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The Magnificent Seven

Durant

1. Kevin Durant, Thunder
Drafted in June 2007; 2nd overall pick

Although there are some very strong competitors for the top spot, my final two came down to Durant and Derrick Rose. Durant gets the edge simply because he’s a little better as a scorer, which is what both of these guys are: pure scorers.

KD is a better shooter, is a better finisher inside (helped by his huge height advantage, of course), gets to the line far more than Rose and is just as much the focal point of opposing defenses as Rose.

Both players have become decent defenders and are fantastic teammates in every respect. Although Rose has more MVP juice this season (although I’d guess things would be different if they switched cities), Durant is the best player drafted into the NBA during the past four years.
 

Rose

2. Derrick Rose, Bulls
Drafted in June 2008; 1st overall pick

What’s not to love about Rose? He’s a top-level talent. He’s a two-time All-Star. He’s the best player on a title contender. He continues to work on his game. He stays humble. And he’s arguably the most improved player in the NBA.

I give him the edge over Russell Westbrook because he’s become a more polished offensive player, although the race is closer than most people think.

Rose now has a whole season’s worth of destroying defenders to bolster his confidence and get him to believe that he’s special. His running right-hand shot over the outstretched arm of a helping big has become one of the iconic shots in the NBA.
 

Westbrook

3. Russell Westbrook, Thunder
Drafted in June 2008; 4th overall pick

In my mind, Rose is the LeBron of his position — quicker and more powerful than any other point guard. So what does that say about Westbrook, the most athletically gifted point guard I’ve seen play?

Westbrook has become one of the better game managers in the league while imposing his will on games. One way is rebounding, as he’s the best offensive rebounder at his position. If he can learn to consistently make 3s, he has the talent to be an MVP contender alongside the top two guys on this list. Here’s a promising sign: In March, Westbrook made 48 percent of his 3-point attempts, and his team went 14-2.
 

Horford

4. Al Horford, Hawks
Drafted in June 2007; 3rd overall pick

I doubt casual NBA fans or even some of the more focused fans realize just how good Horford has become. A two-time All-Star, he’s one of the best passing, shooting and finishing big men in the NBA. He’s also as good as any big in the league in defending the ball screen and guarding his man in the post.

All this adds up to his being a top-tier center, which is even more impressive when we consider that Horford is playing out of position most of the time. He has the goods to be the league’s best power forward if and when he gets the chance.

Horford is the Hawks’ quiet leader and the foundation of their future.
 

Noah

5. Joakim Noah, Bulls
Drafted in June 2007; 9th overall pick

Noah is the best defender on the league’s best defense, capable of guarding almost any 4 or 5 in the league while holding his own when forced to defend guards or wings after a switch late in the shot clock. He alone gives the Bulls lots of defensive options, which is a big part of their success.

Chicago’s offense is also at its best when he’s in the game, thanks to his ability to pass from the pinch post, set great screens, finish inside and make better than 70 percent of his free throws. Plus, he’s the best offensive rebounding center in the NBA and one of the top rebounders overall.

To top it off, Noah is possibly the best and most inspirational teammate under age 35 in the league.
 

Love

6. Kevin Love, Timberwolves
Drafted in June 2008; 5th overall pick

Love probably already has the best combination of perimeter shooting and rebounding talent of any player in league history, and he can have a major impact on any game with either or both.

Love’s defense is solid — he does well taking away angles and is good at inviting players to attack areas where it’s tough to score — and he has a strong post game, making him one of the few NBA players who can command a double-team on offense but won’t need one on defense.

He ranks below Noah only because he can’t play defense off the ball like Noah yet and doesn’t impact the game in the more subtle ways that make the difference between winning and losing.
 

Griffin

7. Blake Griffin, Clippers
Drafted in June 2009; 1st overall pick

Griffin is a lot like Westbrook in that he uses his body and athleticism fully to dictate and dominate opponents and games. I rank Love higher because he has more tools to change a game, but there is no denying that Griffin gets the most out of what he has to offer right now.

Griffin has Noah-like energy and has become a good post-up player. So once he learns to make 75 percent of his shots from the line, he’ll become a prolific scorer, even if he doesn’t improve his perimeter shooting. And there’s no reason he can’t improve in that area, either, which is why he can be a legit MVP candidate going forward.

The rest

Curry

8. Stephen Curry, Warriors
Drafted in June 2009; 7th overall pick

Guess how many point guards in the NBA have a true shooting percentage of 59 or better, have a rebound rate better than 10 and show an assist rate of 23 or better? Steve Nash is a given, and Chris Paul qualifies if we round up his 58.6 TS%. Besides those two superstars, the only other lead guard to meet those standards is Curry. That’s it. Pretty special company.

The scariest part is that I see Curry improving a lot in the next few seasons — he’s just been an average passer this season, and he’s a bit turnover-prone. Still, his ability as a shooter is special. He’s a contender for "best shooter under 25" in the NBA.
 

Lopez

9. Brook Lopez, Nets
Drafted in June 2008; 10th overall pick

Lopez should have been in the running for a top-five spot on this list, but he has slipped badly as a rebounder in his third season, an area of the game that is all about effort and determination. If he does not spend the offseason working on his body and conditioning while studying tape to find ways to rebound better, we’ll soon know all we need to know about Lopez.

With that said, few other bigs can score with ease inside while having range out to 20 feet and being excellent free throw shooters.
 

Gasol

10. Marc Gasol, Grizzlies
Drafted in June 2007; 48th overall pick

Put Gasol’s head and heart into the body of Lopez, and Lopez would be a surefire All-Star. Gasol does little great, but he is the master of doing a lot of things well. That works well for him and his team.

He anchors a stingy defense with great position play, and he’s supersmart and crafty on offense. The Grizzlies are capable of winning a playoff series against any opponent because of his overall play.
 

Ibaka

11. Serge Ibaka, Thunder
Drafted in June 2008; 24th overall pick

Most people wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the Thunder are playing their best defense when Ibaka is in the game. But what if I told you the same was true about them on offense?

Yes, Westbrook and Durant need Ibaka on the floor to get the Thunder to play their best offensive basketball. He spaces the floor for them, drawing out shot-blockers, and rarely takes a bad shot, helping to ensure that the best possible shot is available for either star. That’s pretty impressive for a guy who’s such an impact player in the paint on defense with his shot-blocking. If he had started all season for the Thunder, he would be in this top 10.
 

Gordon

12. Eric Gordon, Clippers
Drafted in June 2008; 7th overall pick

During his first summer league and rookie season, Gordon was too quick to show off his great shooting stroke. That meant defenders often didn’t have to deal with Gordon, who is a superquick and strong ball handler, attacking the rim. That has changed in his third season, and Gordon has improved rapidly.

Teams now have to prepare for Gordon’s side pick-and-roll, as he has become a threat to make the jumper or get to the paint. With better point guard play, he still could take one more step up.
 

Conley

13. Mike Conley, Grizzlies
Drafted in June 2007; 4th overall pick

Conley’s stats aren’t eye-popping, except for his 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and 1.74 steals per game. He’s not a great shooter, either, just a good one. But when you consider how he manages his team on offense and sets the tone for his team on defense, Conley’s overall effectiveness is unquestioned.

That the Grizzlies are streaking now despite Rudy Gay’s season-ending injury shows that their quarterback is doing his job very well.
 

Gallinari

14. Danilo Gallinari, Nuggets
Drafted in June 2008; 6th overall pick

Gallo is emerging as a strong starting small forward before our eyes. He was good in New York, but he’s been even better in Denver, especially as a shooter.

Gallinari gives the Nuggets hope that they received an All-Star in return for Carmelo Anthony. He’s helped the Nuggets, one of the league’s hottest teams, more than any of the other former Knicks who came over in the trade. His impact in all facets of the game is coming into focus.
 

Young

15. Thaddeus Young, 76ers
Drafted in June 2007; 12th overall pick

Young is one of the best bench players in the NBA and would be higher on this list if he played more.

Although he still hasn’t developed a more consistent perimeter game, he has become one of the league’s best finishers inside, ranks in the top five in steals per 48 minutes among all forwards and is a big part of Philly’s resurgence. As underrated players go, he’s high on the list.
 

McGee

16. JaVale McGee, Wizards
Drafted in June 2008; 18th overall pick

McGee was a bit of a circus act to start the season — all arms and legs, and all dunks, blocks and goaltends. Then, he strung together some strong games. He later put up a couple of electrifying ones, including a triple-double with 12 blocks.

McGee’s silly mistakes are being replaced by smart plays and aggressive actions on the court, and he’s become someone the Wizards want to pair with John Wall for the long haul.
 

Lawson

17. Ty Lawson, Nuggets
Drafted in June 2009; 18th overall pick

Lawson also would’ve been in the top 10 on this list if he had been starting all season, proving that he does have the talent to be a starter for a playoff team.

His March numbers — 16 ppg and almost a 4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio with the Nuggets going 10-3 — give us a glimpse of what we’ll see from him for a long time. Few point guards have his combination of perimeter shooting and blazing dribbling speed.
 

Holiday

18. Jrue Holiday, 76ers
Drafted in June 2009; 17th overall pick

Holiday might not be the official captain on the team, but he is running the surprising 76ers at just 20 years old.

In addition to his on-the-court leadership, Holiday uses his excellent size to help on the defensive boards and has skill as a shooter from both the 3-point line and the free throw line. Lately, he’s also figured out how to pound smaller guys in the paint for buckets — something to watch for next season.
 

Blair

19. DeJuan Blair, Spurs
Drafted in June 2009; 37th overall pick

We all know Blair is a beast on the glass. But he also helps anchor a top-10 defense with his quick hands and feet as well as his willingness to challenge people. He provides a toughness intangible that rubs off on his teammates — definitely a factor in the Spurs’ overall success this season.

Even though Blair is undersized at 6-foot-8, he finishes more than 60 percent of his inside shots, which is exactly what he did last season. And never discount the importance of having a big man set strong screens for an offense that is top-five in the league.
 

Wall

20. John Wall, Wizards
Drafted in June 2010; 1st overall pick

No top draft pick in the past four seasons debuted for a more challenging team than Wall, but he’s managed a successful debut season. His love for pushing and passing already has made him a feared leader of the break, and he has shown that he can be a serious chaos creator on defense.

Lately, Wall has improved on his driving finishes, too, making him an even more dangerous scorer. That will only help create shots for teammates as defenses adjust.

The next dozen

Here are the 12 guys we expect to get in or make a strong run into this group next season as the class of 2007 moves on.

In alphabetical order:

Nicolas Batum, Trail Blazers

Michael Beasley, Timberwolves

Darren Collison, Pacers

DeMarcus Cousins, Kings

DeMar DeRozan, Raptors

Tyreke Evans, Kings

Derrick Favors, Jazz

Landry Fields, Knicks

Brandon Jennings, Bucks

Wesley Matthews, Trail Blazers

Greg Monroe, Pistons

Patrick Patterson, Rockets

 I’m a huge OJ Mayo fan and it’s disappointing to see how far he has fallen…

It hurt my head. Sometimes he has some OK columns, but most of them are really lame. His lists and rankings make incredibly little sense to me. He says he is basing it mostly on this season, and he ranks John Wall 20th? Brook Lopez is definitely ahead of Eric Gordon too, lol. I have no idea what he bases it on, but if it is indeed mostly based on this season, this list is very much all over the place. Even if it is based on careers, I do not know if it makes much sense. But, I guess the Wizards are building the team around JaVale McGee more than John Wall…… 

Mayo might not be what he was expected to be, but he’ll be a solid player in the NBA.He just needs a new change of scenery, and a team that believes in him.

How can Tyreke win ROY and not even be in the top 20? Unbelievable.

Wow DeMar DeRozan so low??

After winning ROY and dealing with plantar fasciitis for almost an entire season, he manages to put up 18/5/5 with 1.5 steals and half a block a game. Its sad how this is not enough for Thorpe to put him on this list.

Mike Conley is now magically better than John Wall, Tyfreak, and Brandon Jennings? Dude got the easy ones right and then showed how high he is.

sucks.  I think ESPN does crystal meth on a consistent basis.

How is McGee ahead of wall, Evans, Cousins, and most importantly Matthews. That makes no sense, Matthews should be Top 15 with the type of season hes having. Derozan is low because he is at this stage of his game a guy who can be shut down woith some grit and a decent double, a one category horse that being points and a horrible defender.