- Bleacher Report made headlines again for their Top 15 bigs list for the new season
- Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo were No. 1 and 2 respectively
- The major debate was having Karl-Anthony Towns over Bam Adebayo at No. 5
After garnering flak for their Top 15 wings for the NBA 2023-24 season, Bleacher Report sparked another debate on social media with their list of Top 15 bigs for the upcoming season.
NBA champion Nikola Jokic led the list at No. 1, while Giannis Antetokounmpo was placed second on the list. Rounding up the top five were Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, and Karl-Anthony Towns at third, fourth, and fifth respectively. On that note, here’s a look at the 15-member list.
1. Nikola Jokic
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
3. Joel Embiid
4. Anthony Davis
5. Karl-Anthony Towns
6. Pascal Siakam
7. Bam Adebayo
8. Zion Williamson
9. Jaren Jackson Jr.
10. Domantas Sabonis
11. Evan Mobley
12. Kristaps Porziņģis
13. Draymond Green
14. Deandre Ayton
15. Julius Randle
Bleacher Report’s top 15 bigs for next season:
1. Nikola Jokic
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
3. Joel Embiid
4. Anthony Davis
5. Karl-Anthony Towns
6. Pascal Siakam
7. Bam Adebayo
8. Zion Williamson
9. Jaren Jackson Jr.
10. Domantas Sabonis
11. Evan Mobley
12. Kristaps…
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 30, 2023
The process of ranking these players was the same that was employed by the outlet when they picked their wings.
B/R asked its best basketball minds to answer a series of random Player A vs. Player B debates. The question for each debate: “Which player will rank higher by the end of the 2023-24 season?”
“In total, we compiled 8,632 votes across nearly 20 participants, narrowing our final player pool down to a top 110. From there, a panel of experts ranked every player from 1 to 110. They used their own criteria, considering everything from individual production, impact on winning (during both the regular season and the playoffs), and health/availability.”
That said, fans had their two cents to share on the list:
Some disagreed that Bam Adebayo was placed lower than Towns on the list.
https://twitter.com/iwantoimplode/status/1696913203567939929
This was seconded by another.
Bam and Brook Lopez should be top 5 https://t.co/wfneaMQqPx
— Dom (@FreshPowdah) August 30, 2023
One section of fans had no issues with the list but preferred to have Adebayo at 5.
Seen very few smart takes come from bleacher report. This adds to the list. Bam is definitely 5. https://t.co/qyQKMlAbVJ
— Rekt (@jammallemy) August 30, 2023
Julius Randle fans weren’t happy.
Julius Randle is better than 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, & 14… put some respect on my #Knicks and it’s All Star! #FOH https://t.co/9oxBLF1Pst
— YankeesPride⚾️ (@RPennington28) August 30, 2023
Some just slammed the list in its entirety.
Wow, this is garbage. https://t.co/A1JBVPG7MF
— Daequan (@TeflonDae) August 30, 2023
The case for Adebayo just grew stronger.
Bam Adebayo is behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Pascal Siakam?
Not a chance https://t.co/HYsv2Gxdmd
— Playbook Sports (@PlaybookSN) August 30, 2023
And the trolls weren’t far away.
Surprised they didn’t pick Wemby https://t.co/UqzbFnJjwb
— 👤 (@308PeterParker) August 30, 2023
The honorable mentions included Jakob Poeltl, Ivica Zubac, Clint Capela, Wendell Carter Jr., and Jeremy Sochan.
Our Thoughts On Bleacher Report’s Top 15 Bigs List
By and large, the top four on the list are perfect, but we would agree with fans in this case and put Bam Adebayo over Karl-Anthony Towns. And we’d do that keeping the very same factors in mind that were used to create the list.
While Towns does edge Adebayo in terms of points (marginally) and assists, it also boils down to the number of games he suited up for, for the Minnesota Timberwolves. While he did sustain an injury that sidelined him for most of the season, it’s important to know that Adebayo’s production comes from his overall 75 games, not including the playoffs.
In their first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Nuggets, Towns averaged 18.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.2 blocks across five games.
On the other hand, Adebayo played 23 games in the playoffs averaging 17.9 points, 9,9 rebounds, 3.76 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.7 blocks — beating Towns in every aspect minus the points and the boards, which would have been more had he played less games.
More importantly, Adebayo is a crucial component of the Miami Heat’s defense, and his rebounding presence and acumen boast of better postseason experience compared to the Wolves forward.
None of this is to take a shot at Towns, but the numbers do lean towards Adebayo as a better bet at No. 5.
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