Jazz In ESPN Top 100 Player Rankings: 11-50
Dec 9, 2020, 10:37 AM
Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) and Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) discuss a play on the bench during the Jazz versus spurs NBA game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019. (Steve Griffin, Deseret News)
(Steve Griffin, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – ESPN is once again ranking the top 100 players in the NBA. Yesterday, the sports media company released its rankings of players 51-100 which included Utah Jazz players Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Joe Ingles.
Today, ESPN released their list of the players ranked between 11-50, with the final 10 being released tomorrow.
Two remaining Jazz starters round out the list, leaving the Jazz without a top 10 player in the NBA according to the ESPN rankings.
Bojan Bogdanovic was ranked where???
ESPN released their top 100 player rankings. Find where your favorite @utahjazz players found themselves ranked. #TakeNote https://t.co/sGP5w5RNla
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 8, 2020
26. Rudy Gobert – Previous Rank: 14
Rudy Gobert continues the trend of Jazz players slipping in the ESPN top 100 rankings. Conley, Bogdanovic, Ingles, and Derrick Favors all slid down or out of the list completely in this year’s rankings, as did Gobert who dropped 12 spots from 14 to 26.
“The two-time Defensive Player of the Year insists that he’s focused solely on basketball — ‘That’s why I have an agent,'” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon wrote. “But issues could arise if Gobert enters the season feeling unappreciated without a long-term commitment from the Jazz.”
Our NBA rank continues 👀
No. 50 down to No. 11 ➡️ https://t.co/5qMPvMLqLH (ESPN+) pic.twitter.com/AOXzRIEHP3
— ESPN (@espn) December 9, 2020
18. Donovan Mitchell – Previous Rank: 20
Donovan Mitchell is the only player on the Jazz to see his ranking climb from last season. The All-Star guard came in at 20 on last year’s list before jumping to 18 in this season’s rankings.
Mitchell may have not seen his top 100 ranking climb had it not been for a breakout performance in the Jazz opening-round playoff loss against the Denver Nuggets, but fans should be thrilled to know he has that extra gear in his game.
“Among the 13 players to average at least 24 points last season, Mitchell ranked dead last in free throw rate,” MacMahon wrote. “Having to rely less on deep pull-up 3s and finesse finishes will make him one of the tougher covers in the NBA.”
