Top 15 NBA Players 2021
By Landon Keep
Aug. 17, 2021
#15. LaVine
Great shooter, good slasher, great athleticism, good finisher, good size, good leader. Average defender and playmaker. The other team doesn't want to see him with the ball in his hands. More scary to guard than Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker, Trae Young, and Jimmy Butler, while being better at everything other than scoring than Bradley Beal.
Photo Credits: Neon Tommy License
#14. LeMickey LeCrybaby LeFlop Le0-75 in the Finals "Needs a Superteam to Barely Win" James
Less elusive, slightly better shooter version of Akumpo with a third of the defense. Liability on defense when he decides to take plays off because he thinks his age makes it impossible for him to be conditioned enough to play hard on both ends of the court. Shoots below average from everywhere except ≤3 feet from the basket. His 3p% is inflated because of the kinds of shots he takes. You can tell by his ft% and shooting form that he isn't actually a shooter. Only thing he does well is drive and finish/kick/dish, which he does well enough to average 25/7. Only does well because other players are scared of him.
Photo Credits: Keith Allison License
#13. 19-Year-Old
Really solid player. Good shooter, decent defender, good size, good finisher, and good slasher. Average passer. Good enough to lead a contending team.
Photo Credits: Keith Allison License
#12. James Soften
Inconsistent shooter. Usually very good, but will have very bad shooting nights. When hot, has unstoppable stepback. Pretty solid defender, but only turns it on when he wants to. Good playmaker.
Photo Credits: Derral Chenderivative License
#11. Pandemic P
Great 2-way player who is often called "the most complete basketball player of all time." That isn't true, but he is above average at everything except leading.
#10. Lillard
Best consistent deep range in the league, which forces defenses to play him really high, which instantly gives his team great spacing. Good athleticism, underrated finishing, average defense.
Photo Credits: Frenchieinportland License
#9. Kyrie
GOAT handler and finisher. If he weren't such a nutcase and actually played consistently, he could challenge Curry for best pg in the league. Great shooter from everywhere, especially off the dribble, and pretty bad defense, similar to Curry.
Photo Credits: All-Pro Reels License
#8. Jokic
Great point center, best pick and roll runner in the league. Too slow to dribble or defend, any can only shoot wide open shots. He's a 7 footer that can barely dunk, and gets celebrated with like a make-a-wish kid when he does.
Photo Credits: All-Pro Reels License
#7. Fun Guy
Slightly washed. Defense isn't what it once was, but it's still very good. Consistent shooter, and always seems to lead his teams to title contention.
#6. Luka
Complete offensive player, and doesn't have to be hidden on defense. Streaky shooter, but tends to get hot at the right moments.
Photo Credits: Cristina Ruiz/Unnika License
#5. ADisney
Less offensively consistent version of Joel Embiid who is consistently a better defender at both levels. Should've been considered a serious contender for MVP last year, because he was the main reason the Lakers were good. He deserved the Mickey Mouse FMVP more than LeFortnite.
Photo Credits: Keith Allison License
#4. Embiid
Basically what DeMarcus Cousins once was. Big 7 footer who has decent handles and can shoot and move well. Also a good rim protector on defense, and not completely vulnerable on the perimeter. Overlooked because of the rest of his team being chokers (Simmons especially).
Photo Credits: All-Pro Reels License
#3. Akumpo
Requires 3 above-average sized people in the paint to stop, frees up the rest of his team, and he's a good enough passer to find them. If his team had better/more consistent shooters, it would be over for the league. Not completely unstoppable on offense because you don't have to guard a jumpshot. Also the best defender in the league, able to guard the pick and the roll.
Photo Credits: Keith Allison License
#2. KD
Unstoppable when hot from 3, unguardable midrange because of height, can literally shoot over anyone with ease so that all they can do is face guard him. Pretty bad defender considering size/agility, but still decent rim protector.
Photo Credits: All-Pro Reels License
#1. Steph Curry
Best offensive player of all time. Completely unguardable from 3, requires 1-2 players chasing him around the perimeter the entire time he's in the game. If he had any slightly decent big men on his team to capitalize on the spacing he creates, he would be the undisputed goat. Even without that, still a back-to-back MVP snubbed out of 3 FMVPs (yes he deserved all 3). Bad on defense, but so ridiculously good on offense that it doesn't matter.
Photo Credits: Cyrus Saatsaz License
#0. Khris Middleton
The GOAT who carried Akumpo to his first (and only) ring. Snubbed from FMVP which he deserved easily. Gets better in the clutch, making him impossible to beat in a close game. Akumpo is nothing without him.
Photo Credits: None
Comments:
#15. LaVine
Great shooter, good slasher, great athleticism, good finisher, good size, good leader. Average defender and playmaker. The other team doesn't want to see him with the ball in his hands. More scary to guard than Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker, Trae Young, and Jimmy Butler, while being better at everything other than scoring than Bradley Beal.
Photo Credits: Neon Tommy License
#14. LeMickey LeCrybaby LeFlop Le0-75 in the Finals "Needs a Superteam to Barely Win" James
Less elusive, slightly better shooter version of Akumpo with a third of the defense. Liability on defense when he decides to take plays off because he thinks his age makes it impossible for him to be conditioned enough to play hard on both ends of the court. Shoots below average from everywhere except ≤3 feet from the basket. His 3p% is inflated because of the kinds of shots he takes. You can tell by his ft% and shooting form that he isn't actually a shooter. Only thing he does well is drive and finish/kick/dish, which he does well enough to average 25/7. Only does well because other players are scared of him.
Photo Credits: Keith Allison License
#13. 19-Year-Old
Really solid player. Good shooter, decent defender, good size, good finisher, and good slasher. Average passer. Good enough to lead a contending team.
Photo Credits: Keith Allison License
#12. James Soften
Inconsistent shooter. Usually very good, but will have very bad shooting nights. When hot, has unstoppable stepback. Pretty solid defender, but only turns it on when he wants to. Good playmaker.
Photo Credits: Derral Chenderivative License
#11. Pandemic P
Great 2-way player who is often called "the most complete basketball player of all time." That isn't true, but he is above average at everything except leading.
#10. Lillard
Best consistent deep range in the league, which forces defenses to play him really high, which instantly gives his team great spacing. Good athleticism, underrated finishing, average defense.
Photo Credits: Frenchieinportland License
#9. Kyrie
GOAT handler and finisher. If he weren't such a nutcase and actually played consistently, he could challenge Curry for best pg in the league. Great shooter from everywhere, especially off the dribble, and pretty bad defense, similar to Curry.
Photo Credits: All-Pro Reels License
#8. Jokic
Great point center, best pick and roll runner in the league. Too slow to dribble or defend, any can only shoot wide open shots. He's a 7 footer that can barely dunk, and gets celebrated with like a make-a-wish kid when he does.
Photo Credits: All-Pro Reels License
#7. Fun Guy
Slightly washed. Defense isn't what it once was, but it's still very good. Consistent shooter, and always seems to lead his teams to title contention.
#6. Luka
Complete offensive player, and doesn't have to be hidden on defense. Streaky shooter, but tends to get hot at the right moments.
Photo Credits: Cristina Ruiz/Unnika License
#5. ADisney
Less offensively consistent version of Joel Embiid who is consistently a better defender at both levels. Should've been considered a serious contender for MVP last year, because he was the main reason the Lakers were good. He deserved the Mickey Mouse FMVP more than LeFortnite.
Photo Credits: Keith Allison License
#4. Embiid
Basically what DeMarcus Cousins once was. Big 7 footer who has decent handles and can shoot and move well. Also a good rim protector on defense, and not completely vulnerable on the perimeter. Overlooked because of the rest of his team being chokers (Simmons especially).
Photo Credits: All-Pro Reels License
#3. Akumpo
Requires 3 above-average sized people in the paint to stop, frees up the rest of his team, and he's a good enough passer to find them. If his team had better/more consistent shooters, it would be over for the league. Not completely unstoppable on offense because you don't have to guard a jumpshot. Also the best defender in the league, able to guard the pick and the roll.
Photo Credits: Keith Allison License
#2. KD
Unstoppable when hot from 3, unguardable midrange because of height, can literally shoot over anyone with ease so that all they can do is face guard him. Pretty bad defender considering size/agility, but still decent rim protector.
Photo Credits: All-Pro Reels License
#1. Steph Curry
Best offensive player of all time. Completely unguardable from 3, requires 1-2 players chasing him around the perimeter the entire time he's in the game. If he had any slightly decent big men on his team to capitalize on the spacing he creates, he would be the undisputed goat. Even without that, still a back-to-back MVP snubbed out of 3 FMVPs (yes he deserved all 3). Bad on defense, but so ridiculously good on offense that it doesn't matter.
Photo Credits: Cyrus Saatsaz License
#0. Khris Middleton
The GOAT who carried Akumpo to his first (and only) ring. Snubbed from FMVP which he deserved easily. Gets better in the clutch, making him impossible to beat in a close game. Akumpo is nothing without him.
Photo Credits: None
Comments:
Lanny
09:56 08/18/21Thanks, and so true.
Evgar
01:46 08/23/21Incredible writing. I've nominated you for a pulitzer nobel peace prize.
Nate
12:11 08/18/21Wow, what a good list. Middleton really is the GOAT.