How many active players are Top 100 all-time players?

[giordunk]

Feels like elite players keep coming and a lot of previous players will be getting squeezed out the top 100.

Anyone that's won an MVP is by default Top 100, so...

LeBron
Durant
Curry
Westbrook
Harden
Giannis
Jokic
Embiid

Already top 50 all-time
Chris Paul
Kawhi Leonard

Young but most likely will top 100
Tatum
Doncic
SGA
Edwards
Wemby

Most likely top 100
Paul George
Damian Lillard
Anthony Davis
Kevin Love
Klay Thompson
Kyrie Irving
Draymond Green
Jimmy Butler
Devin Booker

Borderline
Al Horford
Kyle Lowry
Rudy Gobert
KAT
Domantas Sabonis
Jaylen Brown
Donovan Mitchell

Just a gut feeling, not like I did any super analysis on this.

[eminence]

I'm generally higher on longevity than most, but current picks, added that weren't on your original list - Jrue/Conley:

In:
LeBron
Steph
CP3
KD
Harden
Dray
George
Westbrook
Jokic
Giannis
Kawhi
Dame
Lowry
Horford
Butler
Gobert
Tatum
Davis
Jrue
Conley

Obviously several others on course to make it (and a few of these guys might get bumped in the process - Conley/Horford probably the two I'm lowest on).

[mikejames23]

That's 25 Top 100 players... how do they fare vs other Top 100 guys that were listed in like, 2008? That's worth a full debate. Some older players have to be lowered - or are they better than modern day guys?

[penbeast0]

Feels like elite players keep coming and a lot of previous players will be getting squeezed out the top 100.

Anyone that's won an MVP is by default Top 100, so...

LeBron
Durant
Curry
Westbrook
Harden
Giannis
Jokic
Embiid

Embiid a bit of a question if he basically wastes the rest of his career, otherwise agree.

Already top 50 all-time
Chris Paul
Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi top 100 most likely, I don't think he makes my top 50, his load management and the way he went out in San Antonio soured me on him.

Young but most likely will top 100
Tatum
Doncic
SGA
Edwards

Edwards the most questionable. His interviews show his youth and he hasn't really done enough yet to smell the top 100. SGA either but he seems more likely to stay at a top level.

Most likely top 100
Paul George
Damian Lillard
Anthony Davis
Kevin Love
Klay Thompson
Kyrie Irving
Draymond Green
Jimmy Butler
Devin Booker

Irving isn't making for me at this point, he'd have to have several more strong years to make up for all his issues.
Love probably not either. The others have a good shot.

Borderline
Al Horford
Kyle Lowry
Rudy Gobert
KAT
Domantas Sabonis
Jaylen Brown
Donovan Mitchell

Horford and Lowry I like a lot, but no. Sabonis and KAT have to up their team results over the next few years to show their defense isn't disqualifying. Gobert, Brown, and Mitchell have a shot, a ring for Gobert or Mitchell as an arguably best player on their team would make them more likely but right now I'd guess not quite.

Just a gut feeling, not like I did any super analysis on this.

Me either.

[Doctor MJ]

Feels like elite players keep coming and a lot of previous players will be getting squeezed out the top 100.

So, the Player Trajectory tab on the RealGM 100 spreadsheet will be helpful to this analysis.

I don't have time at this moment to ask how many active players made the Top 100 in each iteration of the project, but just in terms of the most recent one (2023):

LeBron James
Chris Paul
Kyle Lowry
Kevin Durant
Al Horford
Russell Westbrook
Steph Curry
James Harden
Paul George
Kawhi Leonard
Jimmy Butler
Anthony Davis
Draymond Green
Damian Lillard
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Rudy Gobert
Nikola Jokic
Joel Embiid
Jayson Tatum
Luka Doncic

Looks like an even 20 players, though if we literally did it at this moment I think Jrue and SGA would get significant consideration.

[Doctor MJ]

That's 25 Top 100 players... how do they fare vs other Top 100 guys that were listed in like, 2008? That's worth a full debate. Some older players have to be lowered - or are they better than modern day guys?

So for reference, in 2008, I believe these were the active players on the list:

Dikembe Mutombo
Shaquille O'Neal
Jason Kidd
Grant Hill
Kevin Garnett
Kobe Bryant
Steve Nash
Allen Iverson
Ray Allen
Ben Wallace
Tim Duncan
Tracy McGrady
Chauncey Billups
Dirk Nowitzki
Paul Pierce
Vince Carter
LeBron James
Dwyane Wade

So that's 18 players by my count, of which all are still on the list except Grant Hill.

Additionally the following players were active at the time, but not yet on the 100:

Rasheed Wallace
Shawn Marion
Pau Gasol
Tony Parker
Manu Ginobili
Dwight Howard
Chris Paul
Kyle Lowry
Kevin Durant
Al Horford

[Cavsfansince84]

That's 25 Top 100 players... how do they fare vs other Top 100 guys that were listed in like, 2008? That's worth a full debate. Some older players have to be lowered - or are they better than modern day guys?

So for reference, in 2008, I believe these were the active players on the list:

Dikembe Mutombo
Shaquille O'Neal
Jason Kidd
Grant Hill
Kevin Garnett
Kobe Bryant
Steve Nash
Allen Iverson
Ray Allen
Ben Wallace
Tim Duncan
Tracy McGrady
Chauncey Billups
Dirk Nowitzki
Paul Pierce
Vince Carter
LeBron James
Dwyane Wade

So that's 18 players by my count, of which all are still on the list except Grant Hill.

Additionally the following players were active at the time, but not yet on the 100:

Rasheed Wallace
Shawn Marion
Pau Gasol
Tony Parker
Manu Ginobili
Dwight Howard
Chris Paul
Kyle Lowry
Kevin Durant
Al Horford

I think this list sort of highlights the degree we gotta stop talking about guys who may have like 1-2 all nba teams on their resumes while in their mid 20's still as likely top 100 guys because its only going to get harder and harder to make that cut from a career perspective as time goes by. It takes a very strong career(for most people I think this also would entail a 7-8 year prime) unless its being balanced against actually winning an mvp or being a top 5 player in the league for an extended period of time. Those guys in the 85-100 range will constantly be on the chopping block as time moves forward.

[scrabbarista]

Jrue, yes.

Lowry, no.

Horford, I think no, but I'm not sure.

Love, no.

SGA and Edwards, no.

Gobert, yes. Kyrie Irving, I think yes.

Conley, no.

Booker, no.

Thompson, no, I think.

Most of the other names listed are yeses, plus there are a million guys (some obvious ones I've already named) who may get there in the future.

So, I think my final answer is 20-21? Final for this post, anyway. I think have the same as the Top 100, but with Holiday and Irving in place of Lowry and Horford.

But don't quote me. I haven't yet figured how to get my laptop to recognize the hard drive that has my official list.

EDIT: Got my list back. It has Kyrie, Jrue, and Horford in spots 100-98, respectively. So Horford was a yes, making 21 total players. Everything else I remembered correctly.

[DCasey91]

Lebron
Durant
Curry
Giannis
Kawhi
Jokic
Paul
Green
Harden
Davis
Westbrook
Doncic
Tatum
Butler
Embiid

That's the 15 that I have now, but the top 100 overall the potential candidates to get is obviously going to get larger as time goes on.

Obviously it's different from a hall resume

It will get to a point of Baseball imo whereby some seriously talented and accomplished players from all eras can't get in because the top 100 all time is loaded. Still a ways from Football but you get the point.

[SpreeS]

These are locks

C Jokic/Embiid/Gobert
PF Giannis/Davis/Green
SF Lebron/Durnat/Kawhi/Butler/George/Tatum
PG Curry/Paul/Harden/Westbrook/Lillard/Doncic

Debatable

Horford/Lowry/Holiday

Mostly lock in near future

Shai/Bam

[Djoker]

Anyone that's won an MVP is by default Top 100, so...

LeBron
Durant
Curry
Westbrook
Harden
Giannis
Jokic
Embiid

Yep.

Already top 50 all-time
Chris Paul
Kawhi Leonard

Yep.

Young but most likely will top 100
Tatum
Doncic
SGA
Edwards

Eventually yes but as of right now, none of them except Doncic are a definite yes.

Most likely top 100
Paul George
Damian Lillard
Anthony Davis
Kevin Love
Klay Thompson
Kyrie Irving
Draymond Green
Jimmy Butler
Devin Booker

I think Lillard and Booker are maybes but probably they will make it considering they are still adding accomplishments.

Borderline
Al Horford
Kyle Lowry
Rudy Gobert
KAT
Domantas Sabonis
Jaylen Brown
Donovan Mitchell

Just a gut feeling, not like I did any super analysis on this.

Horford and Lowry are no's for me.

Robert is probably a yes. Can't argue with his defensive accolades.

KAT, Sabonis, Brown are no's too.

Mitchell is probably in eventually like Lillard and Booker.

So all in all about 20-25 current players are top 100.