#15 Zion Williamson – PF – New Orleans Pelicans
2020-21 Stats: 27.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 3.7 APG, 0.9 STL, 0.6 BLK, 61.1 FG%, 29.4 3P%
There may not have been a more hyped-up player coming into the NBA than Zion Williamson when he was drafted first overall in 2019. He wound up only playing 24 games his rookie season due to a knee injury, but in his first full season last year, Zion was unbelievable.
There really is no way to stop Williamson when he gets going down the lane and if he gets in the paint, you might as well put two points on the scoreboard for the Pelicans. Defensively, it will be interesting to see what strides the young big man makes, but offensively, we may get to see “Point Zion” this season in Willie Green’s offensive game plan.
Believe it or not, Zion Williamson was really effective as a primary facilitator last season, averaging 3.7 assists per game and he recorded a very respectable 19.7% assist percentage, which is an estimate of the percentage of teammates’ field goals a player assisted on while they were on the floor. Zion Williamson is the complete package and with his athleticism, there are no limits to what he can achieve in this league moving forward.
#14 Donovan Mitchell – SG – Utah Jazz
2020-21 Stats: 26.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.0 STL, 43.8 FG%, 38.6 3P%, 84.5 FT%
Donovan Mitchell helped lead the Jazz to have the best record in the NBA last season, but they seemed to fall off come playoff time and they ultimately lost to the Clippers in six games in the Western Conference Semifinals. The 2021-22 season is a big chance for Utah to prove that they are amongst the best of the best in the league and this is also a big year for Donovan Mitchell to show what he can do.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: NBA Top 75 Player Rankings For 2021-22 Season: From 50 to 26
Through four seasons, Mitchell has been an All-Star twice and has transcended himself to being one of the best scorers in the league, but can he do the same on the other end of the floor?
There are definitely things Mitchell himself can work on, but overall, this Utah Jazz team needs to be better for their All-Star guard. He is going to do everything he can this season to win games and as a result, we could see Donovan Mitchell finish inside the Top-5 in MVP voting this season.
#13 Kyrie Irving – SG/PG – Brooklyn Nets
2020-21 Stats: 26.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.4 STL, 50.6 FG%, 40.2 3P%, 92.2 FT%
There are question marks about Kyrie Irving’s availability during the 2021-22 season due to New York City’s vaccine mandates and Irving not being vaccinated yet, but this should not take away from what kind of player Kyrie is. Arguably one of the best ball-handlers of all time, Kyrie Irving is such a versatile scorer on the offensive end of the floor and just makes everything look so effortless.
Obviously, him missing games for the Nets due to vaccine mandates will be frustrating, but Irving is still one of the best players of this generation. Many talk about Irving being a facilitator and passer, but he really is one of the more complete players in the league when you look at his regular and advanced stats. He even silently joined the 50-40-90 club last season, just adding to the list of achievements in his career.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: NBA Top 75 Player Rankings For 2021-22 Season: From 50 to 26
Kyrie Irving is one of the best guards in the entire league and even if he misses games this season, he is still going to be one of the main reasons why the Brooklyn Nets are the favorites to win the 2022 NBA Finals.
#12 Anthony Davis – PF/C – Los Angeles Lakers
2020-21 Stats: 21.8 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.3 STL, 1.6 BLK, 49.1 FG%, 26.0 3P%
Injuries limited what Anthony Davis could do last season and as a result, the Lakers’ big man had one of his least impactful years in the NBA. Davis is going to be looking to have a huge bounce-back year and if he can stay healthy, he is a Top-5 player in this league.
Nobody has the length, athleticism, and tendencies on both ends of the court that AD has other than maybe Giannis Antetokounmpo, which is why there is no stopping him when he gets going. A Defensive Player of the Year candidate, Anthony Davis is not only going to once again be a main focus on the Lakers defensively, but he will be taking on a lot of the scoring load as well with LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Rajon Rondo, three of the best passers of all-time, on his team.
Everything for Davis circles back to his health, but with a full offseason to rest up and heal, Anthony Davis looks to be ready to have one of the best seasons of his career.
#11 Jayson Tatum – SF/PF – Boston Celtics
2020-21 Stats: 26.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.2 STL, 45.9 FG%, 38.6 3P%, 86.8 FT%
In just his fourth season in the NBA last year, Jayson Tatum turned himself into a scoring machine and a potential MVP candidate heading into the 2021-22 season. From scoring to being a great defender, Jayson Tatum checks off all the boxes to be a perennial All-Star in this league and there is no question that he could wind up being a 30-plus point per game scorer this season.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: NBA Top 75 Player Rankings For 2021-22 Season: From 50 to 26
With a shooting stroke that is as smooth as Kevin Durant’s, Tatum is looking to bring this Celtics team back to the Eastern Conference Finals in order to have a chance at contending for a title. He can absolutely take Boston far in the playoffs and after scoring a career-high 60 points against the San Antonio Spurs last season, this could just be the beginning of an illustrious career for Jayson Tatum.
