Best NBA Players by Team

These ballers can put a franchise on their backs.

Best NBA Players by Team

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant is one of the NBA's rising stars.

It’s not a guard thing. It’s not a post thing. It’s just the main thing. Being the best player on any NBA team is the type of rare air that only the game’s elite will ever get to breathe. And once they get there, that’s when things start to get really fun.

Some of these guys tear out the other team’s heart by raining 3-pointers. Some of them bring opponents to their knees with rim-shaking authority. Some of them have been around for over a decade. Some of them are already carrying the load for their team in just their first or second season.

What do they have in common? They all ball. These are the best individual players on each NBA franchise.

Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young, Point Guard

Born: Sept. 19, 1988 (Dallas, Texas)

Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 180 pounds

College: Oklahoma

Seasons: 2 (2018-present)

Teams: Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 29.6 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 9.3 APG, 43.7 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 1 (2020)

Bottom Line: Trae Young

Trae Young, the No. 5 overall pick in 2018, shouldn’t have to shoulder this much of the load on such a bad team this early in his career.

But one positive, he’s already showing he can fill it up and dish it out as he leads the team in scoring and assists and made his first All-Star team in 2019-20.

One problem? The Hawks aren't even sniffing a playoff spot in Young's first two seasons. That's gotta change.

Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum, Power Forward

Born: March 3, 1998 (St. Louis, Missouri)

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 210 pounds

College: Duke

Seasons: 3 (2017-present)

Teams: Boston Celtics

2019-20 stats: 23.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 45.0 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 1 (2020)

Bottom Line: Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum was one of the NBA's breakout stars during the 2019-20 season.

With the addition of free-agent point guard Kemba Walker and the subtraction of me-first point guard Kyrie Irving, Tatum thrived.

Tatum, in his third season out of Duke, made his first All-Star team in 2019-20, including a career-high 41 points in a nationally televised 114-112 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 23.

Brooklyn Nets: Kevin Durant, Small Forward/Power Forward

Born: Sept. 29, 1988 (Washington D.C.)

Height/weight: 6-foot-10, 240 pounds

College: Texas

Seasons: 13 (2007-present)

Teams: Seattle SuperSonics (2007-08), Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-16), Golden State Warriors (2016-19), Brooklyn Nets (2019-present)

Career stats: 27.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 4.1 APG, 49.3 FG%

Championships: 2 (2017, 2018)

All-Star: 10 (2010-19)

Bottom Line: Kevin Durant

Ok, yes, we know Kevin Durant hasn't even played a game for the Brooklyn Nets. But the next time the team takes the floor, Durant will be out there after signing a mega-deal with the team before the 2019-20 season, then sitting out the entire year while rehabbing a torn Achilles tendon.

It wasn't hard to see what the NBA was missing in Durant's year away — he's been one of the league's marquee players for over a decade.

The anticipation for the return of the 10-time All-Star and two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player is already running high.

Charlotte Hornets: Devonte' Graham, Point Guard

Born: Feb. 22, 1995 (Raleigh, North Carolina)

Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 195 pounds

College: Kansas

Seasons: 2 (2018-present)

Teams: Charlotte Hornets

2019-20 stats: 18.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 7.5 APG, 38.2 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: None

Bottom Line: Devonte' Graham

Devote' Graham stepped up and filled the void left by Kemba Walker's free-agency exit in a huge and unexpected way in 2019-20.

Graham's play in his second season shocked the entire league, going from averaging 4.7 points as a rookie to 18.4 points in his sophomore season. Graham's scoring wasn't the only part of his game that was elite. His assists jumped up to 7.5 per game.

But he still plays for the Hornets.

Chicago Bulls: Zach LaVine, Point Guard/Shooting Guard

Born: March 10, 1995. (Renton, Washington)

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 200 pounds

College: UCLA

Seasons: 6 (2014-present)

Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves (2014-17), Chicago Bulls (2017-present)

Stats: 17.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.6 APG, 45.0 FG %

Championships: None

All-Star: None

Bottom Line: Zach Lavine

Injuries seemed to have derailed Zach LaVine's career — maybe permanently — until he underwent a bit of a career revival in 2019-20.

LaVine, a two-time NBA slam dunk contest champion, averaged career highs in points (25.5), rebounds (4.8) and steals (1.5) and scored a career-high 49 points against the Charlotte Hornets in a 116-115 win on Nov. 23, 2019.

The Bulls still finished 11th in the Eastern Conference playoff standings, three back of the final playoff spot.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Andre Drummond, Center

Born: Aug. 10, 1993 (Mount Vernon, New York)

Height/weight: 6-foot-10, 280 pounds

College: UConn

Seasons: 8 (2012-present)

Teams: Detroit Pistons (2012-20), Cleveland Cavaliers (2020-present)

2019-20 stats: 17.7 PPG, 15.2 RPG, 2.7 APG, 53.5 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 2 (2016, 2018)

Bottom Line: Andre Drummond

Andre Drummond doesn't get talked about nearly enough as one of the NBA's premier big men.

But he's a dominant rebounder who we may not truly appreciate until his career is over. That non-appreciation comes from the fact that Drummond has played for some truly horrid teams.

Yet he's still led the league in rebounding four times, including three straight seasons from 2018 to 2020.

Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic, Small Forward

Born: Feb. 28, 1999 (Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 230 pounds

College: None

Seasons: 2 (2018-present)

Teams: Dallas Mavericks (2018-present)

Stats: 28.8 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 8.5 APG, 46.3 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 1 (2020)

Bottom Line: Luka Doncic

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 draft has taken the NBA by storm in his first two seasons as the Dallas Mavericks appear headed for the top of the NBA ladder again.

Outside-the-box thinking (and watching Luka play) might have you thinking he could be the best European player ever one day — a title currently belonging to former Mav Dirk Nowitzki.

Can Doncic be an MVP one day? Can he lead the Mavs to a title one day? His career boils down to those two questions.

Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic, Center

Born: Feb. 19, 1995 (Sombor, Serbia)

Height/weight: 7-foot, 260 pounds

College: None

Seasons: 5 (2015-present)

Teams: Denver Nuggets (2015-present)

Stats: 19.9 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 7.0 APG, 52.8 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 2 (2019, 2020)

Bottom Line: NIkola Jokic

Nikola Jokic responded to criticism of his five-year, $148 million contract signed in 2018 by making the All-Star team the next two seasons.

There aren’t a lot of big men like the 7-foot Serbian center, who is only 25 years old and leads the Nuggets in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.

Jokic may have found a running mate in Michael Porter Jr., and the Nuggets could be another one or two players from being a consistent force in the Western Conference.

Detroit Pistons: Derrick Rose, Point Guard

Born: Oct. 4, 1988 (Chicago, Illinois)

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 200 pounds

College: Memphis

Seasons: 12 (2008-present)

Teams: Chicago Bulls (2008-16), New York Knicks (2016-17), Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-18), Minnesota Timberwolves (2018-19), Detroit Pistons (2019-present)

Stats: 18.1 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 5.6 APG, 49.0 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 3 (2010-12)

Bottom Line: Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose's career rejuvenation in 2019-20 with the Detroit Pistons was a great story, but Rose becoming the team's best player speaks more to the franchise's overall struggles than anything else.

Rose, the 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player, actually began playing better in 2018-19 with the Minnesota Timberwolves but had to take over a bigger workload with the Pistons after Blake Griffin only played in 18 games because of injuries.

The Pistons seem like a franchise with no clear direction.

Golden State Warriors: Steph Curry, Point Guard

Born: March 14, 1988 (Akron, Ohio)

Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 185 pounds

College: Davidson

Seasons: 11 (2009-present)

Teams: Golden State Warriors

Stats: 20.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 6.6 APG, 40.2 FG%

Championships: 3 (2015, 2017, 2018)

All-Star: 6 (2014-2019)

Bottom Line: Steph Curry

The Warriors’ leading scorer and highest-paid player in the 2019-20 NBA season at $37.5 million was the one who triggered Golden State's current dynasty, and still is the heart and soul of the team.

He continues to change the way basketball fans understand what an elite shooter is capable of. Hits almost 50 percent of 3-point attempts.

And his range is when he steps out of his car in the parking lot.

Houston Rockets: James Harden, Shooting Guard

Born: Aug. 26, 1989 (Los Angeles, California)

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 220 pounds

College: Arizona State

Seasons: 11 (2009-present)

Teams: Oklahoma City Thunder (2009-12), Houston Rockets (2009-present)

2019-20 stats: 34.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 7.5 APG, 44.4 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 8 (2013-20)

Bottom Line: James Harden

The Beard is the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player and averages a mind-boggling 36.2 points and 8.1 assists per game.

He’s impossible to guard, but his team doesn’t always rise to his level of play. And that’s the rub.

Can he consistently make other players better? And will he ever deliver in the postseason?

Indiana Pacers: T.J. Warren, Small Forward

Born: Sept. 5, 1993 (Durham, North Carolina)

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 220 pounds

College: North Carolina State

Seasons: 6 (2014-present)

Teams: Phoenix Suns (2014-19), Indiana Pacers (2019-present)

2019-20 stats: 19.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.5 APG, 53.6 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: None

Indiana Pacers: T.J. Warren

Go ahead and accuse us of recency bias. It's fine. Probably true as well.

T.J. Warren shot his way into the top spot as the Pacers' best player in the NBA Restart of the 2019-20 season, most notably with his 53-point performance in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Pretty impressive for a player who the Phoenix Suns traded to the Pacers for a bag of Pop Rockets and some Pepsi.

Los Angeles Clippers: Kawhi Leonard, Small Forward

Born: June 29, 1991 (Los Angeles, California)

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 225 pounds

College: San Diego State

Seasons: 9 (2011-present)

Teams: San Antonio Spurs (2011-18), Toronto Raptors (2018-19), Los Angeles Clippers (2019-present)

2019-20 stats: 27.1 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 4.9 APG, 47.0 FG%

Championships: 2 (2014, 2019)

All-Star: 4 (2016, 2017, 2019, 2020)

Bottom Line: Kawhi Leonard

The balance of power shifted to the Los Angeles Clippers after they signed free agent Kawhi Leonard before the 2019-20 season.

Leonard, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, led both the Spurs and Raptors to NBA titles and had another high-profile free agent join him on the Clippers with All-Star Paul George.

The kicker? Both of them signed two-year contracts.

Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James, Guard/Forward

Born: Dec. 30, 1984 (Akron, Ohio)

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 260 pounds

High School: St. Vincent/St. Mary High School

Seasons: 17 (2003-present)

Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-10, 2014-18), Miami Heat (2010-14), Los Angeles Lakers (2018-present)

2019-20 stats: 25.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 10.2 APG, 49.3 FG%

Championships: 3 (2012, 2013, 2016)

All-Star: 16 (2005-20)

Bottom Line: LeBron James, Guard/Forward

LeBron James is not just the best player on the Lakers, but the best player in the entire NBA for most of the last two decades.

Even with that, it's not impossible to see him ceding that title to teammate Anthony Davis at some point in the near future.

Nevertheless, James did something pretty incredible in 2019-20, his 17th NBA season. He led the league in assists for the first time in his career by clocking in at 10.2 per game.

Memphis Grizzlies: Ja Morant, Point Guard

Born: Aug. 10, 1999 (Daizell, South Carolina)

Height/weight: 6-foot-3 174 pounds

College: Murray State

Seasons: 1 (2019-present)

Teams: Memphis Grizzlies

Stats: 17.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 7.3 APG, 47.7 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: None

Bottom Line: Ja Morant

Ja Morant was a revelation in his final year at Murray State in 2018-19 and became the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft.

His rookie season showed he could actually be the savior the middling franchise has been looking for since its inception.

Morant led all NBA rookies in scoring (17.8 points) and assists (7.1) in 2019-20 and guided the Grizzlies all the way to the NBA Restart's play-in game.

Miami Heat: Jimmy Butler, Small Forward

Born: Sept. 14, 1989 (Houston, Texas)

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 230 pounds

College/high school: Marquette

Seasons: 9 (2011-present)

Teams: Chicago Bulls (2011-17), Minnesota Timberwolves (2017-18), Philadelphia 76ers (2018-19), Miami Heat (2019-present)

2019-20 stats: 19.9 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 6.0 APG, 45.5 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 5 (2015-18, 2020)

Bottom Line: Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler brought a new attitude to the Miami Heat in 2019-20 after leading the Philadelphia 76ers within one last-second shot from making the NBA Finals.

Butler's addition turned the Heat into an Eastern Conference contender, and he was awarded with the fifth All-Star appearance of his career.

After several years of bouncing around teams, Butler seems to have found a home in South Beach.

Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Forward

Born: Dec. 6, 1994 (Athens, Greece)

Height/weight: 6-foot-11, 242 pounds

College: None

Seasons: 7 (2013-present)

Teams: Milwaukee Bucks

2019-20 stats: 29.5 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 5.6 APG, 55.3 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 4 (2017-20)

Bottom Line: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo went from the NBA's best young player to the NBA's best player in the blink of an eye, winning his first NBA MVP award in 2019 and turning the Milwaukee Bucks into NBA championship contenders.

There's no cap to how good Giannis can be and the evolution of his game is a scary thought for opponents.

He'll likely be the NBA's dominant force over the next decade or longer. Watch.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns, Center

Born: Nov. 15, 1995 (Edison, New Jersey)

Height/weight: 6-foot-11, 250 pounds

College: Kentucky

Seasons: 5 (2015-present)

Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves

2019-20 stats: 26.5 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 4.4 APG, 50.8 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 2 (2018, 2019)

Bottom Line: Karl-Anthony Towns

Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the most talented players in the NBA and is already a two-time All-Star. That doesn't change the fact the Timberwolves are a tiresome, tough sell for any basketball fan.

Towns, maybe unfairly, has been labeled as being too sensitive — because former teammate Jimmy Butler told everyone who would listen that the T-Wolves' young stars were too sensitive.

Funny how that worked.

New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson, Power Forward

Born: July 6, 2000 (Salisbury, North Carolina)

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 284 pounds

College: Duke

Seasons: 1 (2019-present)

Teams: New Orleans Pelicans

2019-20 stats: 22.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 58.3 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: None

New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson

Zion Williamson's rookie season was pretty hit-and-miss, but in the short time he was actually on the floor with the Pelicans, he left little doubt as to who was the franchise's best player.

Williamson can dominate opponents with his size and strength, but he showed up to the NBA Restart overweight and out of shape, begging the question: Is he going to be able to have sustained success in the league?

We'll see.

New York Knicks: Julius Randle, Power Forward

Born: Nov. 29, 1994 (Dallas, Texas)

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 250 pounds

College: Kentucky

Seasons: 6 (2014-present)

Teams: Los Angeles Lakers (2014-18), New Orleans Pelicans (2018-19), New York Knicks (2019-present)

2019-20 stats: 19.5 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 3.1 APG, 46.0 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: None

Bottom Line: Julius Randle

Picking the Knicks' best player is like picking the best Steven Seagal movie.

Picking the Knicks best player is like picking your favorite way to serve broccoli.

Picking the Knicks best player is like picking the best way to make yourself wake up for an early flight.

Picking the Knicks best player is actually pretty simple. It’s Julius Randle, who has been there for all of one season.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Chris Paul, Point Guard

Born: May 6, 1985 (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)

Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 175 pounds

College: Wake Forest

Seasons: 15 (2005-present)

Teams: New Orleans Hornets (2005-11), Los Angeles Clippers (2011-17), Houston Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-present)

Stats: 17.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 6.7 APG, 48.9 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 10 (2008-16, 2020)

Bottom Line: Chris Paul

Some people threw dirt on Chris Paul's career after his contentious stint with the Houston Rockets from 2017 to 2019, where he clashed mightily with star guard James Harden.

Even though those two couldn't co-exist, Paul more than proved his worth after being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he guided the team to the NBA playoffs and made his first All-Star team since 2016.

Orlando Magic: Nikola Vucevic, Center

Nicola Vucevic averaged a double-double in 2019-20.

Born: Oct. 24, 1990 (Morges, Switzerland)

Height/weight: 7-foot, 260 pounds

College: USC

Seasons: 9 (2011-present)

Teams: Philadelphia 76ers (2011-12), Orlando Magic (2012-present)

2019-20 stats: 19.6 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 3.6 APG, 47.7 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 1 (2019)

Bottom Line: Nikola Vucevic

Nikola Vucevic finally figured it out in the 2017-18 season, and it’s continued into the next two years.

The 7-foot center was a first-time All-Star in 2019 and came back in 2019-20 to average a double-double and help lead the Magic into the NBA playoffs.

Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid, Center

Born: March 16, 1994 (Yaounde, Cameroon)

Height/weight: 7-foot, 280 pounds

College: Kansas

Seasons: 6 (2014-present)

Teams: Philadelphia 76ers

2019-20 stats: 23.0 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 3.0 APG, 47.7 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 3 (2018-20)

Bottom Line: Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid sat out every game for two seasons after being drafted in 2014, but that seems like a lifetime ago.

Now, the joking, smiling, dunking, shot-blocking center from Cameroon is one of the NBA’s most dominant players, most recognizable faces and has a social media presence Fortune 500 companies and rock stars would kill for.

Questions still dog Embiid about his dedication to the game — they won't be answered until he delivers an NBA title.

Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker, Shooting Guard

Born: Oct. 30, 1996 (Grand Rapids, Michigan)

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 206 pounds

College: Kentucky

Seasons: 5 (2015-present)

Teams: Phoenix Suns

2019-20 stats: 26.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.5 APG, 48.9 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 1 (2020)

Bottom Line: Devin Booker

Devin Booker is very, very good and is slowly turning the Phoenix Suns into a playoff team.

At 6-foot-5, he is a prototype NBA shooting guard and already one of the best young scorers in NBA history, as evidenced by his 70-point game against the Celtics.

But without a good supporting cast, that talent will be wasted. Or used somewhere else when he strikes it rich in free agency.

Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard, Point Guard

Born: July 15, 1990 (Oakland, California)

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 195 pounds

College: Weber State

Seasons 8 (2012-present)

Teams: Portland Trail Blazers

2019-20 stats: 30.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 8.0 APG, 46.3 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 5 (2014, 2015, 2018-20)

Bottom Line: Damian Lillard

The five-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA pick is already one of the Trail Blazers’ all-time greats.

Playing in the Western Conference, Lillard's efforts were largely lost on a national audience until he took over during the NBA Restart.

Watch him play once, and you’ll understand why No. 0 (hat tip to hometown Oakland, college town Ogden, current state Oregon) will never take a backseat to anyone.

Sacramento Kings: De’Aaron Fox, Point Guard

Born: Dec. 20. 1997 (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 185 pounds

College: Kentucky

Seasons: 3 (2017-present)

Teams: Sacramento Kings

2019-20 stats: 21.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 6.8 APG, 48.0 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: None

Bottom Line: De’Aaron Fox

De'Aaron Fox, the Kings’ first-round pick in 2017, is starting to separate himself from the team’s 2016 first-round pick, Buddy Hield, a player who is almost the exact same size and essentially plays the same position.

Fox scores at a similar clip as Hield at 21.1 points per game, but his assists and steals usually more than double Hield's output.

San Antonio Spurs: DeMar DeRozan, Shooting Guard

Born: Aug. 7, 1989 (Compton, California)

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 220 pounds

College: USC

Seasons: 11 (2009-present)

Teams: Toronto Raptors (2009-2018), San Antonio Spurs (2018-present)

2019-20 stats: 22.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5.6 APG, 53.1 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 4 (2014, 2016-18)

Bottom Line: DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan could end up being best known as the player the Spurs swapped for Kawhi Leonard, which enabled the Raptors to win their first NBA title in 2019.

One thing you can point to that gives DeRozan the edge — he’s on pace to double his career high in assists.

Side note: DeRozan saved $8.5 million in taxes in the 2018-19 season after being traded from high-tax Toronto to a team in no-state-taxes Texas.

Toronto Raptors: Pascal Siakam, Power Forward

Born: April 2, 1994 (Douala, Cameroon)

Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 230 pounds

College: New Mexico State

Seasons: 4 (2016-present)

Teams: Toronto Raptors

2019-20 stats: 22.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.5 APG, 45.3 FG%

Championships: 1 (2019)

All-Star: 1 (2020)

Bottom Line: Pascal Siakam

Pascal Siakam was a revelation for the Raptors during their run to the NBA championship in 2018-19, proving to be a worthy running mate to NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.

Siakam showed he was able to shoulder the load as a franchise's star player in 2019-20 when he made his first All-Star team and kept Toronto in the hunt for a second straight Eastern Conference title.

Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell, Shooting Guard

Born: Sept. 7, 1996 (Elmsford, New York)

Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 215 pounds

College: Louisville

Seasons: 3 (2017-present)

Teams: Utah Jazz

2019-20 stats: 24.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 4.3 APG, 44.9 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 1 (2020)

Bottom Line: Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitcjell — Young or not, Donovan Mitchell has become a Jazz leader.

Donovan Mitchell is only 23 years old and being asked to put an entire franchise on his back.

Jazz fans were despondent after Gordon Hayward decided to leave for the Boston Celtics via free agency, but "Spida" injected hope with his play as a rookie in the 2017-18 season.

The Jazz, smartly, are surrounding him with the right kind of talent, and he could be one of the NBA's best players for the next decade.

Washington Wizards: Bradley Beal, Shooting Guard

Born: June 28, 1993 (St. Louis, Missouri)

Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 205 pounds

College: Florida

Seasons: 8 (2012-present)

Teams: Washington Wizards

2019-20 stats: 30.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.1 APG, 45.5 FG%

Championships: None

All-Star: 2 (2018, 2019)

Bottom Line: Bradley Beal

Bradley Beal has been a model of consistency since 2017, avoiding the injuries that dogged him early in his career.

In that time, he’s overtaken John Wall as the Wizards’ best player and joined Oscar Robertson as the only players to have multiple 40-point, 15-assist, 10-rebound double-doubles in the same season in 2018-19.

He's also the NBA's version of Rodney Dangerfield. He gets no respect.