The Ringer’s NBA staff recently published their latest version of the top 125 players in the NBA. The list was updated on May 1, as only eight teams remain in the 2022-23 season.
The trio of Rob Mahoney, J. Kyle Mann and Michael Pina helped update the list as the NBA playoffs continue through the second round.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have had four mainstays in the rankings, with all four players appearing once again in this iteration of the list. The Thunder (40-42) are fresh off of an overachieving campaign, where the youngest team in the league finished a win short of entering the playoffs.
Let’s look at who made the list for the Thunder and what was said about their four representatives.
No. 11: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The Ringer on SGA’s probable All-NBA First Team season:
“No player has broken out this season quite like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whose barrage of floaters, layups, and difficult pull-up jumpers are as idiosyncratic as they are unstoppable. Leading a small-market rebuild as their 24-year-old veteran, SGA’s per-game numbers are across-the-board silly, from the first quarter through crunch time…
Instead of wondering whether he’ll make his first All-Star team, the better way to gauge SGA’s remarkable season is to guess how many MVP ballots his name will be printed on.”
No. 72: Josh Giddey
The Ringer on Josh Giddey’s second season:
“Oklahoma City bet on Giddey, the no. 6 overall pick in the 2021 draft, to improve his shot because he’s always shown good touch near the rim with the ability to bend his body and lay the ball up from awkward angles. The shot could make him special, but even without it, the rest of his offense and his heady defense pave the runway for a fruitful NBA career.”
No. 82: Jalen Williams
The Ringer on Jalen Williams’ Rookie of the Year runner-up season:
“Besides Paolo Banchero, no rookie has been more reliable, creative, and confident than Williams, the tentacle-armed Thunder wing who makes more shots than he misses, moves exceptionally well off the ball, and plays with his head on a swivel.
It’s easy to get overly excited about what a (22-year-old’s) present-day production might suggest about his future, but even after taking that into account, Williams looks like a potential All-Star.”
No. 108: Lu Dort
The Ringer on Dort’s fourth season:
“If the Thunder were the band from the Muppets, Dort would undoubtedly be Animal. He has the type of raw, unrelenting energy that a young team needs.
Dort established himself through his point-of-attack defense. He’s able to cause plenty of havoc on that end, but he can do so without the risk of being out of position…
For all of the defensive joy that Dort brings, it can be tough to find ways to keep him effective on offense. He rarely lacks confidence, but on offense, that can lead to frustrating results. For someone as strong as he is and who so willingly mixes it up, he’s a surprisingly ho-hum finisher in traffic, an uninspiring playmaker, and a meh-to-OK scorer from 3.”
