Each year, ESPN releases its top 100 players over the course of a few days, and every year, many will find issues with player rankings. ESPN has been slowly releasing their player rankings ahead of the 2024-2025 season over the last few days, and finally, Sixers players have made their first appearance.
The first rankings that were released were 100-51. While no Sixers made the list, cases could have been made for players like Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andre Drummond. However, this morning, when the top 50-11 rankings were released, two Sixers superstars made the cut.
Paul George – 21st
Paul George spent last year with the Los Angeles Clippers and was lured away to Philadelphia in the offseason, completing the master plan of Sixers President of Basketball Operations, Daryl Morey. He was the first Sixers to make an appearance on the list at number 21
The 34-year-old small forward is entering his 15th season in the league and his first as a Philadelphia 76er. Last year for the Los Angeles Clippers, Paul George averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 47.1% from the field and 41.3% from beyond the arc. While George has been on a slight decline on account of his age, he appears to be taking it in stride as he is still a top-25 player in the NBA.
Last season, Paul George was number 18 on the list. The year before that, he was number 15. This season marks his drop out of the top 20 in recent memory, yet he will still be one of the best wings in the game. He provides elite defense and incredible three-level scoring to the lineup, as well as a seamless fit into head coach Nick Nurse’s system.
Tyrese Maxey – 19th
Tyrese Maxey continues his meteoric rise into NBA superstardom. The fifth-year pro out of Kentucky has been improving each and every season, and it culminates this year with the highest ranking of his career, 19th in the league. The dominant scorer first made the list in 2022, debuting at the number 44 slot. The next season, with improved scoring and three-point percentages, Maxey made it to number 42 in the rankings. With a full 23-slot jump, Maxey appears to have finally gotten the national media attention he deserves.
This past season was one where Maxey put the league on notice. Averaging a career-high 25.9 points and 6.2 assists per game, Maxey made his first All-Star game and won the Most Improved Player award. He shot 45.0% from the field and 37.3% from three on a career-high 20.3 field goals attempted per game. On top of that, Maxey became a dominant force in the Sixers’s 6-game playoff series against the New York Knicks, averaging 29.8 points per game for the Sixers in the series loss. This is Maxey’s first time being ranked as a top 20 player in the NBA.
Other Sixers and former Sixers
While the Sixers had no players appear on the 100-51 list, they made up for it by securing two top 25 players on this list. While Joel Embiid‘s ranking has not been announced yet, it’s safe to assume that he is looking at a potential top-five finish.
After a season that saw him score 34.7 points per game, which was sadly cut short by injuries, it wouldn’t be surprising if his new teammates allowed him to take a step back from being the dominant scorer we all know he is. This is the first time the Sixers have had three players in the top 25 of ESPN’s NBArank since Jimmy Butler (14th) and Ben Simmons (18th) made it ahead of the 2018-2019 season.
