NBArank 2023 - Player rankings for 2023-24, from 50 to 11 - ESPN

NBArank is back for its 13th season counting down the best players in the league.

Which stars made and missed the cut? Which rookies are already making noise in the top 100? Where did MVP contenders such as Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic and reigning winner Joel Embiid check in?

Where did LeBron James land as he enters season No. 21?

To get the final NBArank prediction, we asked our expert panel to vote on player vs. player matchups from more than 15,000 possible pairings. Voters were asked, «Which player will be better in 2023-24?» and had to predict how each player will perform this season.

One Tuesday, our countdown kicked off with players Nos. 100-51 and continues with Nos. 50-11, a list that includes two thirds of the new big three in Phoenix, a former MVP guard and one of the most-hyped rookies in NBA history.

Note: ESPN's NBArank panel, comprising nearly 150 reporters, editors, producers and analysts, was asked to rank players based on their predicted contributions — quality and quantity — for the 2023-24 season only.

Cleveland Cavaliers | C

2022 NBArank: 52

Why he rose two spots: Allen remains a throwback center in today's jump-shooting NBA. But so long as the league has a handful of dominant big men still playing with a more traditional approach to the 5 in Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis and Joel Embiid, Allen will be a coveted player to try to stop them.

Swing skill: Cleveland went 13-3 last season in games Allen recorded at least 10 rebounds and two blocks. Allen missed 14 games and the Cavs still finished No. 1 in defensive rating, allowing 109.9 points per 100 possessions. The more he can stay on the court and be aggressive protecting the paint, the higher the