RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesWhen the NBA unveiled its much-discussed NBA 75 list, we borrowed the concept and built on it by turning the selections into an actual ranking and updating it annually.
This week, we returned with the HoopsHype 80 . LeBron James remains firmly entrenched at No. 1, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made his debut.
Now, we’re looking at the next 12 players most likely to earn a spot. The group includes Victor Wembanyama , whom we believe has a GOAT-level ceiling, as well as several other future Hall of Famers.
Jayson Tatum
Career accolades : One NBA title, one Eastern Conference Finals MVP, four All-NBA 1st Team selections, six All-Stars, one All-Star MVP, two Olympic gold medals
One of just 38 players in NBA history to have made four straight 1st Team All-NBA appearances, a streak that came to an end last season due to his late-campaign return from injury, six-time All-Star Jayson Tatum was on a historic run prior to blowing out his Achilles. The good news for Tatum and Celtics fans is that the former Duke standout has seemingly picked up close to where he left off, averaging 21.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists on 41.1 percent shooting in 2025-26 over 16 appearances following his return from the devastating injury.
It'll be important to see how Tatum continues to look as he gets further away from the Achilles injury, though early returns look promising. Plus, just look at how Kevin Durant returned to elite form following the same injury. Once Tatum looks fully like Tatum again, it won't be surprising to see him crack one of our future lists, as his level of scoring, rebounding and playmaking has him in rarified air in the NBA as one of the league's best players.
Jalen Brunson
Career accolades : One NBA title, one Finals MVP, one Eastern Conference Finals MVP, three All-NBA 2nd Team selections, three All-Stars, one NBA Cup, one NBA Cup MVP, one Clutch Player of the Year award
With the way New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson has racked up the accolades over the past few seasons, he's making a strong charge at one of our future GOAT rankings. Brunson is as clutch as they come in the modern NBA, quick, can draw fouls and hit free throws at a high level, and when his shot isn’t falling, he still makes an impact as a playmaker, making him a load to defend, even at his somewhat diminutive size.
Since 2023-24, Brunson has won an NBA championship, doing so in the Big Apple, New York City, meaning with just about as much pressure as possible considering how starved that basketball-loving city was for a title, as well as winning an NBA Cup, picking up three 2nd Team All-NBA honors in a row, as well as making three straight All-Star teams.
The former Villanova standout is only just now about to turn 30 years old, and his game isn’t super predicated on high-level athleticism, meaning we expect his output to age quite well, giving him plenty of time to add to his quickly growing list of impressive accolades, and thus continue his charge at our all-time-great rankings.
Karl-Anthony Towns
Career accolades : One NBA title, six All-Stars, three All-NBA 3rd Team selections, Rookie of the Year award, one Centrobasket gold medal
Unlike Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns has been an elite player for longer, winning Rookie of the Year off the bat and earning All-Star and 3rd Team All-NBA honors by his third season, his age-22 campaign back in 2017-18. However, he’s experienced some ups and downs in his career, posting some non-All-Star seasons in what should have been his prime.
Regardless, Towns has plenty of time to make up for that, as he’s still just 30 years old. And, similar to Brunson, Towns’ game isn’t super dependent on athleticism; the former No. 1 pick is as skilled as they come for modern NBA bigs, a capable ball-handler with a quick first step and strong shoulder driving to the basket, a fantastic outside shooter (Towns is nearly 40 percent from three for his career) and an effective post-up player with a strong nose for rebounding.
Towns is the only player in NBA history to average 22 points and 11 rebounds per game for their career while shooting over 39 percent from three (minimum: two nightly three-point attempts), showing just how unique he is historically with his mix of strength down low and skill from the perimeter.
And as long as he keeps his current impact and production for at least the next half-decade, we could easily see a world in which Towns makes a real move towards earning a spot in our GOAT rankings.
Paul George
Career accolades : Six All-NBA selections, nine All-Stars, four All-Defensive Team selections, one Most Improved Player award, one Olympic gold medal
16-year NBA veteran Paul George receives more love from the younger generation of players than he does from fans and on social media, with Brandon Miller of the Charlotte Hornets calling George his GOAT , and AJ Dybantsa saying he likes to emulate George's game.
George's blend of three-level athletic scoring, tough shot-making prowess and elite defending (in his prime, at least) made him one of the best wings of his generation, and even though he hasn't been able to, at least to this point, win a championship, that shouldn't take away from his historic contributions to the game. George will undoubtedly be in the Hall of Fame one day, and if he's able to help Tatum and Boston win another title, don't be surprised to see him crack our GOAT ranking someday, too.
Draymond Green
Career accolades : Four NBA titles, two All-NBA selections, four All-Stars, one Defensive Player of the Year award, five All-Defensive 1st Team selections, two Olympic gold medals
Despite not being the most likable figure on the court, Draymond Green has come close in the past to cracking our all-time-great rankings. And how could you blame us for nearly honoring him in such a way? After all, Green has four championships to his name, one Defensive Player of the Year award, and...
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