Welcome to the first edition of the Sportcodex #NBA Player Rankings.
We will be bringing you an updated list of players every month for the upcoming 2019-20 season. Ayden and myself have and will rank players by role type, instead of the traditional positions. This means some players can rank in more than one category, as long as they fit our criteria.
So we have a limited amount of statistical performance to meet that specific role but most of our rankings goes off our eye test rather than analytical subjugation. Think of it as a personal summary of what players we would pick in order right now, to fulfill that certain role (injuries are taken into consideration but if the player isn’t active it doesn’t take them off the list). We also had to agree upon what players can rank in that certain role, for example Ayden could not have picked Player A in Two-Way Guards and myself have picked them as a Scoring Guard.
So without further ado, here are our rankings:
POINT FORWARDS/CENTERS
Usage over 20%
Assists PG over 5 per 36 min
Assist% over 20
Description: 6’5 & Over, defends positions 3-5 most of the time. Looks to facilitate when it is the right play and/or runs the offense at least part of the time on the court.
| AYDEN | CARL | ||
| 1 | LeBron James | 1 | LeBron James |
| 2 | Nikola Jokic | 2 | Nikola Jokic |
| 3 | Draymond Green | 3 | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| 4 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | 4 | Blake Griffin |
| 5 | Blake Griffin | 5 | Ben Simmons |
| 6 | Ben Simmons | 6 | Draymond Green |
| 7 | Luka Doncic | 7 | Luka Doncic |
| 8 | Joe Ingles | 8 | Joe Ingles |
| 9 | Marc Gasol | 9 | Justise Winslow |
| 10 | Julius Randle | 10 | Marc Gasol |
TWO-WAY FORWARDS
PPG over 15 per 36 min
Usage over 20%
FG% over 45%
Description: Above average defender that mostly defends best player on opposition from guards to forwards. At least a secondary scorer, almost never plays the 5.
| AYDEN | CARL | ||
| 1 | Kawhi Leonard | 1 | Kawhi Leonard |
| 2 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | 2 | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| 3 | Paul George | 3 | Paul George |
| 4 | Jimmy Butler | 4 | Jimmy Butler |
| 5 | LeBron James | 5 | LeBron James |
| 6 | Khris Middleton | 6 | Pascal Siakam |
| 7 | Pascal Siakam | 7 | Khris Middleton |
| 8 | Aaron Gordon | 8 | Aaron Gordon |
| 9 | Jayson Tatum | 9 | Jayson Tatum |
| 10 | Kelly Oubre Jr. | 10 | Thaddeus Young |
SCORING FORWARDS
PPG over 18 per 36 min
Usage over 20%
TS over 50%
Description: Primary option in the frontcourt, looks to score as their main function on offense. Does not need to defend well to function on the court.
| AYDEN | CARL | ||
| 1 | Kevin Durant | 1 | Kevin Durant |
| 2 | Blake Griffin | 2 | Blake Griffin |
| 3 | Luka Doncic | 3 | Danilo Gallinari |
| 4 | Danilo Gallinari | 4 | Luka Doncic |
| 5 | Julius Randle | 5 | Tobias Harris |
| 6 | Tobias Harris | 6 | Julius Randle |
| 7 | Kyle Kuzma | 7 | Bojan Bogdanovic |
| 8 | Bojan Bogdanovic | 8 | Marvin Bagley |
| 9 | Marvin Bagley | 9 | Kyle Kuzma |
| 10 | Rudy Gay | 10 | Rudy Gay |
VERSATILE BIGS
Usage over 15%
PPG over 15 per 36 min
3pa over 4 per 36 min
Description: Must be able to play the 5 or does so exclusively, must defend against opponents 4 or 5. Can score from multiple areas on the court and is at least mid usage player on offense.
| AYDEN | CARL | ||
| 1 | Nikola Jokic | 1 | Nikola Jokic |
| 2 | Joel Embiid | 2 | Joel Embiid |
| 3 | Anthony Davis | 3 | Anthony Davis |
| 4 | Karl-Anthony Towns | 4 | Karl-Anthony Towns |
| 5 | Nikola Vucevic | 5 | Nikola Vucevic |
| 6 | Al Horford | 6 | Myles Turner |
| 7 | Myles Turner | 7 | Al Horford |
| 8 | John Collins | 8 | Kristaps Porzingis |
| 9 | Brook Lopez | 9 | John Collins |
| 10 | Marc Gasol | 10 | Marc Gasol |
TRADITIONAL BIGS
Rebounds per 36 min over 8
Blocks per 36 min over 1
3pra under 5%
FG% over 50%
Description: Over 6’7 tall, plays the 4 or 5 exclusively and defends that position well while being a rebounder. Rarely shoots 3s.
| AYDEN | CARL | ||
| 1 | Rudy Gobert | 1 | Rudy Gobert |
| 2 | LaMarcus Aldridge | 2 | Andre Drummond |
| 3 | Andre Drummond | 3 | LaMarcus Aldridge |
| 4 | Jusuf Nurkic | 4 | Jusuf Nurkic |
| 5 | Steven Adams | 5 | Steven Adams |
| 6 | Clint Capela | 6 | Clint Capela |
| 7 | Montrezl Harrell | 7 | Montrezl Harrell |
| 8 | Domantas Sabonis | 8 | Domantas Sabonis |
| 9 | Derrick Favors | 9 | Bam Adebayo |
| 10 | DeAndre Ayton | 10 | Derrick Favors |
3 & D
3pt% over 35
3pt Rate over 45%
Usage under 20%
Description: Shoots primarily 3s on offense, is an above average on ball defender.
| AYDEN | CARL | ||
| 1 | Robert Covington | 1 | PJ Tucker |
| 2 | PJ Tucker | 2 | Robert Covington |
| 3 | Marcus Smart | 3 | Patrick Beverly |
| 4 | Pat Beverly | 4 | Al-Farouq Aminu |
| 5 | Jerami Grant | 5 | Marcus Smart |
| 6 | Danny Green | 6 | Danny Green |
| 7 | Otto Porter | 7 | Jerami Grant |
| 8 | Josh Richardson | 8 | Otto Porter |
| 9 | Joe Ingles | 9 | Joe Ingles |
| 10 | Wes Matthews | 10 | Terence Ferguson |
SNIPERS
3pt% over 38%
3PA over 5 per 36 min
Description: Willingly takes 3pt shots and makes them at a high rate.
| AYDEN | CARL | ||
| 1 | Steph Curry | 1 | Steph Curry |
| 2 | Buddy Hield | 2 | Buddy Hield |
| 3 | Joe Harris | 3 | Joe Harris |
| 4 | Klay Thompson | 4 | Klay Thompson |
| 5 | JJ Redick | 5 | JJ Reddick |
| 6 | Terrence Ross | 6 | Danny Green |
| 7 | Paul George | 7 | Paul George |
| 8 | Danny Green | 8 | Seth Curry |
| 9 | Kyrie Irving | 9 | Joe Ingles |
| 10 | Danilo Gallinari | 10 | Kyrie Irving |
PLAYMAKING GUARDS
Usage over 20%
Assists over 5 per 36min
Assist% over 20
Description: Main ballhandler on team, sets up teammates but can also score. Defends other teams guards.
| AYDEN | CARL | ||
| 1 | Russell Westbrook | 1 | James Harden |
| 2 | James Harden | 2 | Damian Lillard |
| 3 | Chris Paul | 3 | Steph Curry |
| 4 | Damian Lillard | 4 | Russell Westbrook |
| 5 | Jrue Holiday | 5 | Jrue Holiday |
| 6 | De’Aaron Fox | 6 | Kemba Walker |
| 7 | Trae Young | 7 | Kyle Lowry |
| 8 | Mike Conley | 8 | Chris Paul |
| 9 | Kyle Lowry | 9 | De’Aaron Fox |
| 10 | D’Angelo Russell | 10 | Mike Conley |
TWO-WAY GUARDS
PPG over 15 per 36min
Usage over 20%
Description: Above average defender that mostly defends best perimeter player on opposition. At least a secondary scorer, almost never plays the 4 or 5.
| AYDEN | CARL | ||
| 1 | Jrue Holiday | 1 | Jrue Holiday |
| 2 | Klay Thompson | 2 | Klay Thompson |
| 3 | Victor Oladipo | 3 | Victor Oladipo |
| 4 | Bradley Beal | 4 | Bradley Beal |
| 5 | Mike Conley | 5 | Mike Conley |
| 6 | Eric Bledsoe | 6 | Chris Paul |
| 7 | Chris Paul | 7 | Josh Richardson |
| 8 | Josh Richardson | 8 | Dejounte Murray |
| 9 | Malcolm Brogdon | 9 | Eric Bledsoe |
| 10 | Jaylen Brown | 10 | Gary Harris |
SCORING GUARDS
PPG over 20 per 36min
Usage over 20%
TS over 50%
Description: Primary option in the backcourt, looks to score first over finding teammates.
| AYDEN | CARL | ||
| 1 | James Harden | 1 | Steph Curry |
| 2 | Steph Curry | 2 | James Harden |
| 3 | Damian Lillard | 3 | Damian Lillard |
| 4 | Kemba Walker | 4 | Kemba Walker |
| 5 | Kyrie Irving | 5 | Kyrie Irving |
| 6 | Devin Booker | 6 | CJ McCollum |
| 7 | CJ McCollum | 7 | Donovan Mitchell |
| 8 | Donovan Mitchell | 8 | Devin Booker |
| 9 | D’Angelo Russell | 9 | Lou Williams |
| 10 | Lou Williams | 10 | Zach LaVine |