The Boston Celtics star checked in at No. 9 on ESPN's annual Top 100.
With just days to go until the official start of NBA training camp, ESPN recently ranked its Top 100 players ahead of the 2026-27 season.
On that list, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum came in at No. 9. He was unranked last year because his Achilles injury recovery was going to cost him most of the season. He only played in 16 regular season games.
So, with Tatum back in the fold at No. 9, let's take a look at who is ahead of him. And no, Jaylen Brown, who the Celtics just traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, is not ahead of him. He checked in at No. 14.
No. 8 Cade Cunningham
The Detroit Pistons star jumped up from No. 12 to No. 8 after a season that saw him land on the First-Team All-NBA. Detroit earned the No. 1 seed in the playoffs based upon his excellent campaign.
No. 7 Anthony Edwards
The face of the Minnesota Timberwolves averaged 28.8 ppg, which is even higher than the 28.7 that Brown averaged in Boston. He helped lead the T'Wolves back to the playoffs, where they were upended in the semifinals.
No. 6 Jalen Brunson
Winning a title will do that for you. Brunson jumped up from No. 10 to No. 6 and is known as one of the best closers in the NBA - if not the best.
No. 5 Giannis Antetokounmpo
The "Greek Freak," actually dropped from No. 4 to No. 5 this season, probably because of his health issues that limited him to only 36 games. He was traded to the Miami Heat this offseason and will continue to be a thorn for the Celtics to deal with.
No. 4 Luka Doncic
Arguably the best scorer in the world, Doncic averaged 33.5 ppg last year to win the scoring title. He's now the face of the Lakers in the absence of LeBron James, who signed with the 76ers.
No. 3 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
He's a back-to-back MVP, but somehow he fell a spot. That's..... interesting.
No. 2 Victor Wembanyama
The French star led the San Antonio Spurs to the NBA Finals against the Knicks and his quest to get the top spot is fully on. In addition to his ability to score, almost at ease, he won the league's Defensive Player of the Year award.
No. 1 Nikola Jokic
The Denver Nuggets big man averaged a triple-double for the third straight year, and he led the league in both rebounds and assists per game. That had never happened before.
