Each position on the court has a different responsibility. Small Forwards are usually responsible for primarily handling the scoring department. Along with that, a lot of them are skilled passers and rebounders as well.
In the NBA, there are many prolific players like LeBron James and Kevin Durant who handle the aforementioned responsibilities.
But who are the top 5 players in the SF position? Well, NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins believes the top 5 players in that position as of now are: Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Jayson Tatum, and Brandon Ingram.
Carry on… pic.twitter.com/cCoK0bOj60
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) September 24, 2021
Although these were Perkins’ choices, many NBA fans reacted to the tweet by him. While most agree with the top 3 picks, the last two are a bit questionable.
Everyone saying Jimmy but… Middleton? He’s at least #5 and I’ll give him the edge over Tatum for how he showed up in the playoffs
— fan (@redrocket95) September 24, 2021
Ingram over Butler ??? pic.twitter.com/UQs5FKICZv
— Long Live Dolph 🐬 (@amac937) September 24, 2021
https://twitter.com/Wethenorth316/status/1441538062723567622https://twitter.com/DeToxonious/status/1441591524320440330https://twitter.com/Flowers10C/status/1441810092643389440
This dude is purposely leaving out heat players. What a joke
— ZAE⚡️ (@ZaeMcGuire) September 25, 2021
https://twitter.com/therealJL41/status/1441812438018494467
Don't understand how you even have kawhi in this top 5 of yours. The guy is unreliable, always quitting on his team & never healthy. On top of all this, he's not a leader of any type. At this point, Paul George seems to be better than him.
— ONE% (@ONE_PERCENT_1) September 25, 2021
https://twitter.com/washedbev/status/1441537265876996098
Kawhi?? How can you put him anywhere if he plays half the games? Load management bs..the other guys actually play
— Simon Proekt (@sproekt5) September 25, 2021
Hey big perk, hit me up when Brandon Ingram leads a team to the finals and almost averages a triple-double with 26 points on 55% FG like Jimmy Butler did.
— Tito Cruz (@TitoMFCruz) September 25, 2021
Brandon Ingram love!!!! pic.twitter.com/v5UdZmjxIn
— ⚜️Herb's Burner⚜️ (@JJ16630683) September 25, 2021
The two biggest names missing from the last were Khris Middleton and Jimmy Butler. Middleton has been heavily underrated by sports pundits throughout his career.
The Bucks forward proved his worth to the league in the 2021 playoffs. He played a crucial role alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo to help the Bucks win the NBA championship.
As for his stats, he averaged 20.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game last season while shooting 47.6% from the floor. He further maintained a solid 3-point shooting percentage of 41.4 as well. So it was certainly surprising not to see him on the list.
On the other hand, Jimmy Butler can play at both the Small Forward and Shooting Guard positions. So, the reason he is missing from the list is probably that. The Miami Heat superstar might feature on Perkins’ top 5 shooting guards list. And until it’s out, you can’t really take a shot at Perkins.
Talking about the top 3 players on the list. For most of the last decade, LeBron James and Kevin Durant dominated the league. And when the two stars weren’t doing that Kawhi Leonard took the helm.
For the 2021-22 NBA season, both LBJ and KD have sensation teams built around them. It’s no surprise that the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets are highly ranked in the power rankings.
Most fans anticipate seeing the two superstars and their teams battle in the 2022 NBA Finals if they can properly manage their fitness and stay healthy come playoff time.
As for Leonard, he will most likely sit out the upcoming season. The two-time NBA champion injured his ACL in the 2021 postseason, which has sidelined him indefinitely.
The Clippers will be heading into the new season without their best player on the court. Even though the Clippers made it to the Western Conference Finals last season, it is hard to see them repeating the same level of success without Leonard.
Additionally, the competition in the West is at an all-time high. Teams like the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and the Utah Jazz are all aiming to win the title.
Considering their star-studded roster, the Clippers’ hopes of winning the first-ever NBA championship in their franchise history might have to be put on hold for a little longer.
