50 players into ESPN’s list of the Top 100 NBA Players, the Utah Jazz have been well represented so far, save for a low ranking for Derrick Favors.
Just last week, Sports Illustrated released its list of the Top 100 NBA Players heading into 2018-19. The Utah Jazz were pretty well represented on the list with each member of their starting lineup earning a spot in the Top 60. Donovan Mitchell climbed as high as No. 34, while defensive ace Rudy Gobert came in at No. 15.
Those are high marks, to be sure, and impressive praise for a Jazz team that figures to be a mighty force this upcoming season, especially if these top-ranked players, and some who didn’t make the list, can reach their ceilings.
Beginning this week, ESPN has started releasing its own version of that same list with players ranked 51-100 coming out on Monday. So far, the Jazz have three players that have been mentioned in that group, but unlike SI’s list, not all three of them were within the top 60. Oddly enough, while ESPN gave slightly higher praise to Joe Ingles and Ricky Rubio, Derrick Favors found himself way down on that latest release.
Utah Jazz rank 2018-19: Big man Isaac Haas is No. 18 https://t.co/Je1fnt36mO
— Rev. Ryan Aston (@RyanAston) September 13, 2018
Rubio was 57th on the SI list, compared to 52nd on the ESPN list, while Ingles was 56th on the SI list, compared to 53rd on the ESPN list. Pretty interesting that they were back-to-back on both lists with each one finishing ahead of the other depending which one you reference.
Meanwhile, Derrick Favors was all the way up to No. 51 on the SI list, but was a measly 83rd according to ESPN. That’s quite a discrepancy, to be sure.
Honestly, I know I’m somewhat biased as both a Jazz fan and a staunch supporter of Derrick Favors, but I definitely think he was robbed by ESPN. Sure, his stats from last season weren’t overwhelming when simply glanced at, but considering the role he adopted to best suit the team while playing alongside Rudy Gobert and a new point guard in Ricky Rubio, he absolutely excelled.
And if these rankings are strictly meant to list out the Top 100 best players, I certainly believe Favors deserved more credit from ESPN. Not only was he superb in the role the Jazz asked him to play, but I’m confident that if he were in a position that required more of him, his numbers would match said role. Although he makes sacrifices to best fit the Jazz, he’s an essential part of the team and his crucial talent is on full display every time he hits the floor.
Today marks the start of @ESPNNBA's annual #NBArank project using the wisdom of the crowd to rank players for the upcoming season: https://t.co/74YpAgt3fH
— Kevin Pelton (@kpelton) September 17, 2018
The SI piece certainly made mention of this, noting that Favors is better than his numbers and “could anchor a defense all his own with even greater optionality” if “transported to another team.”
In other words, perhaps ESPN would have done well to look beyond the basic box score when ranking the players, as Sports Illustrated obviously did. Context is far more important than basic stats, and I feel confident saying that Favors is much closer to a Top 50 player than he is a mere Top 90 player as ESPN pinned him.
And look for him to prove as much this upcoming season. After securing a lucrative contract with the Utah Jazz this summer and having one of his healthiest seasons in years, Favors will look to come out strong and take yet another leap for Utah in 2018-19. He has a goal to bring a championship to Salt Lake City, and fans should prepare for him to play with an unmatched passion and energy this upcoming season as he aims to do just that.