2023 All-Star

NBA 100 hopefuls: 10 active players building cases to join legends

Ja Morant, Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic are among the players paving a path to potential hoops immortality.

Steve Aschburner

February 17, 2023 6:29 PM

Picture, if you will, the NBA’s 2047 All-Star weekend in Cleveland …

Another magnificent season pauses for the annual break. The showcase is back in northeast Ohio, same as it was when the league celebrated its 50th and 75th anniversary seasons.

This time, it’s the big 100 and, again, a panel of notable players, coaches and media members have selected a list of the “Top 100” players in NBA history. Respected TV analyst Hubie Brown, now 113, participated and praised the committee for compiling the highest-quality roster “since George Mikan manned the inaugural ‘Top 1’ group.”

As in the past, legendary NBA alumni are in town for the celebration. There’s LeBron James, 62, whose all-time points total probably never will be surpassed now with the regular season shrinking next year from 58 to 48 games. There are former Cavs Dwyane Wade, 64, and Shaquille O’Neal, 74. And word is, the great Michael Jordan will beam down from his orbiting palatial estate at halftime so the basketball world can sing in celebrating his 84th birthday.

The centerpiece of the weekend, though, is the big reveal of the 100 most acclaimed performers in NBA history …

So who’s in? Who’s not? Just one year removed from the Top 75, it seems like a reasonable time for a forecast.

The hardest part in such an exercise is understanding that most of the players needed to reach triple-digits aren’t even here yet.

Not to say they haven’t been born, though that’s possible: Giannis Antetokounmpo was only 1 year old in Athens, Greece when the Top 50 was announced in October 1996, then became the youngest member of the Top 75. Add that together with an 18-year-old entry rule and it’s possible a kid born this year or next could play himself onto the list by 2047.

There’s also historical precedent: 15 of the 26 added to the original Top 50 last year weren’t in the league in 1996-97. That includes James, Wade, Antetokounmpo, Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Dirk Nowitzki, Steph Curry and seven others.

Go behind the scenes with the NBA's 75th Anniversary team during the 2022 All-Star Weekend in Cleveland.

Two of the additions from 50 to 75 were do-overs: Dominique Wilkins and Bob McAdoo were considered glaring omissions by enough voters after the 1996 process that they were honored last year.

So even with the final tally upped to “76” by a tie, that left only nine spots for players who were active for the 50th event at the 1997 All-Star Weekend. Of that crew, only a few – maybe Reggie Miller, Gary Payton and Dennis Rodman – had shown enough to suggest they’d be similarly honored a quarter century later.

With that in mind, we’re restricting our nominees for the “Next 25” to just 10. That leaves 15 spots – or 14, if NBA honchos decide to tidy up the 2047 list to an accurate 100 vs. 101 – in the TBD column. And that assumes that the first 76 are brought back the way it happened with the original 50.

Not surprisingly, some of the NBA’s current stars were paying attention last year in Cleveland. In the great hierarchy of accolades – All-Star, All-NBA, MVP, Hall of Fame – a spot among the 100 best to play in this league would rank as the most exclusive.

“Watching that [2022 halftime ceremony], you can only imagine being up there one day,” Boston’s Jayson Tatum said then. “Obviously a long way to go but that’s definitely a dream of mine.”

It’s a mighty challenge, competing all at once against the past, the present and the future of NBA greatness.

“If you want to see yourself there, you have to go after it,” Chicago’s Zach LaVine said.

For now, here are the 10 likeliest candidates active in 2022-23, who didn’t make NBA 75, to land on the Top 100:

Devin Booker

Major accolades: 3-time All-Star, 2022 All-NBA, 2016 All-Rookie

Signature moment: Booker scored 70 points (seventh most in an NBA game) at age 20 in a March 2017 loss at Boston.

At 26 and already in his eighth NBA season, the Phoenix Suns shooting guard has been in a hurry his whole career. He became the fifth-youngest player in league history to reach 12,000 points after a 58-point outburst vs. New Orleans in December 2022, trailing only LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony. Weeks earlier, the son of former NBA player Melvin Booker scored 136 points on 52-of-78 shooting, joining only legend Wilt Chamberlain in averaging 45+ points while making two-thirds of his shots over three consecutive games. Booker already is one of the most popular players in franchise history, with the highest finish in MVP balloting (fourth, 2021-22) since two-time winner Steve Nash’s runner-up finish in 2006-07. In fact, with 26.8 ppg for the 64-18 Suns, Booker became the first player in NBA history to average 26+ points for a team with at least a .775 winning percentage and not be voted NBA MVP. He seems a likely scoring champ as his career hits full prime and he already ranks 24th in career scoring average (23.7).

Luka Doncic

Major accolades: 4-time All-Star, 3-time All-NBA, 2019 Rookie of the Year

Signature moment: Doncic scored 60 points with 21 rebounds and 10 assists in a Dec. 27 overtime victory against New York.

The Slovenian wonder’s big night against the Knicks ranks as the only performance of its kind – 60 points and 20 rebounds in a triple-double – in NBA history. “He made his own class, which is pretty cool,” said Dallas coach and Hall of Famer Jason Kidd. “We can’t take him for granted.” Doncic, who will turn 24 on Feb. 28, had become the second-fastest player to reach 7,500 points, 2,000 rebounds and 2,000 assists in November. With 56 triple-doubles, he is more than halfway to LeBron James’ 106 in just five seasons compared to James’ 20. (Next target on Doncic’s climb: Larry Bird, 59.) Last month, with 53 points against Detroit, the Mavericks star joined James Harden, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan as the only players in the past 50 years to rack up four 50-point games before February. Doncic, Bryant, James, Isiah Thomas, Shaquille O’Neal and Anthony Davis are the only players to earn four All-Star nods before their 24th birthday – and those five other guys all were members of the NBA’s Top 75 last season.

Joel Embiid

Major accolades: 6-time All-Star, 4-time All-NBA, 3-time All-Defensive, 2022 scoring champion, 2017 All-Rookie

Signature moment: Embiid watched Toronto wing Kawhi Leonard’s shot bounce on the rim and drop through to win Game 7 of their team’s 2019 Eastern Conference semifinals series. Even in defeat, Embiid’s tears humanized him to fans around the world while searing a motivating image into his game.

People have joked about Philadelphia’s ill-advised era of “The Process,” losing by design for four years in search of top lottery picks. But in delivering Embiid as the No. 3 pick in 2014, the grind might have been worth it. “He’s special,” rival coach Mike Brown said of the Sixers’ center. “It’s just, ‘How does he want to score?’ So you have to double-team. Not only can he win a game for you, he can win a series for you. He’s a unique talent that rarely comes around. They call them generational talents. They come around once in a blue moon.” A career 26.9 scorer with 11.2 rebounds who is proud of his defensive impact, Embiid has an NBA resume missing only a few things: a ticket past the second round, good health to appear more than 68 times in any season and a Most Valuable Player award. The native of Cameroon, who led the league in scoring last season (30.6 ppg), dropped a career-best 59 points with 11 rebounds, eight assists and seven blocked shots on Utah in November.

Draymond Green

Major accolades: 4-time NBA champion, 4-time All-Star, 2-time All-NBA, 7-time All-Defense, 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, 2017 steals champion

Signature moment: With 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in Game 7 of the 2015 Finals against Cleveland, Green became that rare player – like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan and LeBron James – to post a triple-double in a closeout game. It helped deliver the Warriors’ first championship since 1975.

What, you were expecting a reference above to Green’s low blow against James in Game 4 of the 2016 Finals? That might be the single biggest memory for many of Golden State’s outspoken, sometimes controversial defensive quarterback and offensive facilitator. It was the moment that earned Green a suspension from Game 5 and sparked Cleveland’s comeback from a 3-1 hole, but it also led to his recruiting pitch to Kevin Durant and two more championship rings. The Michigan State product doesn’t just agitate the opposition, by the way. Here’s teammate Klay Thompson before this season: “Draymond is great at giving out tough love, and whatever happens between the lines of the hardwood, we don’t take personally, and we all know it comes from a great place. If you can’t be yelled at by Draymond, you probably can’t play for the Warriors.” Anyone judging Green’s Top 100 worthiness by his “triple-single” career averages (8.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 5.5 apg) is missing the man’s essence across 11 NBA seasons.

Kyrie Irving

Major accolades: 2016 NBA champion, 8-time All-Star, 3-time All-NBA, 2014 All-Star MVP, 2013 3-Point champ, 2012 Rookie of the Year

Signature moment: Dancing on the right wing, Irving launched a 3-pointer over Golden State’s Steph Curry that broke an 89-89 tie with 53 seconds left in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals. It ranks as the most significant shot in Cavaliers history, and brought the city of Cleveland its first pro sports championship in 52 years.

Say what you want about Irving’s personality, character, opinions or willingness to sacrifice his personal agenda for his team. Assuming you still have breath left, there’s no denying his skills as a point guard and scorer. Last season, for instance, Irving joined only Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and Larry Bird as players who averaged 25+ points in a season while shooting 50/40/90. Longtime NBA player turned Portland coach Chauncey Billups caught some grief when he said in January: “As somebody that played the position, I think Kyrie’s the most skilled player that’s ever played [point guard]. Just straight skill, nothing else. … He gives you a ton when he’s playing.” But the qualifiers were there: Just skill, when he’s playing. Folks in Cleveland, Boston, Brooklyn and eventually Dallas might have harsher opinions about his behavior or his departures, but for talent and as an all-time finisher, “Uncle Drew” might achieve Top 100 immortality yet.

Nikola Jokic

Major accolades: 2-time NBA MVP, 5-time All-Star, 4-time All-NBA, 2016 All-Rookie

Signature moment: It wasn’t only his 49 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists that impressed in Jokic’s performance on Jan. 19, 2022 vs. the Clippers. It was the fact that his last assist for the triple-double found Aaron Gordon in the corner for a 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in Denver’s overtime victory.

The Nuggets’ unassuming Serbian center has been on pace this season to thrust himself into some Mt. Rushmore company: If he wins his third consecutive MVP award, he’ll match legends Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird as the only three-peat winners. For something that special, Jokic sure makes it all sound basic, too. “Whatever the game gives to me, if the defense does not help, I am going to shoot. If they help, I will try to pass the ball,” he said recently. “For me, it’s a pretty simple thing.” Jokic’s scoring is important, and his rebounding at 6-foot-11 is expected. But his passing is what makes his game so sublime. Considered by many as the best passing big man in NBA history – and a player already worthy of Top 75 status last year, though he missed the cut – the No. 41 pick in the 2014 draft has finished in the top 15 in assists six times. Heading toward the All-Star break, Denver had won 18 consecutive games and 29 of 30 in which the Joker dished out double-digit assists. The Nuggets are 20-0 this season when he posts a triple-double. And with eight such games in January, he joined Chamberlain as the only centers ever to have eight or more in a single month.

Donovan Mitchell

Major accolades: 4-time All-Star, 2018 All-Rookie, 2018 Slam Dunk champ

Signature moment: In a 145-134 overtime victory vs. Chicago this season, Mitchell erupted for 71 points on 34 shots. It was the sixth-most points ever scored in an NBA game, matched or exceeded by only five different players.

Mitchell was one of those players who, over his first four seasons, bumped up his scoring average each year (all above 20 ppg). He took a slight dip in 2021-22, then was right back at it, posting a career-best 27.2 so far in his breakout first season with the Cavaliers. The team’s high-stakes trade to bring the 6-foot-1 guard to Cleveland has been a perfect fit for a young squad that was seeking its cornerstone. In fact, Mitchell topped 30 points five times in his first six games after the move, something only Wilt Chamberlain had ever done after joining a team via trade. Mitchell approached All-Star weekend back in his old Salt Lake City home with 20 games of 30 points or more, with the Cavs going 16-4. With six games of 40 points, he already ranks third in franchise history behind LeBron James (51) and Kyrie Irving (11). Of Mitchell’s leadership presence, Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff said: “It’s a special thing they got brewing in that locker room.”

Ja Morant

Major accolades: 2-time All-Star, 2022 All-NBA, 2022 Most Improved Player, 2020 Rookie of the Year

Signature moment: Nitpick his meager two assists, if you will, but Morant did everything else on Feb. 28, 2022. He scored 52 points on 22-of-30 shooting, hit all four of his 3s, grabbed seven rebounds and had both a poster dunk and a buzzer-beater on a court-length feed to beat San Antonio almost by himself.

Morant has revived the “pound-for-pound” debates previously inspired by other NBA mighty mites such as Nate Archibald, Isiah Thomas and Allen Iverson. Considered at the time of the 2019 draft a consolation No. 2 pick behind Zion Williamson, Memphis’ slender 6-foot-3 point guard has been both healthier and better than the Pelicans big man. And while it’s not easy for a player with all the expectations and achievements accompanying a Rookie of the Year winner to be a candidate for Most Improved Player, that’s exactly what Morant pulled off. In his third season, the native of South Carolina by way of Murray State soared from 19.1 points the year before to 27.4 in 2021-22. He has drawn comparisons to former Bulls star Derrick Rose for the way he launches himself at the rim through traffic, with Memphis hoping for continued resiliency in his landings. Morant’s tendency to go on streaks shows up not only in scoring – his career-best 52 last season came two days after he set the Grizzlies’ record with 46 – but in double- and triple-doubles.

Jayson Tatum

Major accolades: 4-time All-Star, 2-time All-NBA, 2022 Eastern Conference Finals MVP, 2018 All-Rookie

Signature moment: Facing elimination on the road in Game 6 of last year’s East semifinals series against Milwaukee, Boston needed — and got — something extraordinary when Tatum scored 46 points to outduel Giannis Antetokounmpo (44) and propel the Celtics to a Game 7 triumph.

No less an authority than Paul Pierce, himself a member of the NBA’s Top 75, thinks Tatum can become the greatest Celtics player ever. Said Pierce: “I’m seeing his game mature right before our eyes. He’s a lot stronger. He’s playing with a lot more confidence. The way he’s passing the ball. He’s doing a better job getting to the free throw line. He’s rebounding the ball at a high level. I already know what he’s doing as a scorer. … He could end up the greatest Celtic to ever put on that uniform.” Tatum has made his dent while still only 24. Already he tops all Boston players in 50-point games with five, one more than the great Larry Bird. The slender forward from St. Louis is the youngest in franchise history to go to four All-Star games and he became the NBA’s youngest to make 1,000 career 3-pointers. His 19 games with 40-plus points rank third in Celtics history and, this season, Tatum had scored 30 or more in 31 games heading toward All-Star weekend, with Boston going 26-5.

Klay Thompson

Major accolades: 4-time NBA champion, 5-time All-Star, 2-time All-NBA, 2019 All-Defensive, 2016 3-Point champ, 2012 All-Rookie

Signature moment: Thirty-seven points in one quarter. That’s something no one else ever did until Thompson exploded in the third quarter against Sacramento in a January 2015 victory. “As many spectacular things as Michael [Jordan] did, which he did nightly, I never saw him do that,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said that night.

If resiliency is a skill, then Thompson is a cinch to land on the Top 100 list (after many thought he belonged among the Top 75). The son of former NBA big man Mychal Thompson with a dramatically different game at 6-foot-6, he lost consecutive seasons to two of the most devastating injuries a hooper can suffer: an ACL knee blowout in the 2019 Finals, followed by a torn Achilles tendon before the 2020-21 season. Yet he has worked his way back to 20-point-scorer status and, with Steph Curry, one half of the best shooting backcourts ever. Thompson, a lifetime 41.5% marksman from the arc, has drawn raves for his efficiency, such as the 2016 night he posted his career-high 60 points while playing only 28 minutes. Or the catch-and-shoot marvel in 2019 when he needed only four dribbles in scoring 43 points. Reports of his decline seemed premature for the 32-year-old, too, based on the 12 3-pointers he hit against OKC in early February. Thompson’s down-to-earth personality had folks rooting for him long before he got hurt.

Honorable mentions:

Dwight Howard