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We're in the endgame now. Part 2 of our first ever NBA Top 100! (50-1)

For those who didn’t see it yesterday, I released the first half of the list (100-51). For those who did see it, there was an oversight in my list that I had to correct, so the first person to catch it gets a free six-month full subscription. I was also warned that due to the length of this, you may need to click “view entire message” to read it in its entirety through your email app. But enough of that; let’s land this plane. Here is the second half of our NBA top 100.

#50 Jrue Holiday, G, BOS

Age: 34 Height: 6’4” Weight: 205 Exp: 15

PTS: 12.5 AST: 4.8 STL: 0.9 3PT%: 42.9

Jrue Holiday is the rare player who is a perfect fit, no matter the role. He’s more talented than what is demanded of him in Boston, but that just means he can be more judicious about when to go full force and change the entire course of a game. As a defensive player in a big moment, there may be no one I’d rather have for one possession.

#49 Mikal Bridges, SG/SF, NYK

Age: 28 Height: 6’6” Weight: 209 Exp: 6

PTS: 19.6 AST: 3.6 STL: 1.0 FG%: 43.6

Much like Aaron Gordon, Bridges will benefit from scaling down his responsibilities and focusing his energy on what he does best. Offensively, his shooting and driving off kick-outs and secondary actions are exactly the skill set you want to pair with a player like Jalen Brunson. Defensively, Bridges is equally dangerous as an on-ball defender or when allowed to roam. This versatility means he can be weaponized situationally as a wing defender in a way few players in the league can.

#48 Chet Holmgren, PF/C, OKC

Age: 22 Height: 7’1” Weight: 208 Exp: 1

PTS: 16.5 REB: 7.9 BLK: 2.3 FG%: 53.0

The fact that Holmgren was this good on both ends in just his first year is a scary thought. The added strength he gained last season was a great benefit, though he still needs to add about 15 more pounds, as he was bullied in the playoffs by Dallas’ strong bigs. That being said, his rim protection is already elite, as is his mobility for his size on both ends. His three-point shooting (37%) was a strength right out of the gate, though it waned due to fatigue down the stretch—Holmgren shot just 28.7% from three in his final 25 regular season games. He has positioned himself to be a part of the next class of stars in the league and may very well be acknowledged as such as soon as this season.

#47 Evan Mobley, PF/C, CLE

Age: 23 Height: 6’11” Weight: 215 Exp: 3

PTS: 15.7 REB: 9.4 BLK: 1.4 FG%: 58.0

Too much of the conversation around Mobley focuses on what he can’t do or still needs to be able to do. Not enough of it talks about one of the league’s best overall defensive players, nor one of the best finishers around the basket—Mobley shot 71.1% from three feet or less last season. The loudest talk, of course, centers around the three-point shooting, which increased to 37.3%, but on just 1.2 attempts per contest. While it may remain the key to unlocking his pairing with Jarrett Allen, it might never prove to be a shot that he’s expressly comfortable with. Both his skill set and the desire to unlock elements of his game that may not feel natural to him remind me very much of Anthony Davis. If he can be 90% of AD, then three-point shot be damned.

#46 Dejounte Murray, G, NOP

Age: 28 Height: 6’5” Weight: 180 Exp: 7

PTS: 22.5 AST: 6.4 STL: 1.4 FG%: 45.9

Murray is a vexing talent. More of a scoring guard than a distributor, he needs the ball in his hands to break down defenders before either scoring or playmaking for others. Yet, he can lead an offense for stretches with his ability to make shots off the dribble or put a defense on its heels with his drives. When off-ball, he has turned himself into a reasonable shooting threat, connecting on 39.2% of his three-point attempts in those situations last season. However, he never seems entirely comfortable and tends to disengage when the ball isn’t in his hands during possessions. Defensively, his reputation has been greater than his execution, but he’s still long and very good at disrupting passing lanes.

#45 Brandon Ingram, F, NOP

Age: 27 Height: 6’8” Weight: 190 Exp: 8

PTS: 20.8 REB: 5.1 AST: 5.7 FG%: 49.2

Ingram and Murray being ranked next to one another makes sense, as Ingram suffers from the same issues that Murray does. To be effective, he needs to be the primary operator, and in doing so, he’s most comfortable breaking his man down and operating from the midrange. When it’s working, he’s an efficient scorer who doesn’t get enough credit for his playmaking—he led the Pelicans in assists per game last season—but when it’s not, it stalls both ball movement and pace. Despite the perception, there’s still a very good player here who would likely benefit from a fresh start.

#44 Rudy Gobert, C, MIN

Age: 32 Height: 7’1” Weight: 258 Exp: 11

PTS: 14.0 REB: 12.9 BLK: 2.1 FG%: 66.1

Rudy Gobert is like the Gary Blauman of basketball; appreciation of him is polarized along a binary—there’s no grey area. The reality is that Gobert remains a defensive force who can take over entire possessions on his own. The liabilities in terms of covering ball handlers on switches are vastly overblown, simply because when it looks bad, it looks really bad. In fact, last season, opposing players shot just 36% against Gobert in isolation, ranking him 45^thout of 354 players. Unfortunately, Gobert’s game and personality mean his perception is shaped by those few big blundering moments that stick in people’s minds, while, in between, he’s constantly creating havoc defensively or grabbing crucial boards.

Rudy Gobert does not get nearly enough credit for how well he moves his feet defensively for a player of his size.

#43 Desmond Bane, SG, MEM

Age: 26 Height: 6’5” Weight: 215 Exp: 4

PTS: 23.7 AST: 5.5 REB: 4.4 3PT%: 38.1

Bane is just about everything you could want out of a shooting guard: he shoots the ball at a high level—off the dribble, on the catch, or on the move—and with deep range. He defends well and has become a good enough ball handler that he can run the offense as a lead guard in spurts. Health is the biggest concern, as he’s only played an average of 50 games over the last two seasons. Assuming he gets back on track, Bane is one of the better shooting guards in the league.

#42 Scottie Barnes, SG/F, TOR

Age: 23 Height: 6’7” Weight: 227 Exp: 3

PTS: 19.9 REB: 8.2 AST: 6.1 BLK: 1.5

Barnes is a difficult player to assess in terms of projecting the cap on his talent. Last season, he filled the stat sheet while improving his willingness to shoot from the perimeter—he increased his percentage of field goal attempts from three-point range from 22% in ’23 to 31.4% last season—but it still feels as though he is ill-suited for a primary scorer’s role. If that proves incorrect, then, with his defensive effort, leadership, and playmaking ability, he could be a budding superstar. However, if the offense stalls, he would be a perfect partner to a more naturally inclined scorer.

#41 Alperen Şengün, C, HOU

Age: 22 Height: 6’11” Weight: 235 Exp: 3

PTS: 21.1 REB: 9.3 AST: 5.0 FG%: 53.7

As an offensive hub, Şengün is already a force. He is equally adept at functioning from either the low or high posts as both a scorer and facilitator—Şengün was third in the league in elbow touches per game (6.7) and sixth in post-up touches (3.8) last season. His ability to attack the defense with a deep arsenal of shots, or to slip a slick pass to a cutter when the defense collapses, has made him one of the most offensively dynamic big men in the league. While his finishing at the rim and outside shooting still need work, considering his age, it’s fair to assume they will continue to improve. He’ll never be anything more than just an okay defender due to a lack of raw athleticism, but he uses his quick hands and basketball IQ to compensate.

Few things in the league are sexier than watching Şengün pass in tight spaces when the defense collapses.

(You made it this far; you might as well invest to see the rest… Plus, you’ll get access to so much more in-depth content that only comes with being a paid subscriber. For those of you who stay free, I will always strive to provide quality content for you as well. But this is where we part for now. Thank you all for your time and support.)