ESPN released its latest NBA player rankings Wednesday, with less than a month remaining before the start of the 2026/27 season. After first publishing Nos. 100-51, the network has now revealed Nos. 50-11, including Deni Avdija, who was ranked 66th last year and jumped to No. 27 this year — the highest ranking of his career.
This year’s ranking was compiled differently from previous editions. Instead of a vote involving more than 100 ESPN reporters, editors and production staff, the list was determined by a seven-member expert panel: Ben Golliver, Vincent Goodwill, Zach Kram, Bobby Marks, Dave McMenamin, André Snellings and Matt “Stats” Williams.
Each panelist ranked the top 100 players, and the individual lists were then combined into the final ranking.
The votes are in: Deni Avdija is ranked int he top 30 ahead of the 2026/27 season
(Photo: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
The voters were asked to rank players based solely on their expected contribution during the 2026/27 season, weighing both quality and quantity — in other words, both level of performance and the expected scope of their impact in the coming season.
Avdija received special attention from Golliver, who pointed to the Israeli forward’s meteoric rise since his move from Washington.
"Few observers saw Avdija's rapid ascension coming when the Blazers acquired him from the Wizards in a largely overlooked 2024 trade," Golliver wrote. "The punishing wing enjoyed a breakout 2025-26 campaign, posting career highs in scoring, player efficiency rating and win shares while earning his first All-Star selection and leading Portland to the playoffs for the first time in five years."
"There's more good news: Avdija projects as one of the NBA's best values in 2026-27 given that his bargain $13.1 million salary is less than the midlevel exception," according to Golliver
As part of its reasoning, ESPN also highlighted one notable statistic: Avdija ranked fourth in the NBA last season in fouls drawn, but was particularly effective at initiating contact in the paint.
According to Genius IQ, Avdija drew 267 fouls in the paint, second in the NBA only to Paolo Banchero, who drew 275.
Avdija was ranked ahead of names including Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Pascal Siakam and Anthony Davis.
Among those ranked above the Israeli forward, LeBron James fell out of the top 10 for the first time since the 2011/12 season, landing at No. 18 — a drop of 10 places from last year; Jaylen Brown, at No. 15; Kevin Durant at No. 13; and Stephen Curry at No. 12 also finished outside the top 10.