NBCSports.com’s 5 best players in 5 years

[GeorgeMarcus]

Kinda weird they are confident enough in AD’s health to put him #2, but use injuries to drop Embiid out of the rankings. Counting playoff games Embiid played more games than AD the last 2 years, despite the B2B rest days and freak orbital fracture.

AD hasn't had any major injury issues and Embiid has. Not surprising, weird, or anything else.

Embiid hasn't dealt with any major injuries the last 2 years. It's not like he's Dipo or Durant coming back from injury, where we don't know how he'll look after the fact. He's already a better player than AD, so AD's health record would need to be spotless to warrant a #2 spot versus Embiid at #11.

[BoogieTime]

Kinda weird they are confident enough in AD’s health to put him #2, but use injuries to drop Embiid out of the rankings. Counting playoff games Embiid played more games than AD the last 2 years, despite the B2B rest days and freak orbital fracture.

AD hasn't had any major injury issues and Embiid has. Not surprising, weird, or anything else.

Embiid hasn't dealt with any major injuries the last 2 years. It's not like he's Dipo or Durant coming back from injury, where we don't know how he'll look after the fact. He's already a better player than AD, so AD's health record would need to be spotless to warrant a #2 spot versus Embiid at #11.

I can understand Embiid’s number not being high. Hes a step away now, with his structural history and conditioning.

[THE J0KER]

https://sports.yahoo.com/nbcsports-com-50-best-players-150013844.html

5. Zion
4. Joker
3. Luka
2. AD
1. Giannis

3 out of TOP4

Balkan Rules!


But talking about some NBA era TOP4 players and their places of birth, we have in a current era even bigger "against all odds" case than this 3/4 projected for Euro Balkan peninsula, considering that LeBron James and Stephen Curry are born in the same small Ohio town Akron!

[Roddy B for 3]

Im going to go out on a limb here.

Embiid=1
Gianni's=2
Doncic=3
Davis=4
Jokic=5
Williamson=6

[mowcrowbar]

https://sports.yahoo.com/nbcsports-com-50-best-players-150013844.html

5. Zion
4. Joker
3. Luka
2. AD
1. Giannis

Of that group, I'd anoint Zion's the next face of the NBA.

Or the next Julius Randal

[Capn'O]

Zion may never be a top 10 player in the league. His overrating by media and fans alike is staggering to me. This guy projects out somewhere between Julius Randle and Blake Griffin IMO. Sure he may be a more all around player, but I also think offensively he could be more challenged than these two guys even in 5 years due to his size/length. I will be stunned if he's a top 5 player at any point.

If either of those guys had the ability to be elite defensive players they'd be in the conversation for top 10 in the league now.

[iLLmatic860]

Zion may never be a top 10 player in the league. His overrating by media and fans alike is staggering to me. This guy projects out somewhere between Julius Randle and Blake Griffin IMO. Sure he may be a more all around player, but I also think offensively he could be more challenged than these two guys even in 5 years due to his size/length. I will be stunned if he's a top 5 player at any point.

If either of those guys had the ability to be elite defensive players they'd be in the conversation for top 10 in the league now.

I think if Blake were to go to a better team and they made playoffs he would be considered a top 10 player. He really has gotten alot better but not alot of people see that because hes in Detroit

[Eric Millegan]

The point here is to speculate how much a 19 year old will improve in 5 years, not how the 19 year old shot from 3 over 20 games when he was tired. Would someone post Durant’s rookie numbers? Then we can talk.

[Eric Millegan]

Oh hell. I’ll do it. Durant was 43% from field and 28.8% from 3 his rookie year. He also averaged more turnovers than assists.

Look up Dirk too. And Kobe.

[Danny1616]

By 2024 this is my top 20 list.

1. Giannis (will be 29).
2. Luka (will be 24).
3. Embiid (will be 30).
4. Davis (will be 31).
5. Jokic (will be 29).
6. Siakim (will be 30).
7. Mitchell (will be 27).
8. Booker (will be 29).
9. Simmons (will be 28).
10. Murray (will be 27).
11. Towns (will be 29).
12. Tatum (will be 26).
13. Kyrie (will be 32).
14. Zion (will be 24).
15. Fox (will be 26).
16. Lavine (will be 29).
17. Turner (will be 28).
18. Oladipo (will be 32).
19. Young (will be 24).
20. Ja Morant (will be 24).

Kawhi should be a top 3 player in the next 5 years if he can stay healthy but I doubt he will be able to.

I think guys like Curry, Klay, Lillard, and Harden will still be very productive in 5 years (similar to guys like Pierce and Allen were in the mid-30s) due to their great shooting.

Guys like Porzingis should be there if healthy, but I don't count on it.

[dhsilv2]

Kinda weird they are confident enough in AD’s health to put him #2, but use injuries to drop Embiid out of the rankings. Counting playoff games Embiid played more games than AD the last 2 years, despite the B2B rest days and freak orbital fracture.

AD hasn't had any major injury issues and Embiid has. Not surprising, weird, or anything else.

Embiid hasn't dealt with any major injuries the last 2 years. It's not like he's Dipo or Durant coming back from injury, where we don't know how he'll look after the fact. He's already a better player than AD, so AD's health record would need to be spotless to warrant a #2 spot versus Embiid at #11.

Major injuries never go away. If you have had one, it's for LIFE!

[KyletheDingbat]

I don't believe Zion only has a 6'10" wingspan, though even if he did that's not bad for a guy 6'7". But hasn't he grown a bit since joining Duke? Even if he's only grown an inch or two, that probably correlates to a wingspan closer to 7 feet. Looking at him it doesn't look like he has short arms.

I think Zion will be #1 in five years.

[Yuri Vaultin]

I'd go:
Giannis
Jokic
Zion
Luka
Jonathan Isaac or Jaren Jackson, Jr.