Who Truly Belongs Among the 100 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time?

As I sit here scrolling through endless debates about the greatest basketball players of all time, I can't help but feel that we're often missing the bigger picture. We get so caught up in legacy arguments and championship rings that we forget basketball is constantly evolving, and so are the players who define it. When ESPN dropped their latest "100 Greatest Players" list last month, my first thought was: how many of these selections will still hold up in five years? Having covered the NBA for over a decade, I've learned that true greatness isn't just about accumulated stats or even championships—it's about impact, evolution, and that special spark that separates the truly elite from the merely excellent.

Let me tell you about a conversation I had with Coach Olsen during All-Star weekend that completely shifted my perspective. We were discussing this 21-year-old phenom who's been turning heads all season, and Coach said something that stuck with me: "People see him as a scorer, but what they're missing is the transformation happening right before our eyes." He was talking about that rare transition from being a mere offensive threat to becoming a legitimate two-way star. I've watched this kid develop over the past two seasons, and honestly, the improvement in his defensive positioning and off-ball awareness has been staggering. Last season, he averaged 27.8 points but had a defensive rating of 114.3. This year? He's putting up 29.5 points while cutting that defensive rating to 106.7. That's not just improvement—that's a fundamental shift in how he impacts the game.

What fascinates me about these GOAT conversations is how we tend to reward finished products while underestimating trajectories. When we look at legends like Michael Jordan or LeBron James, we're seeing their complete bodies of work, but we forget that at 21, Jordan was still seen as primarily a scorer who couldn't get past the Pistons, and LeBron was facing criticism for not having a reliable jumper. The players who truly belong in the top 100 aren't just those who've already peaked—they're the ones whose growth curves suggest they'll redefine what's possible. This young player we're discussing? He increased his steals from 1.2 to 2.1 per game while maintaining his scoring efficiency, and if you ask me, that two-way potential is exactly what separates all-time greats from All-Stars.

I remember watching Kobe Bryant make that same transition back in the early 2000s. People forget that Kobe started as an explosive scorer who occasionally gambled on defense, but he transformed into one of the most disciplined perimeter defenders of his generation. That's the pattern I'm seeing here—this willingness to expand one's game beyond what comes naturally. The advanced stats back this up too. This season, our subject is contesting 8.3 shots per game within six feet of the basket, up from just 4.1 last year. Meanwhile, his offensive usage rate has only dropped by 2.7 percentage points. That balance is incredibly difficult to maintain, and it's why I'd already slot him into my personal top 100, even at this early stage of his career.

The traditional metrics we use to evaluate greatness need updating. We still lean heavily on points, rebounds, and assists, but the game has evolved beyond that. When I look at modern two-way players, I'm considering their defensive versatility, their impact on team offensive rating, their ability to switch across multiple positions, and how they perform in clutch situations. This particular player ranks in the 92nd percentile in isolation defense against guards and the 87th against forwards. Those numbers aren't just good—they're historically significant for someone his age. If we're truly honest about building an all-time list, we need to account for both historical context and contemporary demands of the game.

Here's where I might ruffle some feathers: I'd take this emerging two-way star over several established names currently occupying spots in the back half of most top 100 lists. The ability to impact the game on both ends is becoming increasingly valuable in today's positionless basketball, and players who can drop 30 while shutting down the opponent's best perimeter threat are worth their weight in championship trophies. I've seen enough basketball to recognize when someone has that special combination of physical tools, basketball IQ, and—most importantly—the work ethic to maximize both. Coach Olsen told me, "The sky's the limit for him because he's obsessed with every facet of the game, not just scoring." That mentality is what creates legends.

As we continue these endless debates about basketball's pantheon, let's remember that greatness isn't static. The players who truly belong among the 100 greatest aren't just those with the shiniest resumes today, but those whose trajectories suggest they'll push the boundaries of what we thought possible. This young two-way star represents exactly that—the evolution of basketball excellence. In another decade, we might look back at these discussions and wonder how we ever doubted his place among the game's immortals. The truth is, basketball history isn't just written by championships and MVP awards—it's written by players who refuse to be defined by any single dimension of the game.