NBA Rank 2023: New Stars and Fading Legends Clash

The middle of ESPN’s annual NBA Rank list is usually where the league’s future and its fading certainties collide. This year’s stretch from 78 to 51 does exactly that: rookies and risers elbowing for space alongside former All-Stars trying to prove they still matter.

It’s a crossroads section of the league.

A new No. 1 in Washington, a new era in Utah

At No. 78, the list opens with the league’s newest headliner: AJ Dybantsa, Washington’s first No. 1 overall pick since John Wall. The 19-year-old arrives with numbers that travel – 25.5 points per game as a BYU freshman, leading the nation in scoring – and a style built for whistles and free throws. He’s the first player since Glenn Robinson in 1994 to top the college scoring charts and then go No. 1.

Dybantsa doesn’t walk into a blank slate, though. Washington already has recent first-rounders and, unusually for a rebuilding team, two established stars in Anthony Davis and Trae Young. Where he lands in that hierarchy will say a lot about his Rookie of the Year chances and whether the Wizards can finally escape five straight years in the lottery.

Utah, meanwhile, is building something louder. Keyonte George (No. 68) forced his way into this range with a breakout that would have had him squarely in Most Improved discussions if not for the 65-game rule. He joined the rare 23-and-6 club last season and became just the second Jazz player ever to reach 3,000 points and 1,000 assists within his first three years, alongside Deron Williams.

The Jazz didn’t stop there. Jaren Jackson Jr. (No. 53), a former Defensive Player of the Year, arrived in February and will finally get a full run in Salt Lake City. His career line – 18.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.9 blocks – slots him next to Lauri Markkanen, George, top prospect Ace Bailey and No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson on a roster clearly pointed back toward the postseason. Jackson’s defensive impact remains elite: he ranked in the top 10 in effective field goal percentage allowed as the contesting defender among high-volume rim challengers.

If Utah climbs, it will be on the backs of that young core. George and Jackson are already ranked like centerpieces, not side projects.

Portland’s crowded backcourt and a familiar face

Portland’s guard room looks like a fantasy draft board. Ja Morant checks in at No. 77, Damian Lillard at No. 69, with Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson and, eventually, Shaedon Sharpe also demanding the ball.

For Morant, the conversation starts with availability. He has played just 79 games over the past three seasons. When he’s on the floor, the production still screams star: since his rookie year, he’s one of only nine players to average at least 20 points and seven assists. The Blazers will give him every chance to rediscover the form that made him the most prolific scorer in Grizzlies history.

Then there’s Lillard. At 36, returning to Portland for the first time since 2022-23 after missing all of last season with an Achilles injury, he’s impossible to rank with confidence. The last time he played, he was still a 25-point scorer who hit 38% from three. He remains the franchise’s all-time leading scorer and sits second in assists. Now he’s back in the city that defined him, trying to carve out shots and rhythm in a backcourt already stacked with ball-dominant guards.

How coach Micah Nori balances Morant’s drive-and-kick, Lillard’s deep pull-ups, Holiday’s steadiness and Henderson’s development might be one of the most intriguing tactical questions of the season.

Culture changers, iron men and defensive pests

Dillon Brooks (No. 76) has spent years living off the “Dillon the Villain” persona. The résumé looks different now. Houston jumped from 22 to 41 wins in his first season there; Phoenix, where he averaged a career-best 20.2 points last year, improved by nine wins and rewarded him with a three-year extension. He finished top 10 in made two-point jumpers, per GeniusIQ, and continues to bend games with effort and edge.

On the other end of the emotional spectrum is Mikal Bridges (No. 61), the league’s current iron man. His consecutive games streak sits at 638, eighth all-time and the second-longest to start a career, trailing only Johnny Kerr’s 844. He just delivered a postseason run for the Knicks in which he shot a blistering 56% and hit several big shots despite his regular-season scoring dipping to its lowest mark since 2022. Bridges’ durability and two-way reliability give New York a nightly baseline few teams can match.

Detroit’s Ausar Thompson (No. 59) represents the modern defensive terror. The shooting remains a question, but everything else is not. He led the league in steals per game and finished second in total deflections, then turned the playoffs into a showcase with nearly four combined steals and blocks per night. The Pistons moved quickly, locking him into a contract that could look like a bargain if his offense even nudges forward. In a world without Victor Wembanyama, his Defensive Player of the Year candidacy would already be a headline.

Cason Wallace (No. 75) fits in that same defensive-first category. The Thunder guard just made his first All-Defense team, led the NBA in total steals and deflections, and held opponents to 41.6% shooting as the closest defender – fifth-best in the league, per GeniusIQ. In the playoffs, he helped smother Austin Reaves, Devin Booker, Stephon Castle and Jalen Green into a combined 25% from three. He hasn’t played fewer than 68 games in any of his first three seasons. He’s the kind of guard every contender wants and almost no one trades.

Frontcourt anchors and the art of fit

Oklahoma City has quietly built one of the nastiest big-man pairings in the league. Isaiah Hartenstein (No. 74) has only played 94 games in two seasons, but when he’s available, he’s a problem. He averaged a double-double while ranking fifth in total defensive net points, per ESPN Analytics, and crashes the offensive glass with abandon. His size and energy next to Chet Holmgren’s length and skill give the Thunder a frontcourt that can punish you on the boards and still switch and contest in space.

Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen (No. 63) has already found his offensive partner. The pick-and-roll game with James Harden took off the moment the former MVP arrived. According to GeniusIQ, Allen set 13.7 on-ball screens per game for Harden, a top-five mark among duos that ran at least 100 pick actions together after Feb. 7. Allen responded by averaging 18.4 points on a ridiculous 70.5% from the field over those 13 games. He finished the year at 64% shooting overall, fifth best among qualified players. With a full season of Harden, that two-man action becomes the Cavaliers’ offensive backbone.

Indiana’s Ivica Zubac (No. 66) brings a different flavor of interior presence. Fresh off a season where he defended the rim as well as almost anyone in the league – opponents shot just 49% at the basket against him, fourth-best among players who defended at least 200 attempts, per GeniusIQ – he now anchors a Pacers team trying to re-establish itself after injuries derailed last year. He narrowly missed a second straight double-double average and remains one of the league’s most dependable rebounders.

Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis (No. 58) sits at the opposite end of the spectrum: an offensive hub with glaring defensive questions. Knee surgery limited him to 19 games last season, snapping his three-year streak of leading the NBA in rebounds per game. Even so, over the past five seasons he ranks second in total double-doubles, and his passing and energy still make him one of the most productive offensive bigs in basketball. The issue hasn’t changed: his lack of three-point range and limited rim protection complicate any attempt to build a sustainable contender around him.

Los Angeles took a different gamble in the middle. Walker Kessler (No. 73) played only five games last season because of a torn labrum in his left shoulder, yet the Lakers shipped out unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 plus pick swaps in 2028 and 2030 to get him from Utah. Then they handed him a four-year, $130 million deal. The bet is simple: at 7-foot-2, with a career average of 2.4 blocks per game – second only to Victor Wembanyama since 2022-23 – Kessler can anchor the defense and serve as a perfect lob partner for Luka Doncic.

Wings on the move, shots in the air

No section of this list captures the league’s constant reshuffling better than the wing group.

Paul George lands at No. 67, now wearing Celtic green. Boston becomes his fourth team after stints in Indiana, Oklahoma City and Philadelphia. His last act with the 76ers was a sharp seven-game series win over these same Celtics: 17.4 points per game, 55% from three, plus 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.4 steals. Now he’s on the other side of that rivalry, chasing a third conference finals appearance in his 17th season. He also sits two made threes away from passing Kyle Korver for eighth on the all-time list.

Brandon Ingram (No. 65) has the numbers but not yet the résumé of impact. Since winning Most Improved in 2019-20, he has lived in the 20-to-25 points-per-game range every season, with high usage and league-average efficiency. Yet he’s now on his third team in three years, this time with the Clippers. He made 197 midrange shots last season, third in the NBA behind DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Durant, and will score for this team. The open question is how much he moves the needle beyond that.

Michael Porter Jr. (No. 60) needed a reset and got one in Brooklyn. Freed from Denver’s pecking order, he averaged a career-high 24.2 points and maintained his reputation as a high-level shooter, hitting 36.3% from deep for his fourth straight season above 36%. He produced 14 games with at least 30 points, more than double any previous season, before a strained left hamstring cut things short. Now on an expiring $40.8 million deal and eligible for a four-year, $234 million extension, Porter walks into a contract year with leverage and something to prove.

New Orleans’ Trey Murphy III (No. 57) has become the archetype of the modern 3-and-D forward. A career 38% shooter from three on high volume, he ranked sixth in made threes per game last season and quietly expanded his game, increasing his assist average every year. He also joined a tiny club: only the second player in league history with at least 200 threes and 100 dunks in a season, following Lauri Markkanen in 2022-23. That blend of vertical spacing, perimeter shooting and defensive versatility makes him one of the league’s most attractive trade targets.

Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels (No. 56) is often praised for his defense, but his offensive leap is why he jumps 19 spots this year. He set career highs in points (14.8), assists (2.7) and three-point percentage (41%), then dropped 32 points in a Game 6 win over Denver to eliminate the defending champions. According to GeniusIQ, he logged 1,163 defensive matchups against 2026 All-Stars, fourth most in the league. With Julius Randle and Naz Reid traded and Donte DiVincenzo out long-term with a torn Achilles, McDaniels’ offensive responsibilities will only grow, even after the Wolves’ acquisition of LaMelo Ball.

Aaron Gordon (No. 64) remains one of the clearest “winning impact” test cases in the league. With him in the lineup, Denver played at a 62-win pace last season; without him, that dropped to 48. When he battled a calf issue in the playoffs, the Nuggets crumbled in the first round. His ranking dips because he has averaged just 53 games played in the three years since the 2023 title run, raising durability concerns. Yet his activity, experience and defensive versatility still make him an ideal partner for Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. He’s also quietly become a real floor spacer, shooting 41% from three over the past two seasons after hitting 32% across his first 10 years.

Guards who shoot, guards who steer

Tyler Herro (No. 71) walks into a storm and a homecoming at once. Traded from Miami to Milwaukee, then caught in a physical altercation with former teammate Bam Adebayo in Las Vegas weeks later, he returns to his hometown as a 2025 All-Star and a proven scorer. He evolved from sixth man to primary initiator with the Heat, and now inherits a green light on a Bucks team rebuilding its identity after moving on from Giannis Antetokounmpo. GeniusIQ had him second in points per direct isolation last season among high-volume isolation players, trailing only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Boston’s Payton Pritchard (No. 70) finally got the runway he’d been chasing. He became a consistent starter before sliding back to the bench in February, but the workload spike stuck: his touches jumped from 51.8 to 68.9 per game, the second-largest increase among players with at least 4,000 touches in each of the past two seasons. He responded with career highs of 17.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists, starting 50 games after making just 17 starts across his first five years. He now profiles as one of the league’s more reliable combo guards.

Darius Garland (No. 62) dropped in the rankings after an injury-hit 45-game season and a trade from Cleveland to the Clippers, yet there are signs of a bounce. L.A. went 13-6 in his 19 appearances after the deal, and his shooting remains elite: he’s one of 71 active players with at least 1,000 made threes. GeniusIQ had him 10th in points per direct pick last season among 51 ball handlers who ran at least 1,000 on-ball screens. On a Clippers team that thrives on matchup-based offense, his ability to orchestrate in pick-and-roll and space the floor is central.

Orlando’s Desmond Bane (No. 52) brought exactly what the Magic needed: dependable shooting and availability. He played all 82 games, one of only four players to do so (joining Toumani Camara, Mikal Bridges and Donte DiVincenzo), and has now averaged more than 20 points in three of the past four seasons. His five straight years of at least two made threes per game on strong percentages give Orlando the perimeter stability that had been missing from its young core.

Atlanta’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker (No. 55) authored one of the league’s most dramatic individual jumps. In his first season with the Hawks, he became the starting shooting guard on one of the NBA’s hottest late-season teams and won Most Improved Player. He averaged 20.8 points per game, set career highs in efficiency and increased his scoring average by 11.4 points from the previous year, the largest jump in the league. A versatile scorer who can create off the dribble or spot up, and a disruptive defender on top of that, he now carries real All-Star upside.

Philadelphia’s VJ Edgecombe (No. 72) didn’t just survive his rookie season; he shouldered it. The No. 3 pick stepped into a Day 1 starting role on a team that reached the second round and averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists while hitting 35% from three. He logged 2,623 minutes, the most by a rookie since Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell in 2017-18, and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. For a player still adjusting to the length and grind of an NBA schedule, that workload alone is a statement.

Brooklyn’s bet, and Zion’s new normal

Brooklyn is gambling that star power and versatility can be rebuilt on the fly. Julius Randle (No. 54) arrives from Minnesota after another season over 20 points per game – his fifth such campaign in six years – but with playoff scars fresh. His postseason numbers cratered: five fewer points per game, 39% from the field and 24.4% from three. Yet his all-around regular-season production remains rare; he was one of only four players to reach at least 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists. The Nets, owners of last season’s 30th-ranked offense, will lean on his playmaking, especially in lineups without a traditional point guard, where he averaged 5.0 assists for the Wolves. He has two years left on his deal, including a player option for 2027-28.

Porter, already in Brooklyn, brings the scoring punch. Randle brings structure and creation. The fit will decide whether the Nets’ experiment looks inspired or desperate by spring.

Then there’s Zion Williamson at No. 51, hovering between what he was and what he might never be again. The encouraging part: he played 62 games last season, the second-highest total of his career. The discouraging part: his impact dipped. His usage rate and scoring average – 21.0 points per game – were both career lows. He still bludgeons defenses inside, leading the league with 15.4 paint points per game among players who appeared in at least 40 contests, but the rest of his game hasn’t expanded. The lack of shooting range and persistent defensive limitations make him a tricky fit in a modern lineup, and he hasn’t made an All-Star team since 2023.

Once, Williamson felt like the ultimate high-risk, high-reward proposition: rarely available, almost unstoppable when he was. Now, as he settles into his mid-20s, the risk has faded slightly, but so has the reward.

This stretch of the rankings is full of players standing at similar forks in the road. Some are about to vault into the top 30. Others are fighting to stay in the top 100 at all. The season will decide who climbs, who stalls and who finds themselves looking up at a new generation already sprinting past.