The best basketball players in the world are busy prepping for the coming 2022-23 NBA season. All of them are aiming to lead their teams to victory, to claim the elusive Larry O'Brien trophy. Here we'll discuss the Top 50 NBA players entering the 2022-23 NBA season.

With that comes the ladder, the rankings of which players are among the cream of the crop, and which rise even above that. Some who were considered among the finest only a year ago are no longer on the radar. New names have taken their spots. Who's in? Who's out?

Before we plunge into the top 50 NBA players entering the 2022-23 NBA season, some honorable mentions left out of the top 50 are R.J. Barrett (Knicks), Jarrett Allen (Cavs), Klay Thompson (Warriors), Jonas Valanciunas (Pelicans), and Nikola Vucevic (Bulls).

50. Draymond Green (Warriors)

When it counts the most, Draymond Green shows up to play. He averaged 10.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 7.0 assists on 50 percent shooting last year, including great defense in the final two games of the Finals. Just hold those punches.

49. Marcus Smart (Celtics)

In addition to being the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Smart has improved his offensive game. He has risen to become one of the Top 50 NBA players via hard effort and determination.

48. DeAndre Ayton (Suns)

DeAndre Ayton is one of the NBA's top young centers. He averaged a double-double in each of his first four NBA seasons and is coming off a career-high 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds in 2022-22.

47. Darius Garland (Cavs)

Darius Garland, one of the top NBA players under the age of 23, averaged 21.7 points and 8.6 assists on 46 percent shooting as a third-year player for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He certainly earned the maximum contract extension he got this offseason.

46. Scottie Barnes (Raptors)

Despite being thrown into the deep end, Scottie Barnes flourished as a ball-handler and a vital piece in Toronto's versatile, forward-heavy play style. If the 21-year-old can improve his deep shooting this year, he'll likely be even better this season.

45. Domantas Sabonis (Kings)

Domantas Sabonis remains one of the game's most gifted big men. Since the start of the 2019-20 season, the two-time All-Star has averaged 19.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. Surely deserves to be among the Top 50 NBA players.

44. Cade Cunningham (Pistons)

Cade Cunningham averaged 21.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in his final 21 games the last season. He should continue to shine in 2022-23 with Jaden Ivey joining him in Detroit's backcourt.

43. De'Aaron Fox (Kings)

Even though the Kings haven't made the playoffs since 2006, De'Aaron Fox has established himself as one of the NBA's top point guards. With Fox turning things around late last season (29.1 ppg in his last 14 games), things may be looking brighter in 2022-23.

42. Evan Mobley (Cavs)

Evan Mobley was an outstanding first-year player, making an impact on both sides of the ball and generating defensive parallels to Kevin Garnett. He should improve his consistency as a perimeter shooter and become even better defensively.

41. Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers)

Tyrese Haliburton is one of the NBA's top young point guards. The 22-year-old guard averaged 17.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 9.6 assists while shooting 50 percent from the floor in limited time with the Pacers so far.

40. LaMelo Ball (Hornets)

In 2021-22, the Charlotte All-Star increased both his usage and assist rates as a result of having around 12 more touches per game and owning the ball 22 percent more per game than he did in his rookie year. Welcome to the Top 50 NBA players, Melo.

39. Fred VanVleet (Raptors)

Fred VanVleet's performance since being an undrafted free agent has been nothing short of spectacular. Over the last two seasons, the diminutive guard has averaged 20 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game on 37 percent shooting from distance.

38. Ben Simmons (Nets)

The prospect of a new beginning for Ben Simmons is appealing. Don't be shocked if he puts up big numbers this season like he did a couple of years ago. Talent-wise, there's no question Simmons is among the Top 50 NBA players.

37. Dejounte Murray (Hawks)

Following the trade of DeMar DeRozan, Dejounte Murray assumed the primary position for the Spurs in 2021-22. On 46 percent FG shooting, the veteran guard averaged 21.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 9.2 assists. Watch out!

36. Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)

Few players are more explosive than Anthony Edwards, who can go off for 40 points and a game-winning dunk on any given night. In Year two, he took a much-needed stride forward in terms of efficiency. Year three should be even bigger.

35. C.J. McCollum (Pelicans)

With the Pelicans, C.J. McCollum averaged 24.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists on 39 percent shooting from distance. For the first time in his career, he deservingly makes our list of the Top 50 NBA players.

34. Zach LaVine (Bulls)

If there was any doubt about whether Zach LaVine's game would drastically change after DeMar DeRozan arrived, LaVine put it to rest by nearly matching his 2021 stat total. Remember that he has averaged an eye-opening 25.7 points since the start of the 2019-20 season.

33. Kyrie Irving (Nets)

Kyrie Irving averaged 27.4 points on 42 percent three-point shooting after returning from a COVID-mandated sabbatical last season. Let's see whether he can play a complete season now that he's poised to return to Brooklyn following off-season trade speculations.

32. Jamal Murray (Nuggets)

Denver should leap straight back into the title picture with Jamal Murray back in the mix. We expect him to return to near-All-Star level form. Welcome back to the Top 50 NBA players, Jamal.

31. Pascal Siakam (Raptors)

Pascal Siakam put off a spectacular 2021-22 season, earning his first All-NBA selection. Coach Nick Nurse frequently let him handle the offense, and the decision paid off handsomely in helping Toronto return to the playoffs.

30. DeMar DeRozan (Bulls)

DeMar DeRozan is coming off his greatest regular-season performance with the Bulls. The five-time All-Star averaged 27.9 points on 50 percent shooting while also grabbing 5.2 rebounds and dishing out 4.9 assists per game.

29. Khris Middleton (Bucks)

Khris Middleton is undoubtedly one of the NBA's most underappreciated players. Middleton has averaged 19.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists while playing outstanding defense since the start of the 2017-18 season.

28. Jrue Holiday (Bucks)

Jrue Holiday has blended a success-focused mindset with great defense to become one of the NBA's best all-around floor generals. He has averaged 19.1 points and 6.6 assists since the start of the 2018-19 season, making him among the Top 50 NBA players.

27. Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves)

Rudy Gobert has demonstrated his ability to stop practically anyone at the rim. He also appears to be a terrific fit for his new Minnesota Timberwolves squad. He brings elite defense and rebounding to a young, up-and-coming team.

26. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)

SGA missed 26 games due to injury last year, but he is still a top-tier player on the court. In the games he did play, SGA averaged 24.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 5.9 assists. That's good enough to put him in the Top 50 NBA players list.

25. Brandon Ingram (Pelicans)

In a hard-fought first-round defeat to the Suns, Brandon Ingram averaged 27.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists on 41 percent shooting from distance. This forward is on the verge of becoming truly exceptional while still just 24.

24. Chris Paul (Suns)

Despite injuries this past regular season, Chris Paul continues to establish himself as one of the NBA's top two-way point guards. The concern now is whether he can maintain his form after another disappointing playoff exit.

23. Donovan Mitchell (Cavs)

Donovan Mitchell is perhaps the present generation's D-Wade. Since his arrival in the league in 2017, the 25-year-old guard has averaged 23.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists on 45 percent shooting.

22. Jaylen Brown (Celtics)

Jaylen Brown already proved that the Celtics were right in declining to include him in trade rumors for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. During the 2021-22 regular season, he averaged 23.6 points and 6.1 rebounds on 47 percent shooting.

21. Bradley Beal (Wizards)

Bradley Beal averaged 30.9 points per game during the previous two seasons leading up to the 2021-22 campaign. Unfortunately, he missed 42 games last season. The expectation is that he will get back to elite status in 2022-23.

20. Bam Adebayo (Heat)

In fact, in his first two seasons, Bam Adebayo averaged only 8.0 points per game. However, he has been truly dominant during the last three seasons, averaging 17.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists on 56 percent FG shooting.

19. Zion Williamson (Pelicans)

Zion Williamson averaged 27.0 points per game in 2021. He returns to a Pelicans side that is coming off an impressive playoff run, and he has the potential to take this group to new heights. One of the rising stars among the Top 50 NBA players.

18. Anthony Davis (Lakers)

Anthony Davis has been a two-way force since being selected first overall in 2012. Unfortunately, injuries have had a significant impact on his career trajectory. He has, in fact, missed 72 games in the past two seasons. Still among the Top 50 NBA players, though.

17. James Harden (Sixers)

James Harden had an 11-year low in points per game while shooting only 40 percent from the field last season. Having said that, the former MVP is still among our Top 50 NBA players because of what he can potentially bring in 2022-23.

16. Trae Young (Hawks)

Trae Young is one of the rare players in the NBA who can really carry a team on his own. All he needs is the ball in his hands, a couple of other shooters on the floor, and a dependable big man. The East's version of Steph Curry.

15. Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves)

Karl-Anthony Towns has been an elite offensive player for the Timberwolves. He is coming off the finest regular-season performance of his career, averaging 24.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists on 41 percent shooting from distance.

14. Damian Lillard (Blazers)

Damian Lillard should be back where he's been for the majority of his career with plenty of time to recuperate from abdominal surgery. He is without a doubt one of the finest clutch shot makers in recent history. A regular in any Top 50 NBA players list.

13. Paul George (Clippers)

Despite playing in only 31 games last season, Paul George recorded the second-highest scoring average of his career while battling injuries. When fit, he can guard most spots and is a high-volume threat from three.

12. Devin Booker (Suns)

Last season, Devin Booker showed that he could be the best player on the Suns, leading them to a league-high 64 victories. He is a three-level scorer who is also a developing individual defender.

11. Jimmy Butler (Heat)

Jimmy Butler put up 27.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game in the playoffs after averaging 21.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game during the regular season. He's always unheralded but always productive.

10. Ja Morant (Grizzlies)

In 2021-22, Ja Morant averaged 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.7 assists on 49% shooting while guiding Memphis to the NBA's second-best record. The 22-year-old is undoubtedly one of the greatest young players in the game.

9. Kawhi Leonard (Clippers)

Kawhi Leonard is the original NBA cyborg, despite missing the entire past season due to injury. Remember that he almost had 50/40/90 shooting splits while averaging over 25 points per game in his final full season.

8. Jayson Tatum (Celtics)

Jayson Tatum is everything a club could want in a young wing. He is maybe still a couple of years away from his genuine prime and is threatening to ascend this list swiftly in the coming years. He might be the best American-born player by the time LBJ and Curry retire.

7. LeBron James (Lakers)

The King's counting numbers are still there. In 2022, he averaged 30.3 points a game, his first time doing so since 2008. What James lacks is the consistency of the two-way excellence we've come to expect from him. Nevertheless, cannot leave him out of the Top 50 NBA players.

6. Joel Embiid (Sixers)

At his best, Joel Embiid may be the NBA's most difficult matchup. Because of his stature and ability to get to the free-throw line, opposing teams scheme around him. Last season, he averaged 30.6 points per game, thanks in large part to his 11.8 attempts per game at the free throw line.

5. Kevin Durant (Nets)

Kevin Durant averaged 30/7/6 on 52/38/91 shooting splits in a year which was not particularly notable for him. His major issue is durability since he has only participated in 90 games over the previous two seasons. Still, KD is truly one of a kind.

4. Luka Doncic (Mavs)

Luka Doncic utterly decimated the Suns in one of the most unexpected upsets in recent NBA history. Looking ahead, he might become the closest thing to being unguardable if his three-point shooting improves even slightly.

3. Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)

No matter what anybody says, Nikola Jokic is a deserving two-time MVP. Last season, he carried a Nuggets team that lacked its two best players. He shot 58.3 percent from the field and averaged 27/14/8. On top of that, he's a paragon of consistency and endurance.

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)

Giannis Antetokounmpo is a notch above even in a league of the finest basketball players on the planet. He's a perennial Defensive Player of the Year contender who has the ability to go off for 50 points on any given night. The 27-year-old is set for a historic season after coming off a heartbreaking postseason defeat.

1. Steph Curry (Warriors)

Even at 35 years old, Steph Curry is still the player you want leading your team to the title. He is the ultimate shooting cheat code, and he can guide your team to a chip. We can nitpick his defense all we want, but there's no question Curry is an all-time great who just keeps on building on his already tremendous legacy.