Who is the best player in the NBA?
This is a question basketball fans debate every single year, and it's one that often has no right answer. MVP candidates such as Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry and LeBron James are obviously amongst the best of the best, but one player cannot win his team a championship. Getting to and winning the NBA Finals is a team effort, which is why the 100th-best player in the league can hold nearly as much importance as the top player.
Across the league, the talent gap from team to team has closed dramatically, so the 2023-24 season could be the most competitive we have seen in a while. There are so many impactful and skillful basketball players across all 30 teams, which makes it difficult to narrow things down to only 100 players. However, that is exactly what we have done here at ClutchPoints!
There are still 11 weeks until the start of the new NBA season, but for the next 10 weeks, we will be releasing a list of 10 players, starting with those we ranked No. 100 through No. 91 in the league today. These rankings take into account the season each player is coming off of, their role on their team, what we have been accustomed to seeing from them and much more, so of course, this list is simply a matter of opinion.
Without further ado, let's dive right into things, starting with the 100th-best player in the league entering the 2023-24 season.
*NOTE: Rookies such as Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson and Chet Holmgren were not included in these rankings, as they have yet to play in a regular-season game.
100. Austin Reaves – SG – Los Angeles Lakers
2022-23 NBA season stats: 13.0 points, 3.4 assists, 3.0 rebounds, 52.9 FG%, 39.8 3P%
Making his NBA debut in 2021 after going undrafted, Austin Reaves was nothing more than a young player on a two-way contract looking to make a name for himself. Then he earned a standard NBA contract, followed by a four-year, $54 million contract this summer. Reaves has been everything the Los Angeles Lakers have needed at the shooting guard position over the last couple of seasons, and it is not hard to call him their third-best player right now behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The 25-year-old plays with a certain level of swag and confidence in his game that resonates with his teammates. While he may not be the most athletic player on the court, he truly knows how to break down his opponents while they try to keep him in front of them. Reaves has a knack for drawing fouls and is a really talented one-on-one player. When the Lakers needed a basket last season, Reaves was often involved in the play. He will continue to grow and is in the best spot for him to reach his full potential moving forward.
99. Caris LeVert – SG/SF – Cleveland Cavaliers
2022-23 NBA season stats: 12.1 points, 3.9 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 43.1 FG%, 39.2 3P%
Injuries have played a role in Caris LeVert not always being available for his team, but when he is on the floor, he's definitely a key secondary contributor who can be a real X-factor at times. Whether it has been with the Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers or now with the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeVert has shown flashes of his scoring potential and has really embraced his sixth-man role alongside stars like Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland.
Not many teams in the league can say that they have a scoring threat who can enter a game off the bench and score upwards of 20 points every single night, but this is exactly what LeVert can do for the Cavaliers. He was efficient from three-point range and has always been a very underrated passer, which is why he deserves this recognition.
98. Walker Kessler – C – Utah Jazz
2022-23 NBA season stats: 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 72.0 FG%
This may come as a surprise to some, especially those who have no idea who is on the Utah Jazz roster after they traded away Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert last summer. Well, Walker Kessler was one of the many assets they got in return for Gobert, and he has been everything the Jazz envisioned him to be. Kessler was a finalist for Rookie of the Year and ended up finishing fourth in the league with 173 total blocks even though he only started in 40 of the 74 games he played in.
The Jazz are a team that does not necessarily have a clear identity right now, so the 2022-23 season was about finding key contributors they could invest in moving forward. A traditional big man who does his damage in the paint on both ends of the floor, Kessler emerged as this type of player in Utah and was extremely efficient around the rim, shooting 72 percent from the floor last season. He may not look like it, but Kessler is an elite-level rim protector who is only going to grow his all-around game as he gains more experience.
97. Wendell Carter Jr. – PF/C – Orlando Magic
2022-23 NBA season stats: 15.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 52.5 FG%, 35.6 3P%
One of the most underrated frontcourt players in the league right now is Wendell Carter Jr. While he may not be an All-Star-like talent, Carter plays with toughness and has been the anchor of the Orlando Magic's frontcourt since coming over from the Chicago Bulls in the Nikola Vucevic trade. Carter recorded 21 double-doubles in 57 total games last season, meaning that there was just under a 37 percent chance of him recording a double-double in any game.
The Magic are a young team on the rise in the Eastern Conference. While he is only 24 years old, Carter is one of the leading, veteran voices in that locker room. The stability he brings on both ends of the floor in Orlando is essential for their potential success, which is why he is a big man to keep an eye on during the 2023-24 season. If he can stay healthy and available, Carter can help take the Magic back to the postseason for the first time since 2020 in the NBA Bubble.
96. Bobby Portis – PF/C – Milwaukee Bucks
2022-23 NBA season stats: 14.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 49.6 FG%, 37.0 3P%
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the best player on the Milwaukee Bucks, but the most beloved player on the team from the fans' perspective is definitely Bobby Portis. Establishing himself as one of the best backup big men in the league the last few seasons in Milwaukee, Portis has truly embraced what it means to be a sixth man in the NBA. Portis was instrumental in Milwaukee's success during their championship run in 2021 and had yet another stellar season this past year, averaging 14.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor and 37 percent from three-point range.
Perhaps the most impressive statistic from last season is that the Bucks big man only started in 22 of the 70 games he played in. Coming off the bench, Portis was able to be a double-double threat every single night. Every minute he is on the floor, he gives it his all. If Portis was a starter, we would be having conversations about him being a borderline All-Star.
95. Herbert Jones – SG/SF/PF – New Orleans Pelicans
2022-23 NBA season stats: 9.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 46.9 FG%, 33.5 3P%
Every team in the league needs a guy who can do a little bit of everything in terms of scoring, running in transition, grabbing rebounds and being a stout defender. This is exactly the type of underrated player Herbert Jones is for the New Orleans Pelicans. Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson are the stars of the team who get all of the attention for the Pelicans, but Jones is one of the reasons why this team has a chance to be special heading into the new season.
When you talk about high-IQ players in today's game, Jones needs to be a part of these conversations, especially since he is one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA. It's really mind-boggling that he hasn't made an All-Defensive Team through his first two seasons in the league, especially since Jones was tied for third in steals per game and tied for ninth in Defensive Box Plus/Minus this past year. If he can continue to grow as a consistent perimeter shooter, we will have to start having discussions about Herb Jones being one of the best two-way players in the league.
94. Jalen Williams – SG/SF – Oklahoma City Thunder
2022-23 NBA season stats: 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 52.1 FG%, 35.6 3P%
Paolo Banchero won this past season's Rookie of the Year Award, but right behind him in the voting was a guy who many did not even know entering the league. Jalen Williams out of Santa Clara had a terrific first year with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Like Herb Jones, Williams can do a little bit of everything to help his team win games. Outside of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams was probably the Thunder's second-best player in terms of all-around productivity and is another player whose IQ stands out on the floor.
Williams fits the mold Oklahoma City looks for in their prospects given his length and versatility, plus he is just an efficient player no matter how you look at his game. Whether or not he possesses that “it factor” is yet to be seen, but the Thunder definitely have to be pleased with what they've seen so far from the 22-year-old swingman. Williams can score and disrupt passing lanes, which is why expectations are high for the youngster entering Year 2 in the NBA.
93. Kevon Looney – C – Golden State Warriors
2022-23 NBA season stats: 7.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 63.0 FG%
There may not be a more important glue guy in the NBA right now than Kevon Looney. No matter the opponent or stakes of the game, Looney always plays his role to perfection and does so in such a quiet manner. Because the focus for the Warriors is on guys like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Looney does not always get credit for being one of the league's best screeners and facilitating big men.
Looney's understanding for the way the Warriors play is elite and, quite honestly, he is stronger and a lot smarter than some big men who have earned All-Star honors through the years. When his team needs him most, Looney always steps up to answer the call. This has been very relevant in the postseason the last couple of years, as the Warriors big man is constantly recording 18-plus-rebound games in the playoffs. The fact of the matter is that Golden State would not be the champions we know them to be today without Kevon Looney, which is why it is time we start giving him the respect he deserves.
92. Norman Powell – SG/SF – Los Angeles Clippers
2022-23 NBA season stats: 17.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 47.9 FG%, 39.7 3P%
Norman Powell is more than capable of being a lead scoring option for his team, and he really stepped up for the Los Angeles Clippers last season with both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George dealing with nagging injuries. For years, Powell has been nothing but a consistent scoring option out on the wing for his teams. This past season, he was willing to come off the bench to be the leader of the Clippers' second unit.
A great three-point shooter who can also make plays by attacking the rim from the wing, Powell is the picture-perfect secondary scorer for the Clippers to have next to their All-Stars. What we've seen from him may very well be the ceiling of his career in terms of how good he will be, but this is good enough for Los Angeles to be real title threats when healthy. No matter what team he is on, Powell can contribute at an extremely high level on the offensive end of the floor.
91. Anfernee Simons – PG/SG – Portland Trail Blazers
2022-23 NBA season stats: 21.1 points, 4.1 assists, 44.7 FG%, 37.7 3P%
A few years back when the Portland Trail Blazers decided to move on from CJ McCollum and Norman Powell, Anfernee Simons was the guy to step up. Now, with trade rumors surrounding superstar Damian Lillard, Simons and Scoot Henderson could form a deadly young duo in the backcourt. A very athletic combo guard who can really light things up from the perimeter, Simons is a rising star in this league. In fact, Simons was just one of three players to make at least nine threes in two different games last season, with Lillard and Klay Thompson being the other two.
Not many smaller guards in today's game can control the pace of play from the perimeter, but this is exactly what Simons does on the offensive end of the floor because of how talented of a shooter he is. He's just as good of a playmaker as well, especially when his opponents close out on the perimeter and force him to drive toward the rim. As an unselfish player, Simons averaged a career-high 4.1 assists per game last season and is ready to take on an even bigger role should Lillard depart via trade before the start of the 2023-24 season.
ClutchPoints' Top 100 players for 2023-24 NBA season list:
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