Predicting the Best NBA Players in 5 Years

For this post we are going to try and predict the top 30 NBA players in the year 2030! We are halfway through the 2020's and it will be fun to look back in the future and see how far off these predictions are! Only current NBA players and draft candidates for this upcoming draft were included so elite prospects such as AJ Dybantsa and Cam Boozer will not be included. Rankings are somewhat fluid so do not get too caught up on the numbers! Each player has their age in 5 years time as well as a small blurb explaining the rationale. Please comment which players I did not include that you expect to be elite in 5 years time or where you think I totally missed!

30. Trae Young, 31

While he does have his flaws and deficiencies, I still expect Trae Young to be one of the elite guards on the offensive end. In 5 years Young will still be scoring and assisting at a high level.

29. Donovan Mitchell, 33

Spida could lose a little bit of his explosiveness that he uses for his downhill scoring but he is a career good three point shooter and a good playmaker. I think he becomes a great assist man in his later days.

28. Franz Wagner, 28

While there are question marks on his outside shooting, Franz is one of the best downhill drivers and scorers in the game and a good defender. His versatility will prove to be extremely valuable as he continues his career.

27. Bam Adebayo, 32

I still expect Bam to be one of the league's most versatile defenders and to be a smart playmaking center in 2030.

26. Brandon Miller, 27

If Miller progresses to where I think he can, I expect Miller to be one of the best wing scorers in the association. Improvements for the 2nd year player surely will be made to his shot selection and driving ability.

25. Scottie Barnes, 28

I am not sure Scottie will ever be a great #1 offensive engine, but could be an elite #2 option. His playmaking ability and offensive versatility is unique and he is someone who can defend 1-5 better than almost anybody.

24. Dylan Harper, 24

While there are currently questions on if Harper can ever be a great outside shooter, I see no reason to not think he can be elite. He has the physical and driving tools to be a great rim-pressuring guard.

23. Jalen Brunson, 33

Brunson will still be one of the better offensive players in the league. He will be able to shoot, score in the paint, and get to the line.

22. Devin Booker, 33

Booker will always have offensive value. His versatility to play point or off-the-ball will be his biggest strength.

21. Jaren Jackson Jr, 30

This is a true ceiling protection, but JJJ will still be one of the most valuable defenders in the league and has crazy high offensive upside.

20. Jalen Williams, 29

While being one of the best wing defenders in the league, Dub has also improved offensively each year he has been in the league.

19. Tyrese Maxey, 28

Scoring the basketball will always be the most important thing in basketball at the end of the day. Maxey will be in his prime and has the potential to be one of the absolute best scorers in the game.

18. Amen Thompson, 27

He is already one of the best defenders the game has and might be the best athlete in the league also. He has shown offensive promise and versatility, so if he can put all the pieces together on this end there is no reason he is not one of the world's greatest players.

17. Alperen Sengun, 27

If he can combine his 2023-24 offensive output with his 2024-25 defensive improvement, this is inarguably one of the elite big men in the NBA.

16. LaMelo Ball, 28

This is a real projection. Injuries have hindered LaMelo's progression. LaMelo could improve his efficiency and shot selection but I chalk this up to him being on a poor Hornets team. If Ball can reach his potential I think Ball will be one of the most fun offensive players in the NBA.

15. Giannis Antetokounmpo, 35

This was such a hard player to project. He is an all time great and we have seen all time greats battle with Father Time longer than before (look at LeBron, Steph, KD) I think Giannis will still be a great defender and a complete mismatch but his lack of perimeter shooting might cause him to not be the top 3 player in the world he is currently.

14. Cooper Flagg, 23

Flagg has such an all around game. He projects to be a plus passer, scorer, and defender with outlier versatility potential.

13. Zion Williamson, 28

When he can play, Zion simply is unstoppable. The big question mark is if he will be able to put his skills together consistently.

12. Ja Morant, 30

Similar to Zion the biggest knock on Morant has been his availability. If Morant can add a consistent mid-range game, he should be one of the most dangerous guards in the NBA.

11. Chet Holmgren, 28

Chet is already an elite defender and has shown flashes of being a complete unicorn offensively. His two way impact will be invaluable.

10. Evan Mobley, 28

He has shown more offensively than I thought and he has a DPOY award to his resume at age 23. If he can continue to provide threat on the offensive end while being one of the elite defenders, Mobley will surely return top 10 value.

9. Paolo Banchero, 27

Once it fully clicks with Paolo that he can handle the ball like a guard while being 6'10" and 250lbs, he will be one of the league's greatest mismatches.

8. Tyrese Haliburton, 30

He has shown how much he impacts winning during the last two Indiana playoff runs. I expect Hali to be one the elite guards and to be one of the best playmakers basketball has to offer.

7. Cade Cunningham, 28

Cunningham truly broke out this season earning All-NBA 3rd Team honors. If Cunningham can continue to be a great and efficient scorer while being a plus playmaker, he will undoubtedly be one of the best.

6. Nikola Jokic, 35

If Jokic is still playing in 5 years he will still be a threat to win MVP. One of the best players to ever grace the basketball court, his game will translate over time.

 5. Jayson Tatum, 32: huge question mark due to injury

Now this is one that could look silly in 5 years time. Who knows how Tatum will bounce back from his achilles injury. With that in mind, Tatum is a top 5 player in the game right now and if he can endure the rehab I think can still be a top 5 player in 2030.

4. Anthony Edwards, 28

Ant-Man has improved some facet of his game every year since entering the league. This year he led the NBA in made three pointers and learned how to play against defensive schemes. If he continues to progress his potential truly is limitless.

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 31

Placing him at #3 might be offensive to Shai. He had one of the best season's in NBA history this year and there is no reason to expect Shai to decline in ability over the next five years.

2. Luka Doncic, 31

At his best, I think Luka is the best offensive player in the world. I think this will ring true in 5 years time and he will continue to be the perennial All-NBA/MVP threat he has been.

1. Victor Wembanyama, 26

If Wemby can avoid the injury bug and actually hits his ceiling, I think we will end up calling him the greatest player ever. There is no reason to think that he will not be the clear best player in the NBA in 2030.