Gasol is a rare equally talented player on both sides of the basketball court.

23) Klay Thompson

Current Team: Golden State Warriors

Position: SG

Why This Ranking: Klay Thompson is simply one of the two or three best shooters in the entire NBA rivaled by only his two teammates Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. Thompson might have the purest shooting stroke the NBA has ever witnessed, so on a nightly basis Thompson lights up defenses from long range with his quick release and unbelievable ability to play off the ball and get open off screens. Besides being a supreme shooting talent, Thompson is one of the better perimeter defenders in the NBA and has established himself as a true two-way star in today's NBA.

22) Kevin Love

Current Team: Cleveland Cavaliers

Position: PF

Why This Ranking: Kevin Love is one of the NBA's best rebounders and is arguably the best stretch shooting big man in the league now that Dirk Nowitzki is on the back-end of his career. With LeBron James leaving Cleveland for Los Angeles, we can expect Love's opportunities and thus numbers should increase greatly in the upcoming 2018-19 Season.

21) Kristaps Porzingis

Current Team: New York Knicks

Position: PF

Why This Ranking: New York Knicks Young Lativan Star in Kristaps Porzingis is the poster child for the modern day NBA Bigman. Porzingis is a Sharp Shooting Big Man the league hasn't seen before but with the addition of shot blocking skills that rival the leagues best Defensive Big Man in Rudy Gobert. Porzingis has two-way elite talent but is currently recovering from a ACL injury. If Porzingis is to return healthy he might climb up to a Top 5 Player in the NBA in the years to come.

20) Andre Drummond

Current Team: Detroit Pistons

Position: C

Why This Ranking: Andre Drummond is a modern day Big Man with a throwback old-school style. Drummond is arguably the NBA's best overall rebounder and is one of the top defensive Centers in all of the NBA. In the 2017-18 Season, Drummond led all of the NBA in Defensive Win Shares, Defensive Box Plus/Minus, Defensive Rating, and in Total Rebounds posting a incredible 16 Rebounds Per Game.

19) Nikola Jokic

Current Team: Denver Nuggets

Position: C

Why This Ranking: Nikola Jokic is one of best offensive big men in all of the NBA and he quickly establishing himself as one of the most gifted passers as a big men in NBA league history. Jokic is coming off his best season and is prime to take another set forward in the upcoming NBA season.

18) Karl Anthony-Towns

Current Team: Minnesota Timberwolves

Position: PF/C

Why This Ranking: The 2015 1^st Overall Pick in the NBA Draft Anthony-Towns in 3 seasons has established himself as arguably the best Two-Way Big Man in the entire league. Anthony-Towns is a elite defensive big man that can anchor a defensive but also posses the modern big man offensive game where he can shoot the ball from long range and has a arsenal of offensive options inside the paint. Towns is a true Two-Way Elite Talent in Today's NBA.

17) Victor Oladipo

Current Team: Indiana Pacers

Position: SG

Why This Ranking: Victor Oladipo is coming off a career season where he lead the Indiana Pacers to the playoffs, Lead the league is steals, made his first All-Star Appearance, made NBA All-Defensive First Team, and took home the award of 2018 Most Improved Player. Oladipo is now proving all of those pundits and basketball executives right that had him as a top pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, showcasing that he is a Elite Defensive Player that can also lead a team on the offensive side of the ball.

16) Rudy Gobert

Current Team: Utah Jazz

Position: C

Why This Ranking: Rudy Gobert is fresh off being awarded the 2018 NBA Defensive Player of the Year and for good reason. Gobert has a ridiculous 7'9” wingspan that helps him as the league's best Rim Protector and is the Premier Shot Blocker in the entire NBA. After leading the lead in blocks in 2017 Gobert followed by having a more dominant defensive year in 2018 and is poised to lead the Utah Jazz for another year to a top tier team defensive ranking in 2018-19.

15) Jimmy Butler

Current Team: Minnesota Timberwolves

Position: SG/SF

Why This Ranking: Jimmy Butler is one of the best on-ball defensive wing players in the entire NBA. In addition to being a great defensive player Butler over the past couple seasons has become a elite level offensive player as well. After a excellent 1^st season in Minnesota, Butler has established himself as one of the top 5 Two-Way Wing Players in the entire NBA.

14) Joel Embiid

Current Team: Philadelphia 76ers

Position: C

Why This Ranking: Joel Embiid looks the part of the modern 2.0 version of Houston Rockets Legend Hakeem Olajuwon and is quickly becoming the NBA's best Center and possibly the best player in the now LeBron James-less Eastern Conference. Embiid is only 24 years old and is already an elite Defensive Big Man that has endless options and skills on the Offensive end of the court. If Embiid is to stay healthy he will continue to ascend up this list in the coming years and potentially lead the Sixers to a NBA Finals.

13) Chris Paul

Current Team: Houston Rockets

Position: PG

Why This Ranking: Chris Paul is coming off another great season in which Paul showcased why he is one of the best offensive players in the NBA and also a dominate guard on the defensive end. In his first year in Houston, Paul helped the Rockets reach the Conference Finals and push World Champion Golden State to 7 games. If Paul can have a more healthy season this year we can expect Paul to have a major impact on who eventually holds the championship trophy this coming NBA Campaign.

12) Paul George

Current Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Position: SG/SF

Why This Ranking: Paul George is one of the NBA's best perimeter defenders in addition to being a supreme offensive talent. George is one of the rare NBA players that can effectively guards over 3 positions and take a good player completely out of his game. George also is one of the better shooters in the league and can have a great affect on a NBA game offensively or defensively every night.

11) Damian Lillard

Current Team: Portland Trailblazers

Position: PG

Why This Ranking: Damian Lillard finds himself this high on the list because Lillard is arguably the hardest Point Guard in the NBA to guard. Lillard is a special 3-Level Scorer that is in the same elk of Point Guard Superstars Kyrie Irving and Steph Curry. Lillard also is as clutch of a shooter the league has for big time late game shots, making him one of the toughest players in all the NBA for defenses to slow down.

10) Kyrie Irving

Current Team: Boston Celtics

Position: PG

Why This Ranking: Kyrie "Uncle Drew" Irving is a rare and special offensive player. Irving has legendary handles that allows him to dance on defenders like almost no other in NBA history has. Irving is also equipped with a deadly jump shot and a huge arsenal and array of different lay-ups which allow him to score from a limitless range of possibilities on the basketball court. When Irving is healthy there is not another offensive player in the NBA quite like him.

9) John Wall

Current Team: Washington Wizards

Position: PG

Why This Ranking: John Wall is quietly one of the best players in the entire NBA. The former 2010 1^st Overall Selection is a rare player that can soundly effect an NBA game from a large number of different aspects. A gifted athlete that could possible move faster with the basketball than without it in hand, Wall has talents that aren't matched by many basketball players. After a injury plagued 2017-18 Season, Wall will look to dominate the Eastern Conference in the coming season to prove he is one of the best players in all of basketball.

8) Giannis Antetokounmpo

Current Team: Milwaukee Bucks

Position: SF

Why This Ranking: Nicknamed the “ Greek Freak” from his Greek heritage and freakest Physical size, Antetokounmpo has the chance to become the best player in the entire NBA during his career. Giannis is one of the rarest athletes in all of the NBA at 6'11” and a 7'4” wingspan that can run like a guard and guard positions 1 thru 5 effectively. At only 23 years of age, Antetokounmpo is just coming into his own and it will be fun to watch where he takes the Milwaukee Bucks in the coming years.

7) Steph Curry

Current Team: Golden State Warriors

Position: PG

Why This Ranking: A two-time NBA MVP and 5X All Star, Curry is one the premier players in the entire NBA. Curry is one of the NBA League History's greatest shooters of all time, as detailed by his 2016 Scoring Championship and 2015 3-Point Contest Championship. Steph Curry matches break neck handles with a truly impressive jump shoot to make him one of the most entertaining basketball players of his era and the Franchise Cornerstone of the Back-to-back reigning NBA Champion Golden State Warriors.

6) James Harden

Current Team: Houston Rockets

Position: SG/PG

Why This Ranking: James Harden comes in as the reigning NBA 2018 Most Valuable Player. The 6X NBA All-Star, 2017 Assists Leader and 2018 Scoring Champion, Harden is arguably the premier offensive player in the entire NBA. Harden mixes a classic offensive game with modern moves like his infamous “Euro-Step” and “Harden Step Back”. Harden is a rare offensive player that can score effectively impressively at all three levels and is still very unselfish and willing to make plays for his teammates constantly.

5) Anthony Davis

Current Team: New Orleans Pelicans

Position: PF/C

Why This Ranking: Anthony Davis is one of the NBA absolute best talents and is one of the rarer athletes one might ever witness. Coming in at 6'11” with a 7'6” wingspan and can run and jump with any player, Davis is a true physical specimen. What makes Davis special and one of the top 3 talents in all of basketball is his ability to dominate of both sides of the basketball court like no other in the league. Davis is a true defensive Anchor and Elite Defensive player that has virtually no weaknesses in his offensive game. Davis is arguably as talented as any other NBA player in the entire NBA and has the potential to be a future league MVP.

4) Kawhi Leonard

Current Team: Toronto Raptors

Position: SF

Why This Ranking: Kawhi Leonard is arguably hands down the best Defender in the entire NBA. A 2X Defensive Player of the Year and 4X All-Team Defense Selections, there isn't another player in the league that can match Leonard Defensive Accomplishments. Leonard is to be considered the League's Top Premier Two-Way Player. What brings Leonard this high on the list besides his defense is that Leonard has also developed into a great offensive player also. Leonard like maybe no other player in the NBA can truly dominate any game offensively and defensively.

3) Kevin Durant

Current Team: Golden State Warriors

Position: SF

Why This Ranking: Kevin Durant is the NBA's most dominate scorer in today's game and rivals some of the best offensive players in league history. Kevin Durant is arguably the best player in the entire NBA. Durant is a notch below elite level defender but is by all accounts a supreme offensive player. A 4x scoring champion and reigning back-to-back NBA Finals MVP prove that Durant is as good as any player of the last decade currently.

2) LeBron James

Current Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Position: SF

Why This Ranking: Known as “ The King”, LeBron James has dominated over the NBA for the better of the last decade. James is still considered by most the best player in the NBA. The 4x MVP, 3x Finals MVP, and 14x All-Star, LeBron James is as good as any player to ever play in the NBA. At this stage after playing over 15 Seasons and well over 1100 NBA Games, James doesn't dominate on the defensive end of the basketball court like he did for much of his Supreme Career. James still holds the court as the most respected NBA Player currently, still is as dominate as any player in league history and is still as capable as any player in today's NBA.

1) Russell Westbrook

Current Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Position: PG

Why This Ranking: Russell Westbrook has ascended to this top spot because over the past two seasons Westbrook has dominated on the basketball court like no other in NBA history has. Westbrook has dominated not only on the offensive end of the basketball court leading the league in scoring in 2015 and 2017 but also on the defensive side of the ball coming in top 5 in defensive win shares in each of the past two seasons. Westbrook has been able to not only match statistical feats the NBA hasn't seen before with his back-to-back years averaging a triple-double but Westbrook has been able to lead a team into the playoffs in a tough Western Conference in two years where he saw many of his teammates on the roster changed in both seasons. Russell Westbrook level of physical prowess, offensive and defensive contributions, and basketball accomplishments make him the Premier Basketball Player in the Entire NBA coming into the 2018-19 NBA Season.