7 Boston Celtics find themselves on ESPN’s Top 100 list

Each year, ESPN’s team of NBA writers rank the league’s top 100 players ahead of the new season. The article listing ranks 26-100 was released Tuesday morning. This year, the Boston Celtics are well represented, which is what you’d expect for a team that just made an NBA Finals run.

The C’s will have seven total players in the top 100. Only five of those guys were listed in Tuesday’s article.

Grant Williams, Malcolm Brogdon, Al Horford, Robert Williams III, and Marcus Smart all were given rankings already. Both Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have yet to be ranked, as they come in as part of the top 25.

The first Celtics player on the list was Grant Williams, who was ranked at No. 99. He was unranked last season. Tim Bontemps cited his improved 3-point shooting as reasoning for his top 100 appearance this year, writing:

"“Williams has steadily increased his 3-point shooting volume and percentage each season, topping out at 3.4 attempts per game and shooting 41.1% from behind the arc last season. Boston needs him to repeat those numbers, especially with newcomer Danilo Gallinari likely out for the season with a torn ACL.”"

Brogdon was the next Boston Celtics player to find his name on the list. The writers ranked the former Rookie of the Year at No. 87 this season. Last season he was listed at 65. Bontemps cited the question mark around his health, as well as adaptability to a bench role, as the cause for his drop, saying:

"“After spending the past three seasons in Indiana, Brogdon came to the Celtics in exchange for a first-round pick and flotsam salary this offseason. Now, after being a starter with the Pacers, can he adapt to a bench role? Just as importantly, can he stay healthy after playing a combined 92 games the past two seasons? If both answers are yes, Boston could have this season’s Sixth Man of the Year.”"

The next C’s player ranked was Horford. He came in at No. 70 after being left off of last season’s rankings. Big Al’s resurgence during the playoffs last year was Bontemps motivation to rank him above players like Ben Simmons and John Collins. He explained:

"“The Celtics’ veteran big man had a brilliant season upon returning to Boston — Horford has his best rebounding year since 2013-14 with the Hawks — but that same level of performance could be tough to duplicate as he enters his age-36 season. Expect the Celtics to be judicious with Horford’s minutes in an attempt to preserve him for another deep playoff run.”"

Robert Williams III was the next member of the Boston Celtics to be listed. Timelord came in at No. 58, after being unranked last season. Bontemps cited Williams’ strong play last season as reasoning for the climb, writing:

"“Although the Celtics reached the 2022 NBA Finals, Boston never quite looked the same after Williams injured his knee late in the regular season. If he can be healthy for the entire season, Williams will be a leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year and could skyrocket up these rankings.”"

The final Boston Celtics player to have be ranked Tuesday was Marcus Smart. The 28-year-old climbed to the No. 34 ranking this season. Last year he was 13 spots lower at number 49. Smart’s strong 2021-22 season that earned him the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award also earned him the upgraded spot on the list. Bontemps explained Marcus’ impact on Boston’s top tier defense:

"“Smart didn’t become the first guard to win Defensive Player of the Year since Gary Payton in 1996 by mistake. Smart has long been considered one of the best defensive guards in the NBA, and he was a huge part of Boston’s league-leading defense, including when it was a staggering 4.6 points per 100 possessions better than the rest of the NBA over the final two-and-a-half months of the regular season.”"

ESPN should be releasing the full top 25 list sometime this week. It will be then when fans will learn where they rank the Jays.