Thoughts?
1-5
1-5
1 Anthony Davis
AGE: 20DOB: 3/11/93HT: 6-10WT: 220POS: PF/C
PPG: 18.8BPG: 3.6RPG: 10.23-YR WARP: 54.6
Amin Elhassan: Davis continues his superstar trajectory as an efficient, unselfish two-way player. He's a tremendous defensive presence both on- and off-ball, a voracious rebounder and elite finisher out of pick-and-roll situations.
David Thorpe: Improving his shooting is Step 1, beginning with a midrange game that can be featured in isolations when defenders play off him. Developing a plan in the post is Step 2, including face-ups against bigger, slower defenders, as well as a reliable middle-attack move with one solid counter.
Kevin Pelton: After posting the best PER ever by a 20-year-old as a rookie, Davis merely ranks third in the league this season. Barring injury, his future is a lock.
Previous rank: No. 13 | PLAYER CARD
2 Paul George
AGE: 23DOB: 5/2/90HT: 6-9WT: 220POS: SF
PPG: 25.1APG: 3.4RPG: 5.83-YR WARP: 34.0
Elhassan: George has taken the leap from All-Star to superstar by bringing his offensive game to a level on par with his defensive brilliance. Improved shooting across the board and the addition of a midrange game make him a much tougher cover than in years past.
Thorpe: George needs to begin work on what most extra-large wings develop as they age -- a post-up game. It starts with a mindset to fight for good post position throughout the game, including in transition. His length allows him to attack the paint and then rise straight up for a jumper, though developing a half-hook would be nice, too.
Pelton: A relatively low WARP projection doesn't give George enough defensive credit. His rapid development the past two seasons suggests he will continue working to improve his game.
Previous rank: No. 18 | PLAYER CARD
3 Andre Drummond
AGE: 20DOB: 8/10/93HT: 6-10WT: 270POS: C
PPG: 13.5BPG: 1.4RPG: 13.03-YR WARP: 46.3
Elhassan: Probably already the best rebounder in the NBA, Drummond's combination of size, elite athleticism and motor give him the ability to impact the game every time he steps on the court. He's still raw in terms of skill and feel, but the instincts are there.
Thorpe: He is nowhere near the same player in a fast game as he is in a more deliberate half-court game. Drummond has the ability to both outrace bigs end-to-end or earn deep post position in early offense. Doing so significantly elevates Detroit's offense and makes him a far more dynamic player.
Pelton: Dwight Howard is the only player with a similarity score better than 90 compared to Drummond, who could become the fourth-youngest All-Star ever after Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Magic Johnson.
Previous rank: NR | PLAYER CARD
4 James Harden
AGE: 24DOB: 8/26/89HT: 6-5WT: 220POS: SG
PPG: 24.6APG: 5.7RPG: 4.83-YR WARP: 46.2
Elhassan: The best shooting guard in the NBA, Harden has taken scoring efficiency to new levels. He gets to the front of the rim almost at will, and if the defense lays back he will seek and destroy from beyond the arc. A deft playmaker who makes his teammates better, Harden's final frontier is conquering the defensive end.
Thorpe: Harden has taken Kobe Bryant's place as the player who makes the most "bad" shots, but he still misses the majority of them. On this team, with the weapons he has around him, those just are not necessary. Taking a few more uncontested shots each game and displaying a willingness to play defense more often the way he does expertly on occasion would elevate him to MVP-level status.
Pelton: Players similar to Harden have tended to peak at an early age, often because of injuries. The pounding Harden takes while repeatedly driving to the hoop could take a toll.
Previous rank: No. 4 | PLAYER CARD
5 John Wall
AGE: 23DOB: 9/6/90HT: 6-4WT: 195POS: PG
PPG: 19.6APG: 9.1RPG: 4.43-YR WARP: 35.0
Elhassan: Wall is beginning to fulfill the promise that got him drafted first overall in 2010 (amazing what being healthy can do for your game's perception). He's still not a consistent enough shooter, but he's improved tremendously, and that has opened up passing opportunities for him. Defensively, he has the tools to be the antidote to the league's class of super-athletic PGs.
Thorpe: Improving his perimeter shot is a no-brainer, even just a midrange jump shot over smaller defenders, but he has work to do to become a better transition finisher as well. As perhaps the fastest ball-pusher in the league, Wall has many chances to outrace defenders but he often struggles to focus on making the shot rather than drawing contact or getting it off cleanly.
Pelton: Point guards tend to peak late, so Wall might still have room to grow after emerging as an All-Star-caliber player this season.
Previous rank: NR | PLAYER CARD
AGE: 20DOB: 3/11/93HT: 6-10WT: 220POS: PF/C
PPG: 18.8BPG: 3.6RPG: 10.23-YR WARP: 54.6
Amin Elhassan: Davis continues his superstar trajectory as an efficient, unselfish two-way player. He's a tremendous defensive presence both on- and off-ball, a voracious rebounder and elite finisher out of pick-and-roll situations.
David Thorpe: Improving his shooting is Step 1, beginning with a midrange game that can be featured in isolations when defenders play off him. Developing a plan in the post is Step 2, including face-ups against bigger, slower defenders, as well as a reliable middle-attack move with one solid counter.
Kevin Pelton: After posting the best PER ever by a 20-year-old as a rookie, Davis merely ranks third in the league this season. Barring injury, his future is a lock.
Previous rank: No. 13 | PLAYER CARD
2 Paul George
AGE: 23DOB: 5/2/90HT: 6-9WT: 220POS: SF
PPG: 25.1APG: 3.4RPG: 5.83-YR WARP: 34.0
Elhassan: George has taken the leap from All-Star to superstar by bringing his offensive game to a level on par with his defensive brilliance. Improved shooting across the board and the addition of a midrange game make him a much tougher cover than in years past.
Thorpe: George needs to begin work on what most extra-large wings develop as they age -- a post-up game. It starts with a mindset to fight for good post position throughout the game, including in transition. His length allows him to attack the paint and then rise straight up for a jumper, though developing a half-hook would be nice, too.
Pelton: A relatively low WARP projection doesn't give George enough defensive credit. His rapid development the past two seasons suggests he will continue working to improve his game.
Previous rank: No. 18 | PLAYER CARD
3 Andre Drummond
AGE: 20DOB: 8/10/93HT: 6-10WT: 270POS: C
PPG: 13.5BPG: 1.4RPG: 13.03-YR WARP: 46.3
Elhassan: Probably already the best rebounder in the NBA, Drummond's combination of size, elite athleticism and motor give him the ability to impact the game every time he steps on the court. He's still raw in terms of skill and feel, but the instincts are there.
Thorpe: He is nowhere near the same player in a fast game as he is in a more deliberate half-court game. Drummond has the ability to both outrace bigs end-to-end or earn deep post position in early offense. Doing so significantly elevates Detroit's offense and makes him a far more dynamic player.
Pelton: Dwight Howard is the only player with a similarity score better than 90 compared to Drummond, who could become the fourth-youngest All-Star ever after Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Magic Johnson.
Previous rank: NR | PLAYER CARD
4 James Harden
AGE: 24DOB: 8/26/89HT: 6-5WT: 220POS: SG
PPG: 24.6APG: 5.7RPG: 4.83-YR WARP: 46.2
Elhassan: The best shooting guard in the NBA, Harden has taken scoring efficiency to new levels. He gets to the front of the rim almost at will, and if the defense lays back he will seek and destroy from beyond the arc. A deft playmaker who makes his teammates better, Harden's final frontier is conquering the defensive end.
Thorpe: Harden has taken Kobe Bryant's place as the player who makes the most "bad" shots, but he still misses the majority of them. On this team, with the weapons he has around him, those just are not necessary. Taking a few more uncontested shots each game and displaying a willingness to play defense more often the way he does expertly on occasion would elevate him to MVP-level status.
Pelton: Players similar to Harden have tended to peak at an early age, often because of injuries. The pounding Harden takes while repeatedly driving to the hoop could take a toll.
Previous rank: No. 4 | PLAYER CARD
5 John Wall
AGE: 23DOB: 9/6/90HT: 6-4WT: 195POS: PG
PPG: 19.6APG: 9.1RPG: 4.43-YR WARP: 35.0
Elhassan: Wall is beginning to fulfill the promise that got him drafted first overall in 2010 (amazing what being healthy can do for your game's perception). He's still not a consistent enough shooter, but he's improved tremendously, and that has opened up passing opportunities for him. Defensively, he has the tools to be the antidote to the league's class of super-athletic PGs.
Thorpe: Improving his perimeter shot is a no-brainer, even just a midrange jump shot over smaller defenders, but he has work to do to become a better transition finisher as well. As perhaps the fastest ball-pusher in the league, Wall has many chances to outrace defenders but he often struggles to focus on making the shot rather than drawing contact or getting it off cleanly.
Pelton: Point guards tend to peak late, so Wall might still have room to grow after emerging as an All-Star-caliber player this season.
Previous rank: NR | PLAYER CARD

