It's almost time for the NBA season to ramp up, and there are always lists that come out to predict who are the best players and teams in the league. Patrick Beverley, who is now playing for Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C., gave his list of who he thinks are the top five power forwards in the league.
“Karl-Anthony Towns, Draymond Green, Aaron Gordon, it's not a lot of fours out there,” Beverley said on his podcast.
Beverley's c0-host then said he was missing Giannis Antetokounmpo, who he played with last season on the Milwaukee Bucks.
“Greek Freak not a four. He's a three,” Beverley said. “I put Greek in the same position that I put Wemby, Greek, Bron, and KD. Positionless basketball. Can't say you're a four and you playing the point. Just because he's 7-feet, does that make him a four?”
After Beverley clarified what he considers a three and a four in the league, he re-did his list.
“Karl-Anthony Towns, Zion [Williamson], Jaren Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen, and Draymond is definitely still in there. That's my list,” Beverley said.
Are power forwards becoming extinct in the NBA?
Patrick Beverley mentioned while making his list that power forwards are becoming extinct in the league. The term “positionless basketball” has definitely made its rounds, and sometimes it's hard to tell what positions these players are actually coming into the league as. Beverley mentioned that Giannis Antetokounmpo was a three, but he's played alongside Brook Lopez for most of his time on the Milwaukee Bucks. He also brings the ball up the court like a point guard, but that shouldn't mean that he isn't a forward.
Beverley also put Draymond Green on his top-five list, but he's brought the ball up the court for the Golden State Warriors at times. Some would even consider that Green is the point guard for the team, finding easy ways to get his teammates open in the halfcourt.
As for the other players that he put on his list, they play more of the traditional four roles on their team. Jaren Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen, and Karl-Anthony Towns stretch the floor for their teams while also serving as defensive anchors at times. Beverley said that Pascal Siakam wasn't a power forward, but he's been playing that position since he came into the league.
The one questionable player that Beverley mentioned was Paolo Banchero. The Orlando Magic play him at the four, but he looks like he could be a natural three as well. With the way the game is evolving with small ball, Banchero can also be seen as a positionless player. Beverley's insight was indeed interesting, and as the season gets closer, more lists like his will be coming out.
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