Top 10 NBA Players In Half a Decade from 2023

By Cortez Heyworth

HM: Lamelo Ball, Tyreese Haliburton, Scottie Barnes, Jaylen Brown, Evan Mobley, Donovan Mitchel

10 Zion Williamson

Having injury problems during his first couple of years in the NBA has prevented us from seeing a full season of the Zion Williamson that took over college basketball 4 years ago. When he was healthy, he picked back up right where he left off at Duke. He’s also cut down on his weight problem that has been holding him back

9 Paulo Banchero

Paulo won Rookie of the Year last year and hopes to rise into the next tier of stardom this year. The only downside for Paulo right now is that the Magic are pretty bad, but if they start doing better, especially with their young core, Paulo should crack into the top 10 players soon.

8 Shai Gilgious-Alexander

After having a breakout year last year, Shai hopes to build on his 31-5-5 season as he leads a young Thunder squad for years to come. Even though he is only 24, SGA is considered by most to be a top-15 player. In the next 5 years, he should solidify himself as top 10.

7 Chet Holmgren

Heading into his rookie year after a season-ending injury last year, Chet hopes to show why he was the #2 pick in the 2022 draft. He has the potential to be one of the best players the NBA has seen in a while due to his size matched with his shooting ability. If he puts on some pounds he might be top 5.

6 Victor Wembenyama

After dominating the French league last year, Wembenyama was selected with the first pick in the draft by the Spurs. Standing in at 7’4 with the skill set of a guard, Victor isn’t anything the NBA has seen before. If he remains healthy, there is no reason why he shouldn’t be in MVP contention by the time he is 25.

5 Ja Morant

Last year was a year to forget for Ja Morant. With the gun suspensions, overall poor shooting year, and the Grizzlies' early playoff loss, many people ask if he can bounce back. I think he will. Ja has proven to be an electric player, leading his team to the second seed last year in a strong Western Conference. At 24, people often forget how young he is. If Ja can stop shooting guns and start shooting threes, he should be a real difference-maker in the league in 5 years.

4 Anthony Edwards

Anthony Edwards is a perfect mix of shooting with driving that in 5 years, could make him a top NBA player. Ever since his rookie year, Edwards has shown flashes of star potential with his posterizing dunks and athleticism, but in these next 5 years, he will take serious leaps that will show his true potential.

3 Nikola Jokic

Despite being 32 in 2028, Jokic’s playstyle allows him to play at this age. Along with Jamal Murray, Jokic carried the Nuggets to their first-ever championship. There is also a debate to be had that he should have won his third straight MVP last year. Jokic shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon, which would have him at #3.

2 Luka Doncic

Luka is already top 5 in the NBA after 6 seasons, and he has been getting consistently better each year. He has already shown signs of being capable of being the best player in the league. However, his team not having any playoff success keeps him at #2.

1 Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum has shown improvement every year in his first 6 years. His only flaw currently is not being able to win a chip, even with his strong teams. Tatum has already solidified himself as top 5 in the league at such a young age. If he finally gets his ring, there should be no question whether or not he will be the best basketball player on the planet.