SLAMonline Top 50: Kevin Durant, no. 50

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• scott Posted: Aug.29 at 8:07 am
  Thank you Slam. I have Durant number 46 on my list. When his body catches up to his talent in a few years he’ll be in the top ten without a doubt. Durant’s rookie shooting percentages compare or are better then Nowitzki, Anthony, and James. Just give him time and Durant will be a star but for now 50 is about right.

• Matisse Posted: Aug.29 at 8:09 am
  Ah its top fifty time again, the season tip-off is just around the corner. KD, 50th? yeah i’d go with that, what are the odds he carcks the top 20 by seasons end?

• Drew Posted: Aug.29 at 8:10 am
  Are you sure? I don’t think he’s done enough to warrant a top 50 slot top 75 but not 50.

• rob stewart Posted: Aug.29 at 8:12 am
  This sounds about right. I’m going to quickly write down my own top 50 players and see how it matches up. Maybe you guys should have a top 30 or 20 contest. See who can come the closest to matching Slam’s picks. Just an idea.

• TADOne Posted: Aug.29 at 8:12 am
  Wow, starting them off with something to talk about. Hey Lang, is there any chance that you will run the criteria that was used in deciphering this list?

• scott Posted: Aug.29 at 8:24 am
  Lang we need a write up on Durant. Why did you guys at the Slam dome put him at 50?

• Lz - Cphfinest3 Posted: Aug.29 at 8:31 am
  50 is about right for Kev at this point. Given time for sure top 10 if not 5.

• DP Posted: Aug.29 at 8:44 am
  Yeah this is right for Kev. Give him a couple of years and he will be straight. I think Kevin will average at least 24 with 46 percent field goal percentage. Much improvement.

• Jukai Posted: Aug.29 at 8:55 am
  This was suppose to be of ALL TIME. I feel gyped.

• Jukai Posted: Aug.29 at 8:57 am
  I have this top 50 of all time list sitting on my computer. I was suppose to have shown it off and elaborated on how superior it was to Myles/Russ/Ryans’s list and how this showed that I was a better person in general for figuring out this stuff. Then Allenp would have whined about Iverson’s placement compared to Cousy’s and life would have been complete. What the hell am I suppose to do now?

• Ryne Nelson Posted: Aug.29 at 9:02 am
  @TAD: This was the criteria, more or less…
  * 50 best players in the NBA today, right now
  * Guys who provide the most value to their teams
  * Completely, utterly your opinion
  @Jukai: You can look forward to an All-Time list later this season.

• B. Long Posted: Aug.29 at 9:05 am
  Kevin Durant needs to get on the Shaq offseason nutrition program and he’ll bump up 10 spots.

• 1Ozzy Posted: Aug.29 at 9:10 am
  Ahhhhh, the LIST is back!! Just in time to fill my B-ball fix before the start of the season. No comments on this choice. . .That is no comments yet! Waiting to see other choices. Like his game though. Unfortunately on a team that forces him to take too many bad shots.

• TADOne Posted: Aug.29 at 9:11 am
  Ryne: Reading is fundamental. I guess I should have read and comprehended better: “The definitive ranking of the best players in the NBA TODAY…”
  Sorry, it’s early and i’m tired from staying up late to watch our future.

• old lady randolph Posted: Aug.29 at 9:36 am
  man, i thought zach randolph was going to be 50. you know, because he’s been wearing that number on his chest for years now… guess he’ll settle for 49th best in the league

• Joel O's Posted: Aug.29 at 9:39 am
  Don’t know if he should be higher, but if KD builds on the way he was playing late in the season, I’d say he’ll end up in the top 25 or so by season’s end.

• Ryne Nelson Posted: Aug.29 at 9:39 am
  @B. Long - Even the Michael Phelps nutrition plan would benefit the scrawny guy…By the way, if Phelps eats 12,000 calories a day, how many does Shaq eat during the season?

• Ryne Nelson Posted: Aug.29 at 9:40 am
  @Joel O’s: I’m right there with you. If Durant is healthy this season, he’ll be in the Top 30 in a year from now.

• JG Posted: Aug.29 at 9:42 am
  better not see kirilenko in the top 20 again…

• starbury&stevey Posted: Aug.29 at 9:46 am
  why hes wearing than okc uniform?i took a look back to your 2006 top 50,and i saw so many rookies ranked…(andrea barngiani,a.morison…dont make the same mistake here too.dont put a rookie in this top50..(rose,beasley)

• Darksaber Posted: Aug.29 at 9:50 am
  Oh gawd, Ryne.. how could you? Didn’t you guys learn that wars start over Slamonline top 50 lists? were you all blind, deaf and dumb last summer, when reps were made, opinions were lambasted, beliefs shattered, feuds bor…ah what the hell. KEVIN D. at 50? REALLY?

• Jukai Posted: Aug.29 at 9:50 am
  Adam Morrison averages 20 points this season, you heard it here

• Jukai Posted: Aug.29 at 9:51 am
  Adam Morrison has a 60 point game this season, you heard it here

• Jukai Posted: Aug.29 at 9:51 am
  JJ Reddick gets a total of 20 minutes of playing time next season, you heard it here

• Darksaber Posted: Aug.29 at 9:53 am
  @Ryne. Shaq doesn’t “eat” calories. He just strikes the pose on his couch while Shawnie feeds him… by the shovel full.

• starbury&stevey Posted: Aug.29 at 9:54 am
  @jukai can you answer to my first question?…i hope jj gets some playing time this season..

• Darksaber Posted: Aug.29 at 9:55 am
  Hey Jukai, Adam Morrison lets the ‘tache develop into a Fumanchu next season, you heard it here first.

• Darksaber Posted: Aug.29 at 9:58 am
  Knowing Lang and his utter admiration for the Pop and the spurs, the T-Dunc robot’s gonna be top 5 this time around. Grrr..

• Eboy Posted: Aug.29 at 10:03 am
  There’s 49 guys better than Kevin? Whoa.

• Bruno Posted: Aug.29 at 10:06 am
  hard to argue if you don’t know whats coming…
  Kev can be #50, depending on who is gonna come better than him and who is not even making the list.
  but its good to make it clear, the list will be top50 RIGHT NOW, right? no… when he does that he will be.. bla bla bla…
  what he does on the court RIGHT NOW, no market value attached for (young) age.
  thats gonna be fun.

• matt the jazz fan Posted: Aug.29 at 10:08 am
  the intro is just setting us up for lebron @ 1, cp3 @ 2 and kobe @ 3.
  (as jukai’d say, “you heard it here”)

• Darksaber Posted: Aug.29 at 10:10 am
  Oooh, i can feel the buzz already. Guys and girls in here can’t wait for the List to pick up steam. Eboy’s sharpening his knives, DP’s ready to “play with it”, Jukai’s gonna take on all everyone, and the Kobelovers can’t wait to see if he made the top. Finally, the summer just got even better for me…Slam’s giving us a top 50… all bets are off.

• Bruno Posted: Aug.29 at 10:13 am
  oh ow… just read the last list…
  Carmelo was higher than Garnett.
  all the credibility is gone.
  that NEVER happened. it doens’t matter when the list was made, but melo can’t be higher than garnett not even in his mom list…

• Jukai Posted: Aug.29 at 10:14 am
  Darksaber, I think Durant is pretty nicely placed and I have no problems with anything.

• Darksaber Posted: Aug.29 at 10:15 am
  yet, Juks, yet.

• Eboy Posted: Aug.29 at 10:17 am
  Darsaber, my knives are put away. I know how the list reads before it’s posted. Call it “ingenious intuition”. Kobe will be #1, Lebron #2 and CP3 #3. It’s pretty cut and dry as to how the various SLAM writers heap praise on these guys in various forms.

• Myles Brown Posted: Aug.29 at 10:23 am
  Thank you Jukai. For a guy who couldnt hit the broad side of a barn or keep a statue in front of him, it’s questionable whether he should have made the list at all.

• TADOne Posted: Aug.29 at 10:24 am
  Something tells me that Duncan may crash that top 3 party, Eboy.

• Eboy Posted: Aug.29 at 10:25 am
  I’ll take that challenge, TAD.

• TADOne Posted: Aug.29 at 10:26 am
  Friendly wager then. I already owe you a pizza.

• Eboy Posted: Aug.29 at 10:28 am
  I like meatballs on my pie, TAD.

• TADOne Posted: Aug.29 at 10:29 am
  Must be a Jersey thing.

• Myles Brown Posted: Aug.29 at 10:31 am
  You’re both wrong. I revised the list last night. Barack Obama is #1.

• Nathalie Posted: Aug.29 at 10:34 am
  Greg Oden better not be on the list.

• Eboy Posted: Aug.29 at 10:34 am
  I like that choice better than my imagined one, Myles!

• Michael Posted: Aug.29 at 10:42 am
  i seem to remember when they last did this, they forgot someone obvious from the list, as in we got to the last 10 guys and there were 11 or 12 fairly consensus top players that hadnt appeared yet…am i imagining this or can someone refresh my memory..

• Michael Posted: Aug.29 at 10:44 am
  just looking back over the list i assume it was baron davis or maybe rasheed, hard to believe neither cracked the top 50 last time, given some of the more, ahem, interesting selections

• Myles Brown Posted: Aug.29 at 10:49 am
  Ryan said I can’t comment anymore, so in parting I’d just like to say that McCain picking Palin as his VP is a predictably tactical move to court those on the fence Hillary supporters. And I agree with my VP Farmer Jones that any woman who would vote for a man looking to repeal Roe V. Wade just to spite her own party, doesn’t deserve a vote. And I might not let her make me dinner either.

• Myles Brown Posted: Aug.29 at 10:52 am
  Oh, and Tim Pawlenty, I know this must hurt with the Convention coming to town on Monday. if its any consolation, Ill buy you a beer at the Nas concert on Friday. If you can, bring that Ann Coulter.

• thesubwayconnection Posted: Aug.29 at 10:53 am
  B-B-B-B-Barack!

• a_whiteman Posted: Aug.29 at 10:53 am
  you guys should haev put this into a specialty issue then you could have made some $ off it…and if yous teal my idea i sue for the headband i never got with my subscription!!!!!!!!!

• TADOne Posted: Aug.29 at 10:56 am
  I’m not sure where to start with what Myles just said, so i’ll just agree. On a side note: If a Republican showed up at a Nas concert, would Fox News care?

• Jukai Posted: Aug.29 at 10:57 am
  Can you smelllllllelelelelelellllll what BARRACK IS COOKING?!?!

• a_whiteman Posted: Aug.29 at 10:59 am
  and i have to get a reason as to why the hell boris diaw, zach randolph, adam morrison(what the hell) and darko were on the list ahead of b diddy, caron butler, or deron williams guys come on

• ciolkstar Posted: Aug.29 at 11:05 am
  Jukai says Adam Morrison will avegrage 20!? HA!
  Wanna play in a fantasy league this year?
  Stick to ranking oldtimers.

• Pic Posted: Aug.29 at 11:05 am
  i remember andrea bargnani was top 50 or top 49 last time. oh how the mighty have fallen..

• ciolkstar Posted: Aug.29 at 11:06 am
  WOW. Now i just read a “60 pt” game? You have to be kidding. Did you forget that Jason Richardson is on that team and taking most of the shots?

• ciolkstar Posted: Aug.29 at 11:10 am
  I dont think Kobe can still be #1. He was MVP but that was admittedly a toss up. Cp3 had as good of a year and arguably did almost as much with far less. Bron’s stats blow away Kobes. SLAM should know there’s a problem when they sound like ESPNs echo.

• ciolkstar Posted: Aug.29 at 11:15 am
  1)LeBron 2)Kobe 3)CP3 4)Duncan (Kobe’s finals performance (or lack thereof) and Olympic futility should make him slide)

• d.Y. Posted: Aug.29 at 11:28 am
  50? Sure.

• Joel O's Posted: Aug.29 at 11:29 am
  Word, Myles.

• vmcb Posted: Aug.29 at 11:35 am
  50?
  hmmm either way, I’m excited for this list.

• BETCATS Posted: Aug.29 at 11:37 am
  Gerald Wallace needs to be on this list.

• Co Co Posted: Aug.29 at 11:44 am
  I can’t comment on the validity of this list until I see it in it’s entirety. If you’re only going to release one per day, I’ll holla at yall about this in 49 days.

• TADOne Posted: Aug.29 at 11:45 am
  Co Co is smart.

• Double J Posted: Aug.29 at 11:47 am
  Ya seriously you guys think there are really 49 guys better than KD? I highly doubt this, no i mean i really really doubt this. But ya Kobe is still #1, can’t deny his greatness. Lebron’s close but not there yet. If his team would have topped Boston then ya, but they lost too.

• theseed Posted: Aug.29 at 11:52 am
  ciolkstar, how can you say Kobe’s performance, when his team was number one is the tightest regular season race in Western confernce history. Lebron’s team would have been a 7th or 8th seed or may be out. Kobe still made it to the Finals, but lost to the better team with THREE ALL STARS, Kobe can’t win the game on his own, and the Celtics if you know basketball was playing collapsing defense, which took away from driving lanes, so Kobe had to shoot with a hand that has a torn ligament, plus KOBE won the game in the 4th quarter, Wake up and get some coffee.

• theseed Posted: Aug.29 at 11:56 am
  Won game 4th quarter versus Spain. Yes he did, just read the articles floating around cyberspace and honestly KEVIN DURANT HAS DONE NOTHING IN THIS LEAD BUT SHOOT THE SONICS OUT OF THE GAME, AND NOT PASS THE ROCK AND TO ME SHOULD NOT BE 50, I WOULD PUT RODNEY STUCKEY OVER HIM.

• Darksaber Posted: Aug.29 at 11:58 am
  @Eboy. “ingenious intuity”. i like that. Nicely put.

• magicmike2k7 Posted: Aug.29 at 12:01 pm
  return of Triple X’s Top Five?

• niQ Posted: Aug.29 at 12:07 pm
  everyone agrees in the beginning…

• Sparker Posted: Aug.29 at 12:13 pm
  if this was done in july, you won’t have taken into account the olympics. and will therefore short-change chris bosh, who should have risen considerably, esp. given that he was never really a favorite of certain (cough, cough… lang) slam writers. also: i know you apologized for it, but i still reel at the sight of bargnani as list 1’s #46. also: where ya gonna put rudy fernandez?

• Darksaber Posted: Aug.29 at 12:28 pm
  Oh please no.. not triple X’s Top five!

• H to the Izzo Posted: Aug.29 at 12:29 pm
  If Kobe isn’t number 1,I’ll be shocked,in fact I’ll bet anything that this is the case.

• Jukai Posted: Aug.29 at 12:55 pm
  I’ll take you up on that wager, Izzo.

• Bruno Posted: Aug.29 at 1:00 pm
  well, kobe was #1 before. last season he got the lakers out of the packed-west as #1 seed and won conference title.
  won MVP.
  won olympic gold being THE MAN, as always.
  how can him not be #1?
  lets see who comes 2nd, lebron or cp3?
  if it was for last season, i think everybody knows lebron better start fighting for #3 spot… here comes Wade…

• AB_40 Posted: Aug.29 at 1:10 pm
  man everybody is talkin about this kid when his body catches up he could’ve done that this summer here 10 pounds and the next summer 10 then he’s done 240 6-9 that’s preaty nice. gaining weight and staying explosive isn’t all that hard

• Jukai Posted: Aug.29 at 1:14 pm
  Bruno: I do agree on the Wade part. Kobe and Bron should be very scared.

• Booyashaka Posted: Aug.29 at 1:16 pm
  I have never once made the ‘next Jordan’ comparison with any player. Not Hill, not Stackhouse, not Wade, NOT Kobe, not anybody. But I have a feeling that Durant will be the next dominant scorer in the league for a long time. I see a Dominique / Micheal rivalry with LBJ.

• Joel O's Posted: Aug.29 at 1:28 pm
  Kobe was no 1 last year, with Lebron behind. Has Lebron caught up yet? I don’t think so. Will he catch up someday? Hell yeah. The facets where Kobe trumps Lebron are things that Lebron will pick up with time (footwork, defense, etc.) whereas there are things which Lebron has that Kobe will never have. But for today, and this season, Lebron just isn’t there yet. He is a lot closer than he was last season, though.

• ciolkstar Posted: Aug.29 at 1:32 pm
  The Cavs were infinitely closer to beating Boston the the fakeshow ever was. If you switch Kobe and Lebron, Lebron probably has a ring and Kobe still wouldn’t have won a playoff series without Shaq. Kobe will forever be a more successful second fiddle. I may be alone in my utter distatse for Kobe’s Olympic performance, but I saw it as the clearest distillation of why I despise him as a player. Constant terrible shots, almost no discernable teamwork, and he gets all the glory by finally getting hot after playing the albatross for 8 games.

• Joel O's Posted: Aug.29 at 1:42 pm
  I definitely agree that the Cavs put up a much better fight than the Lakers did against Boston. But winning isn’t purely about who the better team is - it’s about match ups. The Celtics, on hindsight, were the Lakers’ nightmare. On the other hand, I honestly doubt the Cavs would’ve beaten the Spurs and Jazz the way the Lakers did.

• TADOne Posted: Aug.29 at 1:46 pm
  Ciol: Trust me, you are not alone in that thinking. Click on my name and you will see that a prominent poster on here agrees with you. (It’s not me, BTW)

• Darksaber Posted: Aug.29 at 1:56 pm
  ciolkstar? you are not alone in your distate for Kobe’s olympic “performance”. I usually stop short of critisizing Mambiatch’s game, he CAN be quite unstoppable, but damn if he wasn’t pathetic at times these last few weeks. I still maintain that he’s got a leprecaun trauma from the nba finals.

• Sparker Posted: Aug.29 at 1:58 pm
  kb 1, lb 2, kg 3, td 4, cp 5

• Eboy Posted: Aug.29 at 1:59 pm
  “Leprachaun Trauma”……Izzo, if you ever start a band, there’s your jump off point. Better ring to it than U2.

• Jukai Posted: Aug.29 at 2:04 pm
  B. Long’s list: Kobe, Shaq, Rose, everyone else.

• Eboy Posted: Aug.29 at 2:05 pm
  No Jukai, it would be, Kobe, Bynum, Fisher, Sasha.

• Jukai Posted: Aug.29 at 2:23 pm
  Okay, so you weren’t there when he argued that Derrick Rose would perform better than Rubio did in the Olympics, and when he was arguing that Shaq was a better player than Kareem, Wilt Chamberlain, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Bill Russel. So you don’t get the joke.

• Eboy Posted: Aug.29 at 2:26 pm
  No, I did actually, fu*ker, I was just thinking it would be all Lakers, and plus, he doesn’t like Shaq now.

• baller Posted: Aug.29 at 2:29 pm
  D-WADE#1

• Oz Posted: Aug.29 at 2:45 pm
  50 sound good for KD. great talent. odds for cracking up the top 20.. 0

• Jukai Posted: Aug.29 at 2:50 pm
  well, you’re stupid Eboy!

• LA Huey Posted: Aug.29 at 4:48 pm
  For us hoop-heads in Seattle, Durant discussions just make are hearts sink…

• LA Huey Posted: Aug.29 at 4:48 pm
  *our

• Bubba Chuck Posted: Aug.29 at 5:17 pm
  If AI isnt top 20 ima b pissed

• Russ Bengtson Posted: Aug.29 at 5:28 pm
  Joel O’s is smart.

• Ang Posted: Aug.29 at 5:36 pm
  remember when you guys ranked kwame at 50 back in the day?
  yah…that was stupid.

• Ang Posted: Aug.29 at 5:38 pm
  oops, nevermind about the last comment. i remembered that was a bad dream.
  darko at 49 was stupid.

• steve Posted: Aug.29 at 5:45 pm
  1)Lebron
  2)Kobe
  3)KG
  4)Healthy Wade
  5)CP3
  6)Duncan
  7)Howard
  8)Yao
  9)D-Will
  10)Amare
  11)Pierce
  12)Dirk
  13)Nash
  14)B-Roy
  15)Bosh
  16)TMac
  17)Brand
  18)Arenas
  19)Melo
  20)Boozer
  21)Caron
  22)Billups
  23)Joe Johnson
  24)Iverson
  25)Pau Gasol
  26)BDiddy
  27)Michael Redd
  28)David West
  29)Sheed (what an apathetic ass. He oculd easily be top 10 if he cared!)
  30)Iguodala
  31)Rip Hamilton
  32)Shawn Marion
  33)Al Jefferson
  34)Tony Parker
  35)Lamarcus Aldridge
  36)Kevin Martin
  37)Ron Artest
  38)Josh Howard
  39)Deng
  40)Antawn Jamison
  41)Josh Smith
  42)Chandler
  43)Rudy Gay
  44)Ray Allen
  45)Kevin Durant
  46)Calderon
  47)Horford
  48)Camby
  49)R Jefferson
  50)Tayshaun

• steve Posted: Aug.29 at 5:52 pm
  DAMN that is WAY HARDER than it looks…….. look at the ones left out! Vince Carter(WOW…), Beasley, Derrick Rose, Ben Gordon, Devin Harris, JRich, Gerald Wallace, Okafor, Bogut, Okur, Kirilenko, Granger, Odom, Peja, OJ Mayo, J Oneal, TJ Ford, Bibby, Hinrich, Andre Miller(Damn I feel foolish for leaving him off), Greg Oden, Andrew Bynum, Travis Outlaw, Brad Miller, Mike Miller, Shaq, Barbosa, G-Hill, JKidd, Jason Terry, JR Smith, Felton, Mike Conley, Chris Kaman(o my god!), Al Thornton, Marvin Williams, Hedo Turkoglu(WHAT??!!), Rashard Lewis(damn), Mo Williams(double-damn), Big Z, Stuckey, Battier, Rondo, Gibson, Louis Williams, Thad Young, Childress, Dunleavy, Al Harrington, Stephen Jackson(WOWEEEE!), the list goes on and on………..

• steve Posted: Aug.29 at 5:52 pm
  Ginobili and Monta were left out due to injury. Otherwise both would be top 30.
  …………………….
  Guys that haven’t played a game yt like Oden, Mayo, Beasley and Rose were left out too… kinda easy excuse to make the list easier to make.

• Mike Posted: Aug.29 at 6:42 pm
  ALLEN IVERSON BETTER BE IN THE TOP 12

• Teriy Posted: Aug.29 at 6:58 pm
  Steve your top 50 real messed up hows Duncan 6th? and Kobes first by the way. Paul Pierce 11th? more like 20th and Arenas and Melo should be ranked in the top 15 and I agree with Mike Iverson should be in the top 12 or 15 players in the league. He was 6th last time and looks to me he got better not all the way down to 24th?! .

• Andrew Posted: Aug.29 at 7:34 pm
  Gosh. I guess I know what I’m doing this afternoon after I finish work. I’ve never made a list like this before, not even for favourite bands or records. Or sneakers. This oughtta be rad.

• Joel O's Posted: Aug.29 at 9:06 pm
  Um, thanks Russ. It’s just that there’s a lot of gray areas when we look at ranking teams, players, MVPs, etc. that it’s hard not to get too hypothetical. Not that we’ll ever stop, nor that it’ll ever get less fun to debate over these things. What a number 50 though, really wonder who 49 is gonna be… Looking forward to it, Ryne.

• Hursty Posted: Aug.29 at 10:07 pm
  Guys who need to be on the list: Gerald Wallace, Ron Artest, Manu Ginobli, Chris Kaman and yes, Dirk needs to be on the list somewhere. Also, will the list for the top 5 be changed because we’ll be that much closer to the season starting and things will have developed. Also, Caron Butler and Jamison HAVE to be around somewhere.

• Hursty Posted: Aug.29 at 10:08 pm
  Joe Johnson!

• RV Posted: Aug.29 at 10:30 pm
  Howard at #7? not with his offense

• RV Posted: Aug.29 at 10:40 pm
  as for Wade, any list should read : Wade (if healthy and with a shaven dome)…apparently he grew his hair back out after the olympics, which of course means he won’t be as aerodynamic and should be a tad slower.

• tealish Posted: Aug.30 at 12:13 am
  Steve: Calderon is the 46th best player in the NBA? Really? And also, no one with an offensive skill set like Dwight Howard’s can ever be put in the top 10 regardless of brilliance elsewhere.
  One more thing, you guys should really consider dishing out these rankings 3 or 5 at a time so there’s legit discussion to be had.

• luke Posted: Aug.30 at 1:11 am
  wow its tough to remember everyone, im sure i forgot a bunch of guys 1 bron
  2 kobe
  3 dwade
  4 dwight
  5 cp3
  6 deron
  7 amare
  8 KG
  9 duncan
  10 dirk
  11 boozer
  12 pierce
  13 carmelo
  14 vince
  15 yao
  16 AI
  17 nash
  18 EB
  19 roy
  20 joe johnson
  21 ginobili
  22 tmac
  23 billups
  24 bosh
  25 agent zero
  26 josh smith
  27 bdiddy
  28 d west
  29 kidd
  30 redd
  31 kevin martin
  32 al jefferson
  33 antawn jamison
  34 monta ellis
  35 sugar ray
  36 kaman
  37 andre iguodala
  38 mr.longoria
  39 caron butler
  40 artest
  41 sheed
  42 rudy gay
  43 pau
  44 josh howard
  45 matrix
  46 camby
  47 zach randolph
  48 hedo turkoglu
  49 captian jack
  50 richard jefferson notable exclusions: kd, calderon, danny granger, lamarcus aldridge, lamar odom, deng, gordon, chandler, tayshaun, rip hamilton, big z, emeka okafor

• luke Posted: Aug.30 at 1:13 am
  dwight is the best center in the nba, doesnt matter if its through skill or physical dominance, its a fact. hes gotta be top 10

• Hursty Posted: Aug.30 at 3:14 am
  So why isn’t Dwight no. 10 then? I cant believe that you have Vince and Boozer so high but whatever. Hard to have everyone on the list that nobody is going to rip on and I appreciate the effort Luke. But have enough pride to capitalise your name. Jermaine O’Neal? Gerald Wallace? J-Rich?

• archie Posted: Aug.30 at 4:18 am
  I am going to pick one guy a day. #50 Luis Scola A great international player. 3rd in Rookie of the Year voting. Spurs really should have done a better job at keeping him. Basically he was traded for a second round pick. Crafty under the basket and a hustle guy. Nice pick up for Houston last year. Houston best in the NBA, on paper?

• RolleZed Posted: Aug.30 at 5:39 am
  I didn’t put rookies on my list because they haven’t played yet in the NBA (including Oden and Fernandez)
  So here’s my list: 1.kobe
  2.lebron
  3.wade
  4.cp3
  5.dwight
  6.garnett
  7.duncan
  8.dirk
  9.iverson
  10.amare
  11.melo
  12.nash
  13.pierce
  14.d-will
  15.bosh
  16.arenas
  17.tony parker
  18.yao
  19.manu
  20.b diddy
  21.elton brand
  22.mcgrady
  23.caron butler
  24.carter
  25.joe johnson
  26.michael redd
  27.hedo
  28.jason kidd
  29.iguodala
  30.stephen jackson
  31.pau
  32.andre miller
  33.rip hamilton
  34.jermaine o’neal
  35.billups
  36.brandon roy
  37.rudy gay
  38.lamar odom
  39.shawn marion
  40.josh smith
  41.r lewis
  42.richard jefferson
  43.david west
  44.ray allen
  45.monta ellis
  46.antawn jamison
  47.josh howard
  48.ron artest
  49.chris kaman
  50.al jefferson

• RV Posted: Aug.30 at 12:42 pm
  Luke, dwight IS NOT the best center in the league. Period. He wasn’t even the best center on the USA team. Yao’s the best center in the league right now, but not by a large margin, so the fact that you put those two 11 spots apart tells me you’re not thinking clearly. Boozer and vince better than Yao? nash and tmac only 4 spots apart? Kaman at 36?? Matrix at 46 with randolph and Camby? Put down the alcohol, please.

• BETCATS Posted: Aug.30 at 12:50 pm
  Players Wallace is better than: Lamar Odom- If the Lakers had G-Force instead of Odom they would be NBA champs right now Shawn Marion- If Gerald was in Phoneix he would fit like a glove and not be a little cry baby b!tch about being the 3rd bannana. Plus they have about the same number but Marion had Nash throwing him the ball and Wallace has Raymond Felton? Josh Howard- Until he proves me wrong, Wallace is the better overall player, but offensive wise Josh has a edge. Richard Jefferson- Not a complete player, all offence, not to good at that. Gerald Wallace- Gerald is better than himself because if he were in a bigger market, he would be a constant all-star and his jeresy would be on your back, he would be on the cover of SLAM, DIME, NBA HOOPS, NBA INSIDE STUFF, ESPN, and SPORTING NEWS at least once a year. But he is on the Bobcats (we get ZERO nationally telvised games!!!!!!!) so no matter what he and Jason Richardson do they will never be all-stars as long as the name on the front of the jersey says Charolette

• RV Posted: Aug.30 at 3:16 pm
  They still print Inside Stuff magazine?

• BETCATS Posted: Aug.30 at 3:26 pm
  i think so

• Moose Posted: Aug.30 at 5:19 pm
  @ BETCATS and RV: yeah, they do. http://static.netmagazines.com/nbainsidestuff/

• Hursty Posted: Aug.30 at 8:17 pm
  Im not going to criticise Lukes list simply because I can’t be bothered to put in the effort for my own list and because his list is stupid.

• RV Posted: Aug.30 at 9:51 pm
  The fact that the cover has Kidd in a Nets jersey and mentions Webber doesn’t really convince me its still in existance. I use to love the tv show when it actually WAS instide stuff, and not just game highlights and interviews previously aired.

• John Posted: Aug.31 at 12:15 am
  Gonna wait for the writeup on this.

• Hursty Posted: Aug.31 at 12:50 am
  Keep waiting then John.

• Hursty Posted: Aug.31 at 12:54 am
  Neither Carmelo Anthony OR Allen Iverson are top 10 players in the NBA right now. In previous and future years they will/have been. But not right now. So just stop that.

• BETCATS Posted: Aug.31 at 8:11 am
  all i am saying is that Gerald needs to be on this list, or at least J-Rich (even though he is G-Force’s 2nd in command)

• Money Bill Williams Posted: Aug.31 at 9:01 am
  If KD is 50 then Gerald Wallace deserves a 37 to 43 spot on this list

• scott Posted: Aug.31 at 9:31 am
  Pineapple Express

• DP Posted: Aug.31 at 10:47 am
  Wallace should be top 35. I don’t give a what.

• scott Posted: Aug.31 at 11:46 am
  Hursty should quit being a mean jerk and making fun of other people’s list.

• thatguysweets Posted: Aug.31 at 3:47 pm
  I likr Durrant at 50, still has more to prove. Really looking forward to the rest of this list!

• Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Aug.31 at 9:39 pm
  @ luke: No, Dwight Howard is NOT the best center in the NBA. Yao Ming is the best center in the NBA. And @ RolleZed: How the f*ck do you put Dirk, Melo, and Bosh ahead of Yao. You guys underrate the hell out of him.

• Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Aug.31 at 9:43 pm
  @ Hursty: Melo was never a top 10 player, plus he’s not even past his prime yet. And at one point in time Iverson was the BEST player in the league.

• NZ Baller Posted: Aug.31 at 9:57 pm
  Could you please include each player’s ranking from last year also? Thanks.

• Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Aug.31 at 10:58 pm
  @ BETCATS: Maybe the Bobcats aren’t nationally televised because they suck. Just a hint?

• Teri Mah Posted: Sep.1 at 1:57 am
  1. Kobe
  2. Lebron
  3. Healthy Wade
  4. CP3
  5. KG
  6. HealthyGilbert Arenas (most underrated player ever)
  7. Deron Williams
  8. Allen Iverson (2000-2005 Possibly number 1)
  9. Yao
  10. Amare
  11. Melo
  12. Pierce
  13. Boozer
  14. T Mac
  15. Duncan (Hes Aging)
  16. Baron Davis
  17. Nash
  18. Ray Allen
  19. Tony Parker
  20. Chris Bosh
  21. Brandon Roy
  22. Chauncey Billups
  23. Elton Brand
  24. Stephen Jackson
  25. Joe Johnson
  26. Michael Redd
  27. Turkuglo
  28. Caron Butler
  29. Jose Calderon
  30. Antwan Jamison
  31. Jason Kidd
  32. Rasheed Wallace
  33. Rip Hamilton
  34. Manu Ginobli
  35. Pau Gasol
  36. Lamar Odom
  37. Jermaine O’neal
  38. Rashard Lewis
  39. Vince Carter
  40. Kevin Durant
  41. Andre Igoudala
  42. David West
  43. Al Jefferson
  44. Rudy Gay
  45. Monta Ellis
  46. Luis Scola
  47. LeMarcus Aldrige
  48. Andre Miller
  49. Jason Richardson
  50. Rodney Stuckey

• Hursty Posted: Sep.1 at 2:23 am
  Yo Teddy as a rockets fan I totally agree with you. As an NBA fan I STILL totally agree with you. I also said that at previous times AI was a top 10 player and Melo will be at some stage further into his career. Did I not include a word that makes my comments clear? I thought they made sense but apparently not ( Scott).

• Hursty Posted: Sep.1 at 2:29 am
  I think the problem with lists is that they’ll change depending on criteria. For instance on Teri Mah’s last Chris Bosh is 20 but he is more important to Toronto’s success than Boozer for Utah or Melo for Denver because of the team depth and strength of surrounding players on the team. Therefore he should be rated higher right? He is more skillful than Boozer and contributes more intangibles and plays better defence. But Rodney Stuckey? um… no he’s not top 50. Turkoglu? not 27th. Its hard because criteria is different. Thats why Im not willing to throw in my chips just yet.

• underdog Posted: Sep.1 at 3:57 am
  I guess Dirk won’t be in the top 5 this year…

• Hursty Posted: Sep.1 at 4:56 am
  He’ll be top 25 though underdog, probably lower. B*tch or not he’s still a top 15 player in the League but there are other players more valuable to their teams and he has Kidd and Howard and good role players to pick up the slack.

• Hursty Posted: Sep.1 at 7:43 am
  Hey SLAM, can you let us know around what time each no. is going to be posted? That’d be much appreciated. Thanks.

• Joe Posted: Sep.1 at 10:27 pm
  KD, the rookie, a top 50 player? Get outta hereeee.

• Ross Posted: Sep.8 at 3:59 am
  he should be ranked far higher for two reasons: 1) his rapid development in his rookie season, showing an ability to adapt and progress at a rapid rate. 2) By April he was averaging (try and keep up) .. 40 min./ 46%fg/ 36% 3pt/ 84%ft/ 24pts/ 6.5reb/ 4ast/ 1stl/ 1blk. — Just imagine the next step he takes, I expect an increase across the board.

• jason Posted: Sep.11 at 7:22 pm
  Top PG (Off+ Def+ leadership)
  1.D.Williams
  2.Tony Parker
  3.Chris Paul
  4.G.Arena
  5.Bullips
  6.Steve Nash
  7.B.Davis
  8.Jose Calderon
  9.Andrew Miller
  10.Allen Iverson
  11.M.Ellis
  12.Mike Bibby
  13.R.Felton
  14.Devin Harris
  15.Randy FOye
  16.Barbosa
  17.TJ Ford

• jason Posted: Sep.11 at 7:36 pm
  greatest player in the league
  1.Kobe
  2.LB James
  3.Tim Duncan(4 champions)
  4.Kevin Gannet
  5.A.Stomaire
  6.D.Wade (1 champion)
  7.Shaq O’Neal (4 champions)
  8.Dirk Noviski
  9.Chris Paul
  10.Chris Bosh
  11.D.Howard
  12.Steve Nash
  13.C.Bullips
  14.Jason Kidd
  15.D.Williams
  16.T-mac
  17.Paul Pierce
  18.Vince Carter
  19.E.Brand
  20.Jermain O’Neal(healthy)
  21.B.Davis
  22.G.Arena
  23.R.wallace
  24.Ray Allen
  25.M.Ginobile
  26.M.Redd
  27.R.Hamilton
  28.R.Jefferson
  29.Yao Ming
  30.C.Anthony
  31.Josh Howard
  32.Paul Gasol
  33.L.Odom
  34.S.Marion
  35.R.Artest
  36.Z.Ralpho
  37.L.Deng
  38.Carlos Boozer
  39.A.Jamison
  40.Corey Maggette
  41.Joe Smith
  42.Joe Johnson
  43.Al Jefferson
  44.David West
  45.P.Stovjakic
  46.C.Butler
  47.Jamal Crawford
  48.R.Lewis
  49.B.ROy
  50.Ben Gooden

• jason Posted: Sep.11 at 7:44 pm
  Power ranking 2008-2009 (remember it,see if I am right)
  West:
  1.LAL
  2.HOU
  3.POR
  4.PHX
  5.SAS
  6.NOH
  7.UTH
  8.GSW
  9.LAC
  10.SAC
  11.DAL (time to break down, cuba lose interest)
  12.DEN (AI too old, lose Camby, left Anthony)
  13.MEM
  14.MIN
  15.OKC (rebuilding, need a first pick big man) East
  1.BOS
  2.PHI
  3.DET
  4.CLE
  5.TOR
  6.WAS
  7.ORL
  8.CHA
  9.CHI
  10.MIA
  11.IND
  12.ATL
  13.NYK (not enough offense to run the floor)
  14.MIL
  15.NJN