The 411mania.com NBA Starter Rankings
Posted by Matt McCready on 10.01.2007
Who is the best and who is the worst? See how well the players from your favorite NBA team match up. We look at the value of each baller from a non-fantasy standpoint.
Hello and welcome to 411mania.com's NBA positional rankings!
I'd just like to point out that these rankings are based on their actual value on the court and to their team. These are not fantasy rankings.
The Western Conference
Centers
1. Amare Stoudemire - The most impressive return from microfracture surgery ever. He gives hope to Greg Oden.
2. Yao Ming - Will this be the year that Yao finally terrorizes the NBA?
3. Marcus Camby - The Defensive Player of the Year is hoping for more of last year's rabbit's foot and less of his typical Ilgauskas foot.
4. Pau Gasol - Juan Carlos Navarro might revitalize the Spaniard.
5. Tyson Chandler - Has Defensive Player-of-the-Year potential.
6. Andris Biedrins - He has no skill but his athleticism and tenacity make up for it. He rarely tries to do too much.
7. Mehmet Okur - Is living his ideal playing scenario in Utah. Played like garbage in the European Championships.
8. LaMarcus Aldridge - The Oden injury will really hurt him as he has a great game for a power forward. Looked great in the summer league.
9. Brad Miller- Call me an optimist, but I can see the best passing center in the NBA playing 60 or more games this year.
10. Chris Kaman - Took a big step back last year after signing a big contract.
11. Andrew Bynum - The young center still needs to learn a lot, especially about avoiding foul trouble.
12. Erick Dampier - Overpaid but still intimidating around the basket.
13. Fabricio Oberto - Rarely makes much of an impact but has the intangibles to never really hurt the team either.
14. Mark Blount - Overpaid and terrible.
15. Robert Swift - The cute little fresh faced boy will have to use every bit of his childish enthusiasm to come back from knee surgery.
Your little sister would give herself to me Robert Swift: Heartbreaker
Power Forwards
1. Tim Duncan - His defensive abilities put him above the rest.
2. Dirk Nowitzki - Was MVP for a reason, expect more of the same.
3. Shawn Marion - The athletic freak does everything well and is possibly the most versatile defender in the association.
4. Carlos Boozer - Treated opposing power forwards with the same disposition he usually reserves for blind old men.
5. Lamar Odom - A underrated player who puts up big numbers whenever Kobe is injured/being trialed for rape.
6. Al Jefferson - Could put up monster numbers this year as Minnesota's go-to guy.
7. David West - Hoping to rebound from an injury plagued year.
8. Al Harrington - Has three point range while he also has a decent inside game. Defensively, he has no inside presence.
9. Elton Brand - Would be MUCH higher on this list but he'll miss a lot of the season with a ruptured achillies.
10. Luis Scola - The Argentinian star finally comes to the NBA. Possible rookie of the year.
11. Nene Hilario - There are injury concerns but expect a solid year out of the burly Brazilian.
12. Darko Milicic -
A poet and a gentleman.
13. Chris Wilcox - He still hasn't proven that he's much more than an elite level athlete.
14. Shareef Abdur-Rahim - A shadow of his former playing self.
15. Channing Frye - His sophmore jinx will have to be just that if the Trailblazers don't want to look foolish acquiring him for Zach Randolph.
Small Forwards
1. Carmelo Anthony - Maybe the most complete scorer in the league. He has the skills of an elite shooting guard and the body of a power forward.
2. Josh Howard - A menace at both ends of the court; he's got a little Scottie Pippen in him.
3. Andrei Kirilenko - Absolutely amazing in the European championships, but can he do it without being the focal point of the team?
4. Shane Battier - Memphis collapsed without 'Mr. President' last year.
5. Ron Artest - Will miss the first seven games of the season while being suspended. The dude is a disaster sometimes.
6. Mike Miller - A shooter who is solid in most other aspects of the game.
7. Kevin Durant - Will put up good numbers on the worst team in the league. He'll have some terrible nights as teams will focus solely on him.
8. Boris Diaw - Expect a bounce back year for the dandy frenchman.
9. Corey Maggette - Slashing to the basket is really his only standout attribute. Luckily his strength makes him among the best in the league at it.
10. Bruce Bowen - Overrated but he fits a role. Does a good job of forcing offensive players into Tim Duncan.
11. Peja Stojakovich - Coming off back surgery. A potential comeback player-of-the-year here.
12. Stephen Jackson - Has talent but personality issues dog him.
13. Luke Walton - Mister intangibles lacks the athleticism to be rated much higher here. He could be a dominant player if he had his dad's height.
14. Martell Webster - Has offensive skills but still a defensive liability.
15. Corey Brewer - The rookie will be a decent defender but he does not have a NBA caliber offensive game.
Shooting Guards
1. Kobe Bryant - Mad skills but needs work on his leadership and team skills.
2. Manu Ginobili - His offensive game is more bizarre than THIS
3. Tracy McGrady - His inability to win anything in his career puts him below Ginobili. This could be his defining season.
4. Kevin Martin - A defensive liability but he was one of the most efficient perimeter scorers last year.
5. Raja Bell - Plays great tenacious defense and hits the open shot. What more could you want?
6. Brandon Roy - Put up rookie-of-the-year numbers while still being a good team player.
7. Ricky Davis - A forgotten player who might put up huge numbers this year as Minnesota's veteran player.
8. Monta Ellis - He was most improved player last year but can he hold off rookie Marco Belinelli?
9. Jason Terry - Lacks the size of a great shooting guard. Impressive shooting skills.
10. Mo Peterson - With little competition for playing time, MoPete could return to his 2005/2006 numbers.
11. Juan Carlos Navarro - The Spaniard scoring sensation will have every opportunity to succeed this year.
12. Cuttino Mobley - His production is starting to slide.
13. J.R. Smith - Has all the skills and the mind of a Frankenstein.
14. Gordan Giricek - He spreads the floor with his shooting ability. That's it. He's not even an elite shooter either.
15. Delonte West - Has to prove he belongs in the NBA. Has some point guard abilities.
Point Guards
1. Steve Nash - The best and, barring injury, expect more of the same.
2. Tony Parker - A Finals MVP trophy puts him in front of a lot of guys here.
3. Deron Williams - Great in the playoffs last year. Is he the next Stockton or the next Bibby?
4. Chris Paul - His upside this year is as high as a MVP trophy. Apparently he's completely healthy.
5. Allen Iverson - Still a tremendous player but he's regressing. His role this year will be the smallest one he's ever had to deal with.
6. Baron Davis - Ted Bundied the Mavericks last year, but can he stay healthy?
7. Jarrett Jack - Typical solid middle-of-the-road point guard.
8. Devin Harris - Exceptionally quick but doesn't have the mindset of a true point guard.
9. Mike Bibby - Continues to get worse each year. Injuries are catching up to him.
10. Derek Fisher - The veteran is in serious decline.
11. Sam Cassell - He cannot be counted on to stay healthy. He's still effective when playing due to his court smarts.
12. Luke Ridnour - Hits his free throws and takes care of the ball but hes' often overmatched physically on defense.
13. Randy Foye - Was terrible early on, but he continually improved. With Garnett gone he could really get some impressive numbers this year.
14. Steve Francis - Can 'Stevie Franchise' adjust to the role of complimentary player?
15. Mike Conley Jr. - Rookie point guards tend to struggle, especially those without any range on their shot.
The Eastern Conference
Center
1. Dwight Howard - A more impressive physical specimen than Shaq when he entered the league. He still needs a lot of work on his ball skills, specifically passing out of the double team.
2. Rasheed Wallace - The center position for Detroit is shaky so I'll put Rasheed here. Sue me. He was supposed to be slowing down when he was in Portland years ago but is still going. Charles Oakley with range.
3. Emeka Okafor - A shot blocking machine who still doesn't have the elite offensive game needed for Charlotte to make a lot of noise.
4. Shaquille O'Neal - Still the most dominant big man in the East, but 60 games is probably asking too much from him at this point.
5. Andrew Bogut - If Milwaukee can figure out a way to get him the ball more often in the halfcourt offence, then he could break out.
6. Zydrunas Ilgauskas - The man with cardboard feet can still clog the lane but he's aging fast.
7. Andrea Bargnani - Last year's first overall pick showcased his range and managed to avoid the unavoidable menace that's plagued Greg Oden (ie. couches).
8. Ben Wallace - A perennial defensive player-of-the-year candidate whose offensive game is somehow getting worse.
9. Eddy Curry - Great low post scorer but doesn't do anything else too well. The anti-Big Ben.
10. Samuel Dalembert - Has health issues coming into the season. He played very well for team Canada in the offseason and could become a dominant rebounder. Led the league in goaltending last year.
11. Al Horford - Perhaps the most 'NBA ready' of any rookie this year. Undersized for the position.
12. Etan Thomas - He can block shots and rebound moderately well. That's it.
13. Troy Murphy - Can't stay healthy, can't play inside. Good three point shooter.
14. Jamaal Magloire - Is one Eggnormous Cheesewich away from eating himself out of the league. He isn't a good fit for New Jersey's up-tempo offence.
15. Kendrick Perkins - Shouldn't start for a playoff caliber team. The worst offensive player in this article.
Power Forward
1. Kevin Garnett - He's probably the best player in the East and - depending on how well the Celtics do this year - a MVP candidate.
2. Chris Bosh - The quickest big in the NBA might go down as the best player of the 2003 draft after LeBron.
3. Jermaine O'Neal - The best player on the worst team in the East.
4. Antawn Jamison - Put up numbers better than Zach Randolph's in the playoffs last year. A team player.
5. Zach Randolph - How will he and Eddy Curry hare the ball/pizza? The best rebounder on the Knicks.
6. Udonis Haslem - A man whose game is more boring than 'Murder She Wrote: The Animated Series' but he gets the job done. A good defensive player.
7. Drew Gooden - Who shaves a square onto the back of your head?
8. Charlie Villanueva - His shoulder seems healthy and that makes him one of the biggest sleepers of the year.
9. Hedo Turkoglu - Definitely out of position at power forward. He's decent at everything but great at nothing.
10. Tyrus Thomas - The most athletic power forward in basketball. May one day lead the league in blocked shots.
11. Walter Hermann - Put up really impressive numbers down the stretch, can he still do it when the pressure is on?
12. Marvin Williams - Still doesn't do anything too well. Power forwards should shoot better than 43 percent from the field.
13. Antonio McDyess - Dice has obviously lost a huge step from his days with the Nuggets but still has a role in the league.
14. Nenad Krstic - Coming off ACL knee surgery. He will have a lot to prove and could be the deciding factor on whether New Jersey wins the Atlantic Division.
15. Reggie Evans - Dirty rebounds and dirty plays, that's all you'll get.
Small Forward
1. LeBron James - My pick for the MVP this yea but will he have Varejao and Pavlovic to help him out?
2. Andre Igoudala - Dominant athlete, exceptional defensively, plays within the team system and can get fans out of their seats with thunderous dunks. He has it all and his scoring is improving.
3. Paul Pierce - Has a lot to prove this year. He reminds me a bit of an old Igoudala...
4. Luol Deng - Doesn't hurt his team anywhere on the court, he could break out into the All-Star Chicago is looking for this season.
5. Rashard Lewis - One of the most overpaid players in sports. Still, he's pretty good and could still get marginally better.
6. Tayshaun Prince - Doesn't get as much love as his Piston teammates, but make no mistake, he's just as essential.
7. Caron Butler - I love his hard nosed game. He could easily make the All-Star team again this year.
8. Richard Jefferson - VERY tough to have him this low. Number 2 through 8 could be interchangeable. Injuries have hurt his explosiveness.
9. Gerald Wallace - He has the big contract, will he continue to play through injuries?
10. Josh Smith - Has the talent to become a top 3 small forward in the East. His explosiveness is insane and he plays a lot of power forward which helps explain his blocked shot numbers.
11. Jason Kapono - The best three point shooter in the NBA last year is now joining a system which will give him a LOT of open looks.
12. Desmond Mason - He's slipped a bit but a return to Milwaukee could revitalize him.
13. Mike Dunleavy - The general consensus is that he's underachieved. That being said, he's still overrated.
14. Quentin Richardson - He used to be an impact player. Phoenix was smart to dump him and his wonky, wonky back.
15. Antoine Walker - Less than 40 percent from the field, 30 percent from three and 45 percent from the line. He can't rebound anymore, still can't defend and averaged more turnovers per game than assists. He's terrible at everything, Jalen Rose without the suits.
Jalen Rose eats the dress code for breakfast
Shooting Guard
1. Dwyane Wade - Athletic and acrobatic like a young Kobe Bryant. He's also attractive, meaning it's doubtful he'll have to deal with the latter's raping issues.
2. Joe Johnson - Phoenix got a good package for him (namely Boris Diaw and that - now unprotected - first rounder) but they were still foolish to let him go.
3. Vince Carter - He and J-Kidd form the best backcourt in the East.
4. Richard Hamilton - If mid-range jumpers were home runs, he'd be Barry Bonds.
5. Michael Redd - Can his defense improve?
6. Ray Allen - Coming off of double ankle surgery. At his age that's kind of sketchy.
7. Anthony Parker - A very intelligent player who is above average at every aspect of the game. Could put up big numbers if he wasn't so unselfish.
8. Jason Richardson - During his entire stay at Golden State, the team had it's most successful season while he was injured. Is his knee better?
9. Ben Gordon - An offensive dynamo who doesn't do much else.
10. Danny Granger - More of a small forward but Indy is experimenting with him in this position. Expect huge numbers from him if Jermaine O'Neal is traded.
11. Larry Hughes - He steals a lot and apparently thievery is worth twelve mill a year these days. He's a terrible fit alongside King James.
12. Kyle Korver - Terrific shooter but can't create his own shot and doesn't bring much else to the table.
13. DeShawn Stevenson - His biggest selling point in getting his new long term deal? 'Hey I'm great friends with Gilbert Arenas. Want him to re-sign next year?'
14. J. J. Reddick - Remains to be seen if his college skills translate to the pros. His rookie year was disappointing.
15. Jamal Crawford - The biggest 'black hole' in the league. Shoots a LOT of bad shots. With the roster they have, the Knicks would be wise to release him.
Point Guard
1. Jason Kidd - He has to be in the mix when discussing the greatest point guards ever.
2. Chauncey Billups - Can dominate the smaller point guards. Will age begin to catch up with him?
3. Gilbert Arenas - A chucker. A damn good chucker.
4. Kirk Hinrich - He's improving each year, specifically his shooting touch.
5. T.J. Ford - Possibly the quickest player in the NBA whose jumpshot made major strides last year.
6. Andre Miller - Has size, maturity and passing skills. If only he could shoot.
7. Mo Williams - The only thing more impressive than the way he played last year was the way he played Pat Riley in the offseason.
8. Jameer Nelson - He regressed a bit last year, expect a return to his sophmore numbers with Rashard in town.
9. Jason Williams - Old Dirty White Chocolate is automatic from the line down the stretch of games and really takes care of the ball. Health is a major concern.
10. Raymond Felton - Could have a monster year but needs to be more consistent from the field (38% FG).
11. Stephon Marbury - His game is rapidly declining. On the bright side, he's making us all forget about Tim Hardaway's gay bashing.
12. Jamaal Tinsley - Exceptional dribbling skills and works well with O'Neal but shoots a lot of bad shots.
13. Daniel Gibson - The anti-Tinsley. Shoots well but cannot create for others.
14. Rajon Rondo - Lightning quick, he could be the difference for the Celtics.
15. Speedy Claxton - Rajon Rondo if he had Bobby Orr's knees.
An overall ranking of each team's starting lineup (1st place = 15 points, 15th place = 1 point).
