With all the big free agents locked up, the NBA off-season is slowly coming to a close and the start of another season is quickly approaching. Let’s take some time and look at the top 20 players in the NBA, starting with players 11-20. Be sure to check out the second article of this two-part series, which analyzes the top 10 players in the NBA.
NBA Top Players: 11-20
20. Blake Griffin
Some people may be surprised that he cracks this list, but don’t be fooled by his injury riddled 2015-2016 season. When healthy, Griffin is a top five player in the paint, while his shooting is improving all the time. He and Chris Paul make one of the deadliest duos in the NBA.
19. Kyle Lowry
The Toronto Raptors finally got over the hump and won not only one playoff series, but made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals and Lowry was a gigantic part of that. Lowry averaged 21.2 points this past season, a massive improvement on his career average of 13.5 and it looks like this form is here to stay.
18. Jimmy Butler
With Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol out of the picture, Butler is now the undisputed leader of this Chicago Bulls team. This is ture even after the arrival of Dwyane Wade. At just 26-years-old and going into the 2016-2017 season healthy, he can still continue to grow as a player and possibly move further up on this list next year.
17. Giannis Antetokounmpo
It seems that this kid gets better and better with every game that he plays. Since he entered the league as a 19-year-old, his offensive and defensive numbers have gone up dramatically. At just 21 years old, he is the heart of the Milwaukee Bucks and no one should be surprised if at some point he ends up being a top 10 player in this league for many years.
16. Hassan Whiteside
The new face of the Miami Heat is going to be an absolute force to be reckoned with next season. Whiteside averaged an impressive 14.2 points, 11.8 rebounds 3.7 blocks per game. Without Wade, those numbers should see another rise next year.
15. Karl-Anthony Towns
It’s hard to imagine a player being in the top 20 after his first year in the league, but here he is ranked at 15. Towns averaged 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds in his first year of NBA action. In the next couple of seasons, this Timberwolves team will be unbelievable and Towns will be leading the charge. It’s scary to think about how good this kid can get in the future7.
14. Klay Thompson
The sharpshooting shooting guard has improved his three point shooting every year since he’s been in the association. He hit a career best 276 three pointers this year, second only to his splash brother, Steph Curry. He was also a beast for the Warriors in the 2016 postseason. At just 25-years-old, he should be a huge piece for them for years to come.
13. Kyrie Irving
Kyrie is finally doing what Kyrie is supposed to do. He has shown why he is a former first overall pick and why many people have said that one day he will be one of the game’s elite point guards. Other than Lebron, Kyrie was the best player in the postseason. He took control over games and seized the opportunity. Some may say he is the reason the Cavs won the championship, going back to the shot he made over Curry. Stardom is in his future.
12. John Wall
John Wall is the pulse of the Washington Wizards. Without him, this team would probably not be in the playoff hunt very often, even in the east. He averaged a double double per game while being third in assists and top 10 in steals this year. With a little bit of help, he can turn the Wizards into a contending team. And, let’s not forget to mention his killer dance moves.
11. Damian Lillard
There is just so much to say about Lillard and his game. He is one of the best all around players in the world. Lillard finished in the top 10 in scoring, three pointers made, free throws made, assists and field goals made. He will keep this Portland team competitive for many years to come. He could even possibly make them a championship caliber team one day. Don’t be surprised if in the future, you see him amongst the top five of any list and earning multiple MVP awards.
